Pattern Parcel :: Seeing Double in the Zsalya Tunic Dress

These are the tunics, my friends.  The tunics that are going to get me through this fall weather while keeping up the appearance of a grown-up in grown-up clothes.  Except secretly I’m living comfortably and easily! Muhah! Ha! Ha!  Because, you know what?  Leggings over tunics are super cute and super comfortable and this one, the Zsalya dress, fresh from the Perfect Pattern Parcel package is adorable, if I do say so myself.  (Someone told me the other day that leggings trend is dead. Have you heard this?  I want to go on record to say I reject that completely.  Let it never die!) 

I’ve already received so many compliments on this dress when I wore it to teach one of my classes.  I made this one strictly following the pattern from Kate and Rose except I shortened it four inches from the dress length.  The fabric is a heavyweight (bottom weight?) from Ikea. It’s much heavier than what the pattern called for and it looked a little prairie-girlish as a longer dress but at tunic-length I loved it.  The pattern suggests using rayon or voile, very lightweight fabrics but I wanted to make these fall-weather appropriate so I went for it with the heavier fabrics and I like the result.

The sleeve has the cutest little scallop detail, it’s subtle but just adds to the charm of this tunic. Someone even said I looked ‘arty’…ooh, la, la to that! 

I knew right away after finishing this one that I wanted a second one.  Remember a long time ago when my grandmother moved into an apartment and she sent me 50 pounds of fabric including loads of the Pendleton wool?  Well, it’s always so hard for me to stitch up that precious fabric but I knew it would be perfect for this tunic.

And, indeed it is perfect! I love my Pendleton tunic dress so much and it’s extra special in this precious wool fabric.  I’m not going to lie to you, matching up the plaid was a headache-inducing task and you will see that I failed in many regards.  It took a lot of time to NOT get the front bodice to dress to line up.  Argh! It’s so close!!  I am excited, however, that the overlapping bodice pieces do match. Yay!  The back is also off.  Harumph.  You can see the roller coaster ride all this plaid matching took me on.

But look!! The side seams match! So exciting.  I’m just going to have to show off the armpit area a little bit.  That’s a normal thing to do, right?

I had the sense to put the sleeves on the bias, which makes them even more stinking adorable.  I did alter the neckline on this version of the tunic.  I’m not a fan of a high neckline so I lowered the swoop of the bodice by an inch and a half at the middle point.  I love the new neckline.  This one is also shortened by four inches.

Are you tempted by the Perfect Pattern Parcel this time around? Remember, you get to set your own price and some of the funds go towards a charity, Donors Choose, that benefits schools and the rest of the proceeds go to Independent Pattern Designers who are regular people like you and me. The sale ends on October 31st!