Sunday 23 February 2014

Coco round two: the dress

I told you I had another Coco up my sleeve and here it is: a dress version with slash neck and long sleeves!


If anything, this was even quicker to make than my first Coco top, probably because I'd been through the whole process once before. Even allowing for matching up the stripes on the side seams, it can't have taken longer than 20-30 minutes to whip up once it was cut out. Definitely my kind of sewing! The original dress length is quite short and flirty so I lengthened it by just one inch, and that's the only change I made to the pattern. Once it was sewn up, I did have to take the arm seams in (about 1cm all the way down from underarm to wrist), which I didn't have to do for my Coco top. I think this was simply due to the double knit I used for the Coco top being thicker.


The fabric I used for the dress version is a very lovely striped Campan Jersey, kindly gifted to me by Dragonfly Fabrics. It's not cheap, but the quality absolutely shines through - it's gorgeous and feels very luxurious to wear. It comes in every conceivable colour/stripe combination, but in the end I played it safe and went for a classic navy with narrow beige stripes. Photographing narrow stripes is a nightmare, so here's a close up to give you a better idea of the colour.


Campan Jersey isn't strictly speaking the stable knit that the pattern specifies. Even though it's only 3% lycra, it has slightly more stretch than a truly stable knit, but I think it just manages to sneak through the net as suitable for the Coco pattern. It's not overly clingy, just clingy enough to pull you in, in all the right places. For the dress version especially, it gives a slightly drapey effect which I really like.


I love this dress, the simple cut and classic stripes make it an effortless outfit. It looks great with tights and a cardigan and I can see it being equally easy to wear in the summer with clogs or flip flops. Another Coco win! Happy Sunday. x

Fabric was given to me free of charge for review. All views my own.


28 comments:

  1. A beautiful dress. Truly impressed by how quickly you whipped this up.

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  2. i love this dress on you and was so nice to catch up at Tilly's.

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  3. I love this dress! I also love the top you made, they both look great on you!

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  4. Another day, another cracking Coco ;o)

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  5. Beautiful dress! It looks super comfy!

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  6. Such a cute dress! So simple but very flattering.

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  7. Looks great. Jane do you find you need to wear a slip with your knit dresses to stop them catching on your tights? Thanks :)

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  8. Love your new coco dress. The stripe is so pretty.. I think I like it better than the top [if that is possible? ha]

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  9. Jane, both your Cocos are so cute and so you! I love them !!!!!! Can't wait to make mine, but will have to get through a few things in my queue first... It looks such a brilliant everyday cosy comfy make. And versatile. I'm sure it'll be a staple

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    1. Thanks love, they're definitely everyday cosy comfy makes, so EASY to make too! x

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  10. This is adorable! I love it so much- I was so excited to get a closer look at it after the preview on Twitter! Way cute!

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    1. Thank you! I dare you to make another one in stripes! x

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  11. Lovely - the stripes are such fun! I have downloaded the pattern and will hopefully pick some fabric up on Tuesday! Being a plus-sized sewist it will look somewhat different on me, but the basic shaping and fabulous collared neckline should still look good! Thanks for sharing!

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    1. I think the basic shaping is very flattering whatever the shape, go for it! x

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  12. If you'd tried it on in a shop and it cost £20 would you have bought it? I'm thinking you wouldn't. You make garments that look fabulous on you - this isn't one of them.

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    1. Well you'd be thinking wrong. I re-iterate the first line, last paragraph of this post, 'I love this dress.'

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  13. A couple of things worry me about purchasing this pattern The first you have dispelled by making the dress a bit longer, and it works.
    The second is that I am a size 16 and I am worried I would look even larger in this style. Have you seen any pictures of Coco on plus size women?
    Hugs

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  14. I haven't seen any made up by plus size women yet but I think that's because it's such early days. I'll be back in touch with links as soon as they start appearing! x

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  15. You really do the pattern justice! great job. Just found your blog and added you to mine.

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  16. This is so you. Lovely.

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  17. Great Coco! Both dress and top look great on you - and I love these stripes!!

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  18. Lovely dress! All the versions of Coco I'm seeing popping up online keep making me want to buy the pattern but I'm trying to be good and finish some other projects first!

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  19. Lovely dress. I can't believe how quickly you have whipped this up. I got my pattern last week, but haven't bought fabric yet. I got thoroughly distracted yesterday, and bought fabric for six other projects which I really should get done before I do anything else. I'm also trying not to think about the other half-finished projects sitting in my sewing pile. I'm sure I'll get around to my Coco soon!

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