Today I’m very excited to share my Rushcutter dress with you. This beautiful swing dress pattern is designed by Emily from In the Folds. She contacted me at the end of last year and we decided to do a little pattern swap. She made a Lou Box Top (see hers right here) and I’m sharing this adorable dress. (BTW, aren’t sewing friends the best?) It was so fun to try out this rather ingenious and fun pattern. Read on to get all the details and see lots more pics.
The Rushcutter features two design styles, one with sleeves and one without. I chose to make view B, the sleeveless version. It has in-seam pockets, a pieced front yoke and button placket at the back. The whole things is done with french seams, including the pockets! I could never figure out before how you could french seam an in-seam pocket but Emily figured it out and you can see how to do it right here. She’s pretty much a genius. Make sure to check out the sewalong for lots more amazing construction tips.
The instructions for this pattern are really good (really, truly good, I'm not just saying that). Each step is accompanied by a clear photo and there’s plenty of detail without being overwhelming or confusing. I usually prefer illustrations to photos but I really loved the photos in this pattern. The only change I’d make for next time, is to stitch the buttonholes before attaching the back yoke to the dress. My machine had trouble stitching the bottom buttonhole because of the lump at the french seam.
I cut a straight size D. According to the size chart, I’m a size E in the bust and D in the hips but since there’s a lot of ease in the pattern I decided to make the size D. I think it worked really well and it does not feel too tight at all in the bust. I considered grading down for the hips but decided against it because I thought it would mess up the swing shape of the skirt. I skipped the fabric belt for now but have played around with wearing a leather belt over the dress and I like that look too.
The fabric is a light weight chambray that I found at the FIDM Scholarship Store in LA. You never really know what’s going to be in their tiny shop as the selection changes daily but it’s fun to go explore. And the prices are super low. Yay! Ok, back to the fabric. The dots are printed on top of the fabric rather than being woven in. As soon as I saw it I knew I had to buy some. Chambray + Polka Dots = cut me 4 yards. The fabric was very easy to work with and it’s super fun but I do worry a little bit that it’s too juvenile.
It’s been a little too cold for this kind of dress so I haven’t taken it out yet. (Do you think about your handmade clothes like that? As in the first time you wear it is kind of like a first date – getting to know each other. Do you like each other? Do you want to hang out again?) But, as soon as the temps go up I’ll be taking these dots out on the town.
As you’re planning your spring and summer wardrobes, I highly recommend adding the Rushcutter Dress to the list. The shape is basic but the details in the yoke and the pockets make it really special. And if you haven’t tried french seams before this could be a fun one to start with. Thank you Emily for swapping patterns with me!
