A Little Red Dress

Sometimes you just need a bright red dress.  The LBD has the popular vote and the Little White Dress puts up a good fight in summer, but it's hard to ignore the Little Red Dress.  This is McCall’s M6754, released this summer with a cute tank flared dress or peplum top with sleeved options for the winter.  Made for knits, I decided to try it out in tango red poly/rayon blend ponte.   With a fun color name and a just about circle skirt it feels perfect for dancing.  (And yes, it is this bright red in person!)  I probably should’ve picked a stretcher knit but I was feeling like a rebel and loved the feel and color of the fabric.  It turned out as there’s enough stretch for me to shimmy into it.

 

With only a few pieces to the pattern it was easy to cut out, especially using a rotary cutter.  Construction was pretty easy too and I used my serger on the back and side seams.  The only problem I had was when I serged the bodice to the skirt it resulted in some pulling, despite it not being there when I basted it together.  A belt covers is up pretty much but I may still go back and try and fix it.  Depends if I get in a “seamripping a serged seam” kind of mood or not.  (Probably not)

 I really like how it turned out.  At first I was worried how low the back was until I tried it on and happily discovered I could wear a regular bra without it peeking out.  Things are so much more wearable if I don’t have to worry about wearing special underwear with it!

 

 

 The neck and arm holes were finished with a narrow hem and then topstitched by ballpoint twin needle.  This gives them a nice stretchy and secure seam with the stitching close to the edge.  I figured stitching so close to the edge might look a little weird on the skirt hem so I just serged the edge before pressing it up 5/8”.  The twin stitching is about ½’’ from the edge and took forever!  My machine handles the twin needle best at a slower speed and a circle skirt has a lot of hem to stitch.  Definitely worth the time to avoid ripping it out or a wonky hem.

 

I have plans to make winter versions with sleeves for both a dress and peplum top.  McCall's rated this pattern as easy and it definitely is.  With some focus I could easily whip this up in an afternoon from cutting out to hemming.  It's a simple, comfortable dress for summer that can easily be dressed up or down.  Plus it'll transition nicely into fall with boots and a sweater.  That's my kind of dress!

 

BTW: These photos looked fine on the camera but on the computer I suddenly turned into Casper the ghost.  I may be pale, but not glow in the dark and any adjustments turned me various shades of Oompa Loompa.  But I couldn't be bothered to retake them!