Butterick 4790 - Walkaway Dress - Complete and Tested.

I wore the finished Walkaway dress to work Monday - it hasn’t fallen apart, and I haven’t noticed any sideways stares. Score. A few people even said nice things about it, and I'm not counting the co-workers who knew I was playing home made that day, and felt obligated to say someting nice, to prevent office awkwardness. 

I am pretty pleased with it. In retrospect, I may have gone with a milder fabric choice. Giraffy shared that it would be good for upholstering pillows. I told her SHE was a pillow.. but, in reality, a screaming bright orange is probably best for sundresses and sheaths, and not fluffy 50’s half gowns. Hard to blend in at your local Flame Broiler at lunch time.

It took me 4- 5 days, a lot of the time spent staring at it and ripping stitches because I am too lazy to baste, but not good enough to not have to baste.

Surprisinly, it doesn’t do any of the nasty things it’s accused of doing by most people – the front doesn’t ride up, and the shoulder seams appear to stay put. There *is* a gaping armhole issue, for which I have read people put in snaps. I thought about trying to dart the sides a bit, but this will require removing bias tape. Yeghkh. The front bit fits really well, though. 

I cut the shoulders narrower and neckline smaller, preemptively, since that was people’s biggest gripe.

I also went back and made the bust darts twice as deep, so the chest area didn’t gape awkwardly.

Made the skirt a half circle + couple inches darted in back. I think the way the bias lays in the half circle as opposed to full circle made the hip/butt area much nicer than full circle had. It also cut the weight of the back wrap piece. I really like the way the skirt turned out.

Made my own (not so straight, sigh) version of bias tape for the skirt front(s).

I cut the front pieces of the orange fabric lower, because I didn’t like the ‘girdle’ look it gave me when fastened high across waist.

Lastly, I ran a piece of cross grain ribbon as the belt – and stitched it to the inside of the skirt at the waist seam, which probably helps it stay at the waist where it ought.

See?  I'm outside.  I took it public.  I ain't ashamed.  :D

I can walk, sit, get in and out of the car in it, etc.  The back is not entirely smooth, but I'm not sure how ti fix that.  I'm really pleased with it, and might try it again with a different fabric - jersey may be?