Perfect floral print wrap dress

Perfect floral print wrap dress

• 2.17.2016

I've been wishing for a floral like this for a long time!!

I've admired long floral maxi dresses in dark colors this year and last, and wanted to make myself something similar... but the knit fabric selection at fabric stores is so limited and I never saw something I liked. Girl Charlee Fabrics has quite possibly every knit print ever made (and some great wovens, too) and when I scrolled through their selection I found this beautiful black floral/leaf-ey print that I thought would be perfect for a dramatic maxi wrap dress! Girl Charlee sent me this lovely fabric, plus a PDF of the Magnolia Wrap Dress by Seamingly Smitten.

The Magnolia Wrap Dress pattern was quite possibly the easiest dress pattern I have ever used. (I altered it, by the way--I made it full length, made it slightly lower cut than called for, and tapered the long sleeves so they were fitted.) I was a little intimidated before I cut the dress out, since I don't think I've ever made a wrap dress before and it was a lot of fabric (though I think I used only 3.5-4 yards since it was super wide). But the PDF pattern has only TWO pieces--the bodice back/front left/front right and the sleeve. You do simple cutting and measuring to make each side overlap.

I was a little worried the skirt might not be full enough somehow (I just extended the line of the shorter lengths offered in the pattern) but it's actually PERFECT! It's so comfortable and provides a perfect amount of coverage for my legs while walking.

Not including cutting time, I think it only took me about 3 hours to make the whole thing! The instructions were so simple and it's a knit so it was forgiving--it was really fast and fun to put together! Also, I think it works for practically any season, don't you? It feels springy but could also work for fall.

Pattern: Magnolia Wrap Dress by Seamingly Smitten
Modifications:

• Made full length (I measured my skirt length from my waist and lined up measurement with the narrowest point in the dress (waist))
• Tapered long sleeves to fitted
• Cut down neckline slightly for a deeper V
• Used binding on sleeve ends rather than hemming (they were a tad too short before hemming)

Thanks to Girl Charlee for providing me the fabric and PDF pattern!