McCalls 6123

Interesting bodice on this dress.

I think I will call it the "wench dress". It reminds me of the bar maids in a downtown tavern here, white blouses gathered over the bust and worn with a tight vest over top and paired with a full skirt.

Not the choice for a full busted lady, but my daughter is not busty so this may suit her well. I hope so.

I also notice that I sew much faster when I am sewing for someone other than myself. It must be all those years of dress-making and then production sewing; I need deadlines to make me get things done.

If you try this pattern, don't be put off by the number of pattern pieces. 32 pattern pieces and 88 steps in the instructions. I was a little put off, but a closer look shows that many of these are optional pieces, such as extra bands and ruffles that you can leave off if you wish.

I am doing version F, but leaving off the ruffles in the waist seam and just adding the band and ruffle at the hemline.