Wilder Blue Yonder

Another week is upon us, and its already been a warm one! I have been cleaning and purging our little house while Mr. S finishes all the things that are left after you renovate an entire house over 4 years, and of course my favorite room to tidy is our shared office/ sewing space. I have mixed feelings on fabric stashes- I love being prepared, but hate storing things that are not in use! ( I’m still working that out as my sewing journey goes on.) When I started sewing, I chose very different fabrics than I do now. I was drawn to all the bold, colorful, printed fabric….while only ever wearing muted neutrals, ha ha! Both my style and my stash have evolved since, meeting somewhere in the middle. (While I rarely choose a floral garment, I am still moved by a charming Liberty print. Its just not my style.) The florals that have survived my stash edits are from the early days, and I am always on the look out for ways to use and cherish them. My favorite way to do that is to mix prints. I love mixing prints! The busier, the better. It gives interest and timelessness to a garment. I tend to stick to similar color families, I don’t fuss over scale of print, and there are many prints I consider neutral (leopard, stripes, dots, plaids) that pair with anything. Mostly, I just go with what I have on hand. Both these mystery fabrics have sat in my stash for about a year!

I was one of the testers for Friday Pattern Company’s Wilder Gown, and like most people I was head-over-heels for the unique design and simple construction. No fiddly sleeve insertion or closures, very suitable for beginners, and striking results. What a combination!

The gathered neckline with tie is a great new take on the classic “pussy bow”. I have made the blouse version and its puurfect ( I’ll share later). It can be worn tied or open ( I knot each tie at the neck point I want it to gather to if wearing open.)

Let’s talk about modifactions.

I chose the size based on the body measurement chart. This dress has a lot of ease. In this version, my fabric is very drapey so I think it works well. I lengthened the bodice by 2.5 ” (I’m 5’9″). I only added the first skirt panel and made it 29″ long, with a very wide hem to shorten it to my desired length. The sleeves are between the short and long sleeve length, and the ruffles are 2x the width of the entire sleeve opening by 9″. These numbers can all be adjusted to the sewist’s preference.

(I had to include this photo of one tie in flight. )

The pattern has a lot of options and hacking potential, styling options like a belt, and this breezy version could go a lot of places. I think there’s a Wilder for everyone!