Review: Vogue 9311 - Kelly Green Ruffle Hem Midi Dress!

It's the end of August and I'm wrapping up summer sewing. This will probably be my last summer dress of the season. This year, I probably made more spring and summer dresses than I ever have. I haven't done a count, but it sure seems like it. It was just my 'thing' this year.

This dress is Vogue 9311. Compared to a lot of the other dresses I've been making this summer, this one is practically minimal.

For this dress, I cut the straight size 14. I did lengthen skirt pieces by 3 inches. My fabric is this luscious Kelly Green Double Cotton Gauze from Mood Fabrics.com. 

This fabric is exceptional. It's not like the cheap gauze fabric you may often see. It's two layers fused together. So, it has a good weight and it's not translucent. And the texture is beautiful.

I knew the original design of the bodice was not going to work for me. It's very similar to Vogue 9253. Those low-cut, sternum-baring styles just don't work with my bustline... at all. I don't make a lot of statements on what body types look good in what. But in my opinion, that sternum-baring style looks best on those in the "Itty Bitty Titty Committee". If I had small boobs, I'd rock every top plunging to the belly button. I love that style... but just not on me.

So, I stitched the center front up 3 inches. It's still low-cut with good decolletage, but bra-friendly and not all wide open.

I typically don't like empire waist styles. The remind me of the available clothes that I wore over 20 years ago, the 3 times I was pregnant. All of the maternity dresses back in the day were empire waist and tied in the back. 

So, I was pleasantly surprised to see that even in that style, this one has a nice skimming fit along the waistline. But I still tied it to the front.

It has pockets! I love pockets and they make me happy every time I sew them into a dress. Sometimes I just need a place to put my phone while I do something else with my hands. They come in handy.

For the ruffle flounce, I used my gathering foot. It's the truth and it stays coming to the rescue... I'm not about the string pulling life.

I love this dress. And plan to make the long sleeve version for this fall in some great fabric and awesome fall color.