A couple of weeks ago I showed you a button-back Sudley dress in olive green and today I\’m back with part two! These two dresses are the same exact pattern but I think they have very distinct feels since even though both fabrics are rayons, they are totally different! For dress number one in olive, I used a gorgeous Tencel twill, a drapey, medium weight woven. For this one, I used this pretty coral pink viscose, which is a little less densely woven for a floatier lightweight feel.
The skirt on this coral version is, you can probably see, a bit fuller than the olive version. For the olive dress, I used one width of fabric: 60\”, or about 1.5 times the circumference of the bodice. Because the tencel twill is heavier and has a bit more body, a fuller skirt would make the dress pretty heavy–this would be okay with a fitted, structured bodice, but with this silhouette it would potentially hang weirdly.
The coral rayon is a lighter weight, so the gathered skirt is about twice as wide as the bodice. The difference from 1.5x to 2x may not seem like a lot but it can make a big difference visually! I also added some elastic to the waist for a more fit and flare silhouette. You can do this simply by zig zagging some 1/2\” elastic to your waistline seam allowances; it\’s really easy but makes a big impact. Between the slightly increased fullness and the elasticated waist, the skirt here feels much swishier, which I love. I quickly made a sash but I think I might add some thread loops on the side seams for a proper belt.
Both this dress and the olive version are easy to wear, comfortable, and will transition nicely from late summer into fall here in North Carolina–I can totally picture either with black tights and boots and a cute jacket.
Overall, I really enjoyed sewing and wearing both the viscose and the tencel twill, and it\’s fun to have a few different variations of rayon in my repertoire. If you are a beginner to drapey fabrics, I recommend the tencel twill, as it is a bit sturdier and less shifty on the cutting table–but both are definitely doable even for an adventurous beginner, and a great way to \”level up\” your sewing from cottons!
xoxo,