The Fitting Experiment

Everybody deserves the perfect dress
Me

And there we are again! A couple of sewists from all over the world decided to start a blogger group. We are testing patterns from different companies and blog about the fit, the pattern, the instructions and give our honest opninion.

This time we tested the Hourglass Dress from Made by Runi.

Although this isn’t the first time I made something from Made by Runi, it was my first time sewing this dress. It’s a fun dress with a couple of cool options and with the choice of your fabric and the way you are using the color block option, you can sew a different dress over and over again!

I like the way how the patterns are coming, you don’t need a lot of paper to print them, but when you want to use the pattern more then once, you should invest some time to trace the pattern and seperate all the pattern pieces on tracing paper.

Also the pattern is coming different then I am used too, you can find the instructions on the WordPress blog from Made by Runi. here is the link to instructions.

To be honest, my first 3 garments I sewed without the instructions because I didn’t know about them, hahaha. The instructions are pretty basic, the pictures not always clear and the way how to sew the binding on, is not how I am used too. You also have free choice how to finish your garment, binding and/ or neckbands aren’t coming with the pattern mostly and you have to measure them yourself. The first time I was thinking: where are those pattern pieces, where is the cut chart! But then I realized I measure them myself anyways and this freedom is actually pretty cool.

Anyways, back to the dress. because this wasn’t my first garment I made I decided not to sew a muslin, but use my regular corrections and adjustments I always use for her patterns. Actually they aren’t much, I am 5,5′, have a side waist from 8″ and I normally only need to do a fba.

Watch out! The patterns are coming without seam allowance! Make sure you take enough for the hem and just keep it simple: just cut out the patternpieces with the seam allowance and it will not cost you any more time then normally.

I personally prefer to add seam allowance myself, because on that way you’ll have more control to make corrections to a pattern.

Say yes to this dress!

Then…I had to choose the look I wanted and which fabric to use. Because I wanted to try the fitted one with the hourglass color block option, my fabric needed to match too. And of course, like always, no more black….But I found a cool ponte from Megastoffen and the backside of the fabric was entirely black. Yesss!

I gave myself a little bit more room around the waist and hips. Toooo fitted just don’t look good on me.

I read in the instructions better not to use the color block options from the shoulderpart when using the hourglass options, so I listened to that. Otherwise it could be your dress is going to look like if you are a wearing a vest. Which can be cool, but wasn’t the look I wanted to go for.

While sewing I thought, how would it be when this dress was reversible? No, not lined, but just turn it around? Hmmmm, then you are seeing the stitches from the other side. Wait! I’ll topstitch, every seam and the stitches are laying flat. Because of the binding at the neck the neck is finished on both sides and finish the hems with a binding or leave them raw like I did and tadaa a reversible dress is there!

Sewing this dress is quickly and simple. It all fits excellent and can completely be done, except when you are finishing it with a binding, with a serger.

Well, there is always that moment coming you can try it on! And need I say more then the fit is excellent? In a short time I have a super cool new dress which I really like a lot! Now I want to try the skirt option too!

For some reason it looks on the picture it is kind of wrinkly, but that has something to do with the light. I don´t know, but I prefer it like this instead of other way round. 🙂

I hope you enjoyed the blog and don’t forget to read the other blogs and you can follow me on Instagram too of course!