This is Kika, a new pattern release for the fall from Fibre Mood; one of the many patterns featured in the September issue.
Kika features an empire waist and yoke front that adds chic styling to a dress that offers comfort and stylish design. The V-Neck and yoke add subtle detail and help to elongate your neckline.
The dress has many features that are fun to sew. that also add to an overall Bohemian look. The balloon sleeves gathered at the top and tapered to an elasticized wrist cuff are elegant and dramatic. The scooped front pockets tucked into the front bodice and the A-Line skirt add a touch of elegance to the overall look of the dress. It is a loose fitting dress that is fun to sew and wonderful to wear.
Kika is a very versatile pattern that can be sewn as knee length dress like mine, a medi dress or a maxi length. The sleeves can be lengthened or shortened based on the style you want to achieve or the season that you will be wearing it in. This is a pattern made for woven fabrics and your choices are endless! All manner of fabrics can be used, each offering its own unique quality to how the dress will flow and how structured the gathering will be.
Some of the fabric suggestions include flannel, poplin, chambray, linen, double gauze, woven jacquard and viscose crepe like I have chosen. This dress is a medium level of sewing due to the gathering at the sleeve and yoke as well as pinning the facing and securing it by stitching in the ditch.
For my Kika I made an XL through the bustline and graded to a size large through the hips. It is very roomy and I will definitely size down to a size large through the bustline next time for a better fit through the shoulders and neckline, especially if I am using a heavier, more structured fabric. For this make, I chose a polyester textured crepe. It is a lighter weight fabric with lovely drape. The dusty dark blue will make it a perfect shoulder season choice as we head into fall, but it is still lightweight enough for warmer days.
I shortened my Kika by 5 inches so that it would be knee length, leaving 4" for an extra wide hem. I felt that a longer dress in this particular fabric made it feel like a choir/grad gown if it was longer. The shorter length makes the dress look and feel more playful. I created a folded 2 inch hem to add a bit of weight to the hemline. The fabric I used was quite sheer so I used left over fabric to make a slip by cutting out a skirt 1" bigger than my hip measurement. I attached a super soft 1.5" elastic and now have a slip that is comfortable, cool and matches the dress perfectly.
I lengthened the sleeve. adding an additional 3 inches in length. I wanted a full length sleeve as I felt that this would be better suited for a fall season dress. With having a longer sleeve I didn't gather the cuff with elastic but sheared it instead. I finished the cuff with a small roll hem then added 5 rows of shearing 2.5 inches up the sleeve. I love the effect of a shirred sleeve and think that is offers a more delicate finish , especially for lighter weight fabric. You can see another shirred Fibre Mood pattern, the Hortence top here.
Kika is definitely a dress that I will be making again. There are so many options depending on your fabric choice and the length that want. Although the dress is a relaxed, more casual fit the styling is chic, versatile and classic. I can't wait to make this dress in a denim, a cozy flannel and perhaps a brocade. I think that the Kika pattern will become one of my go-to tried and true dress patterns. After all... There is Sew Much To Design.
Happy Sewing,
Lou Sheffer
