McCall’s 7745 Dress
You guys, a lot of love went into making this dress. Those who watched my Insta stories know the construction of this dress was no joke. From tracing, cutting and sewing 22 pieces (not to mention 2 muslins and all the ease stitching, pinning, basting & rolled-hemming the bazillion meters of ruffles) this was not a quick project but well worth the time and efforts. I mean, who wouldn’t spend extra hours to make what I think is the epitome of a romantic dress? I’d do it all over again (…maybe not right away though, my back is still recovering 😜)
There’s a lot to discuss so I will make it as condense as possible. Lets get right into it:
Pattern and Fabric:
The stretch smooth crepe in rose was gifted to me kindly from Minerva Crafts as I am beyond excited to announce that I have joined the Minerva makers team!! It was so buttery & smooth to touch, while a breathe to sew with! It is one of those drapey and light crepe fabrics that is opaque enough that you don’t need a lining for it (Suhweet). The amount of stretch in it was also just perfect to make it so comfortable to wear. I used a brand new 70/10 schmetz needle and had no problems handling the fabric throughout the whole sewing process, which was so refreshing. Everything about it was spot on and that floral design? I mean😍… Here is the link to the fabric for those interested (not affiliate):
…so thank you a bunch Minerva ♥️ I could not have picked any better fabric to elevate the romance in this look.
The M7745 pattern from McCall’s website is described as close fitting wrap dresses have neckline and sleeve variations, and ribbon ties. A, C, D: Shaped hemline, wrong side of fabric will show. Includes separate pattern pieces for A/B, C, and D cups. I cut a size 8 for bodice (view A) and 10 for the skirt (view C).
The pattern instructions were clearly laid out. I was at some point confused with which side of the lining to attach the inner waist strap (note: the right bodice translates into the left side of the lining), but other than that, they were straightforward to me.
Modifications:
Mainly on the front bodice/wrap as shown below:
- Lowered the high point of the bodice (strap joint) by ~ 1″
- Shortened the bodice by 1″
- Not pictured: brought up the dart by 0.5″
- Instead of using ribbons for the waist ties, I cut 4 x 1.5″ strips from the main fabric as you see in the 2nd image below
- Lowered the height of the bodice flounce by 1″. When I made the toile, the flounce was too full across the bodice and hung quite low, which was disproportionate to my body, so I shortened it to make it lay higher
Tips:
Quite a few of you replied to my stories saying you have this pattern but feel intimidated to take the plunge! Here are some tips that I think are paramount in succeeding with this pattern on the 1st go.
- I cannot stress this enough – You MUST make a toile due to the nature of this design, being a wrap dress. With some garments, you can get away with not making a toile but this isn’t one. So do not skip this step.
- Having a rolled hem foot for your sewing machine is another must. You will have to do the rolled hemming for all the bazillion meters of the flounce for both the skirt and the bodice. I’d say rolled hemming took the longest time during the whole process. Most machines already come with the rolled hem foot but you can also order from any fabric stores or etsy/amazon.
- This project was both time-consuming and technical. So make sure you pace yourself throughout all those ease-stitching and basting when it comes to the ruffles and pay extra attention to the details.
Conclusion:
If you have a weakness for ruffles, crave a feminine, romantic style, (and are willing to put the time), this dress will definitely deliver all that and more. Now that I got a hang of all the steps, I think I am more prepared to tackle the finicky parts on the next dress and make it go much faster. To be honest though, the combination of this pattern and fabric is just so perfect already that I don’t think I am in a hurry to make another one just yet. The bar is set too high with this one, you know what I’m sayin’?
As for the usual contest comment, had there been a contest for the most romantic dress in your me-made wardrobe, this would win it! (bet you could already guess this one😁)
I hope this post helped those of you who were on the fence about making this dress! Let me know in the comments below or on insta what you are thinking! It would make my day to hear from you!
I thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading through this long post!❤️
Until next dress (which I am so excited about!),
Yours truly,
Ava xxx
The Sicily Slip Dress by Masin
