Hello! I am so excited to share about the Romey Gathered Dress & Top with you today by Sew House 7. I made this version as a part of the pattern test group. I have worn this dress out a few times already and I’ve fallen in love with it. For reference here a link to the Standard Fit and a link to the Curvy Fit.
The combination of a loose fit with drapey fabric makes the dress another #SecretPajamas project. I used rayon challis for my version but I would also love to go back and piece together smaller fabric scraps from my stash for a unique patchwork version as well.
Pattern Description:
One of our most popular patterns (the Remy Raglan Top) was the inspiration for this Romey Gathered Dress & Top. Many of our customers inquired about pattern hacking the Remy into a dress and so we decided to make our own version of the dress. Although the front detail and loose fit are the same, the patterns really are very different. The Romey Gathered Dress & Top features an empire waist gathered skirt or peplum as well as billowy sleeves that are gathered into a narrow cuff that lands a little above the wrist.
With its loose, flowy and oversized fit, the Romey Gathered Dress or Top is as comfortable as pajamas and can look very casual with sneakers, sandals or boots and can also look polished and dressed up with the right shoes and accessories.
Features:
– Split front, button detail
– Raglan sleeves with full gatheres at the sleeve cuffs
– Gathered skirt or peplum that starts about 1.5”/3.8cm above the natural waist
– Optional patch pockets
– Three lengths, Version #1 – high hip; Version #2 – just above the knee; Version #3 – midi-length
Pattern Sizing:
The pattern offers Standard sizing (Bust 31″ – 47″, 79cm – 119cm) and Curvy sizing (Bust 43.5″ – 61.5″ , 111cm – 156cm).
My version – Straight size 6, Version 2 with patch pockets. I am 5′ 4.5″ tall with a 34″ bust, 30″ waist and 40″ hips. This sizing is unique for me as I typically grade across two or three sizes in a pattern (from top to bottom). Referencing the high bust dimension was helpful for me and I did not grade across sizes for this pattern. The finished garment dimension are helpful to reference as well with the sizing.
Did it look like the photo/drawing when you finished sewing?
Yes!! An exact match.
We’re the instructions complete and easy to follow?
They were! Technically I was in the test group so if areas came up that I was confused by, I mentioned this feedback in the test group.
Fabric used (did you use the suggested fabrics in the pattern)?
Yes, Rayon Challis. I pre-treated the fabric with a spray on fabric stabilizer prior to cutting out the fabric.
Did you alter the pattern in any way?
No, however, the dress I made was a part of the pattern test. If you’d like to modify the released pattern to recreate the version that I made, you would need to make the following changes:
Front/Back Skirt – Version 2, add 4.5″ to the skirt length
Sleeves – Add 1/2″ to the sleeve length
Was there anything you disliked or would change?
I like the dress as is, however, I may lower the waist 1″ on my next version. It’s so cozy, I really love it!
Would you sew it again?
I would! I would enjoy sewing the long version as well. The dress is so comfortable to wear!! I’ve been thinking of sewing a longer version of this dress to wear at Christmas.
I might consider lower the waist slightly on my next version. In the version that I made, the waistline is 5″ higher then my belly button or 1″ higher then my natural waist. The design is intentionally a higher waist. That said, I may consider lowering the waistline 1″ on my next version.
I love the idea of mixing prints and solids in a dress. I’d love to try this on my next dress, possibly with a print on top and solid on the bottom (and I’d love to sew up Version 3).
Would you recommend it to others?
I would!! I actually think the pattern is quite fun to use fabric scraps. The seams in the pattern lend itself well to using smaller pieces of fabric that you’ve been saving. If you want to go this route and have all rayon challis fabrics, the drape will lend itself well to piece together. I like to wear my Romey with a fabric belt. I made a belt with chambray fabric. If you’d like a tutorial for how I made this belt, let know!
Do you consider the pattern beginner/intermediate/advanced?
Advanced beginner due to the recommended fabric. Drapey fabrics are highly recommended for this pattern. Drapey/flowy fabrics are flattering with the loose fit in this design.
Does the pattern include layers for easy printing?
Yes
Seam allowances used in the pattern:
Varies, listed at each section of the pattern.
Is the pattern cut or no cut pages?
Cut pages
Just like the Remy top (Standard fit, Curvy fit), the Romey Gathered dress is a super fun project to highlight buttons! I went with the wood button for my dress but I had lots of fun looking through my button stash to pick a button for this project.
I LOVE using a stabilizer with rayon challis. It adds an extra step but it makes the fabric stable SUPER easy to work with (and it washes away easily after you’re done sewing). For this project I used the last of a can of Sullivan’s Fabric Stabilizer that I had on hand. The next time I work with a Rayon Challis, I’d like to try some Purex Stay-Flo that I also have at home. There are a lot of fabric stabilizers on the market so if you haven’t tried one before, give it a try!
Go and check out the pattern!! It’s a lovely, comfy design that looks great on everyone. It’s also on sale at the moment as a part of the pattern launch.
oak blue designs 