Pattern review: New Look 6411

February 11, 2018 / 22 Comments

I’ve been wanting to make this dress since I picked the pattern up a few months ago, my idea was to make this in a ponte knit, the zippers caught my eye.  I didn’t realize the potential of this dress as a basic design that can be modified, it was all in the zippers for me.  The dress doesn’t have  a lot of shaping through the waist but it doesn’t have weird drag lines either so it turned out great.  I really like the way it looks, the snake print is different and the zippers give a bit of edge.

My goal was to work on more separates, but I’m a sucker for a dress, I like semi fitted dresses that are comfortable and a little edgy, classic with just a tad of edge is my preference.  It’s been raining so I took my photo’s indoors, I really like getting out in the sun and taking pictures, but I’ve made this dress like two weeks ago and it was time to get it posted.  I try to get my garments photographed before I wear them, I don’t know why, that’s just my routine.

Alright, on to the review:

Pattern Description:

 
Misses’ shift dress features raglan sleeves in three lengths. View B
features zipper detail at sleeve seam. View D features contrast sleeve.
Easy To Sew.

SEWING LEVEL: Beginner ( easy back closure, non functioning zipper)


SIZING:10-22

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?

 
Yes

Were the instructions easy to follow?

 
Yes, the instructions were good, no complicated techniques on this dress.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?

 
I like the basic sheath design, this can easily be a great base pattern for lots of different designs.  I like the exposed zipper and the different neckline options ( facing or bias binding), I like the raglan sleeves with the different sleeve lengths.
I dislike that the zippers are exposed but they are not functioning zippers, and they are kind of just added to the right side of the garment as an after thought.  It would be way cooler to have those zippers functional and actually attached at the seam.  You can re draft the facing, closing center back and and adding seam allowance on both front sleeves to make the zippers functional.  I’m not sure if you can get in and out of the dress with just the front zippers, but I may add another zipper (invisible) to center back if I make the front zippers functional.  I think back darts would be nice on this sheath, that’s not really a dislike, the dress doesn’t have as much shaping through the waist, but that’s more of a preference these days.

Fabric Used:
I used a stretch poly suiting.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:

 
I graded the bust, waist and hip up to a size 24.  I used a stretch suiting so I didn’t grade the hip up more, I fall just outside the 24 at the hip.  Sometimes in stretch fabrics, I get flaps if I have too much ease at the hip so I chose to sew the side seams from waist down at 3/8 inch to give me a little  more room.  I’m not overly curvy at the hips more wide like a rectangle.  Even with the smaller seam allowance, it wasn’t quite enough room allow it drop from my hips and prevent the puddling of fabric at my waist in back.  I made my high round back adjustment, I lowered the bust dart about an inch, I normally lower 1.5 inches but since I made the high round back adjustment, it dropped the front a bit.  I also took a tuck to the front (hollow chest adjustment).  I didn’t have enough fabric, so I didn’t make the long sleeve.  I made a sway back adjustment, but it wasn’t deep enough, there’s still some pooling there.  For my next version, I add a little more to the hip since I didn’t use a stretch woven and it hangs better with minimal pooling at my back waist.  I lengthened two inches at the hem

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
Yes, I’ve already made this again and I’d like to make it in a ponte knit since I’ve made all the adjustments to it.   The pooling at my back waist is a little irritating, but I’ll live with it.  Yes, I would recommend this, I think it’s a good base pattern with great potential, it’s a great wardrobe builder good for beginners, no set in sleeves and no zippers/ buttons.  I along with the other reviewer on pattern review am surprised it’s not reviewed more.

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