Pattern Review - Vogue 1089 Badgley Mishka Dress

Well, you've already seen it on, but here's the full review....

Pattern Description: From Vogue's website - MISSES' DRESS: Close-fitting, lined, flared dress has princess seams, midriff with assorted beads and invisible zipper closing. Above mid-knee length.

Sizing: 8-22. I started with a 12 at the shoulders and tapered out to a 14 at the midriff.

Fabric Used: Luxe Stretch Silk/Cotton Floral Twill - Multi Brights for the outer shell and self-lining. For the skirt lining I used a stretch silk charmeuse that has been aging in my stash since Phyllis and I last went to NYC together. (That was what, Phyllis - 3 years ago?)

Let me just gush about the fabric for a moment. That silk/cotton blend is a dream to sew with! It could easily become one of my favorite fabrics. Really - it cuts and sews beautifully. I recommend a stretch needle in the fabric page, but it went together beautifully with a non-stretch on my industrial. And it feels like heaven against the skin! I didn't pre-wash my fabric, since (thanks to the lining), this dress is doomed destined to be dry cleaned. If I was not going to dry clean it, I think you could probably wash it in the gentle cycle - cold, and dry it in a cool dryer, removing before it's completely dry. But my official recommendation is going to be dry clean. How's that for CYA? I love this fabric, can you tell?

Needle/Notions Used: Stretch 70/10 needle on my home sewing machine, 9/65 (non stretch) needle on my industrial Juki. I made the skirts on the Juki, then took the rest home to work on overnights. 22 inch invisible zipper. Fusible tricot interfacing from Fashion Sewing Supply. Hook and eye. Metrosene thread (at home), Poly cone thread on the Juki.

Did it look like the photo or drawing when you got through? Yes, except for my changes to the design (see below).

How were the instructions? I didn't use them, and honestly, because I was in a rush to complete this, I haven't looked at them to let you know.

Construction Notes: I did my usual FBA. I also decided to skip the Vogue facing/lining pattern pieces and I just used the dress pattern pieces instead. I did a self lining on the bodice and midriff, which you can see here:

Sorry it's wrinkled - I wore it all day yesterday.

I decided to do it this way for two reasons - one, I didn't have to do an FBA on the lining pieces and two, the dress is fitted at the midriff on the shell, but the lining is a standard stem to stern princess line pattern that floats free. That didn't make a lot of sense to me. I wanted the lining to mirror the dress. It's just a matter of preference.

I had made a muslin of the dress with 65 inch muslin. The muslin is non-stretch. The fabric itself has a lot of stretch to it - probably a good 10% in the crosswise direction. Because of that, the muslin was slightly snugger than the finished dress. I probably could have used a straight size 12 for the entire dress.

Also, rather than doing the make the entire dress/lining, attach and let hang overnight before hemming thing, I did it a little differently. I made the skirts (shell and lining) first and let them hang overnight while I made the bodice. The next day I attached the skirts/bodices and hemmed them. That's probably going to be my modus operandi from here forth. I did it because I was on a really short time frame, but it worked out really well and is much more efficient. I also hemmed the lining before attaching it. I hemmed the garment shell once everthing was attached.

Any design changes? Yes. I mentioned it in a previous blog post, but I'll repeat here. When I did the muslin, I used the upper/lower midriff pieces and sewed them together. There's no shaping to the seams, so the only reason I can see for making a two piece is for placement of the crafty shit jewels along the midriff. Since I wasn't going to be doing that, I was able to combine the pattern pieces.

Likes/Dislikes: Love it! What's not to love? It's a pretty dress with pretty lines. I think it is good for many body types and ages. And it is my celebration dress for my final chemo session!!!!

Would you do it again? Would you recommend it? Yes and yes. I actually like it more than I thought I would. I'm inspired by Cindy's comment that she's making this dress in denim with the jewels. I have a fabulous 3-oz (dress weight) Japanese denim that I just got in. It's not on the Gorgeous Fabrics site yet, but it will be next week. I think I may grab a few yards of that and make it up, with the crafty shit jewels this time!

Conclusion: A winner. Here's a reprise of me in it.

Happy sewing!