Summer Dress With McCall’s 7889

I made a summer dress with McCall’s 7889 because I wanted something that would be quick and easy. This pattern did not disappoint. It’s described as being a very loose-fitting top and dress with button front closure.

The Pattern

I made a version that combines both Views D and B. I rarely make something that is strictly the way the pattern is designed! The suggested fabrics are all lightweight and flowy, so that will give you some idea of how this is intended to fit and look.

The Dress

I got this fabric from my mother-in-law who used to sew quite a bit. I’m sure it’s from the 1970’s or 1980’s since she’s held on to it a long time. It’s 100% polyester, but it’s very lightweight, breezy and thin. The fabric was in perfect condition and was perfect for this dress.

While the fabric is easy to sew and the pattern is rated easy, I did have a bit of a struggle with the pleats. There are three pleats on each side of the front and on each side of the back. Although they are easy to make, pleats are one of those things that sometimes throws me off. I think it’s because I really need to slow down and sew more carefully to get them placed correctly. There was a similar issue when I made this skirt years ago. Here’s that pattern; unfortunately, this one isn’t available.

woman wearing summer dress with McCall's 7889

I would dispute the pattern description that the dress is very loose. Because the pleats in the front and back gently cinch in the waist, the dress does have some shaping.

The pattern also includes a belt as you can see in the photos. That also helps to bring the waist in. Please be aware that there are no pockets in the dress. So that’s something you’d have to add if you are so inclined.

front view of woman wearing summer dress with mccall's 7889

Now, I will admit this dress is shorter than what I’m normally used to. If I was to make this again, I would probably add a few inches to the length. I debated with myself about doing that and decided against it. But next time, I will add a bit more fabric to the bottom of the dress.

Conclusion

I’m not sure I would sew this dress again, but I do think it would make a cute top (that’s View A in the pattern).

But, if you’re looking for a cute summer dress, this could be the one!

For those of you who would like to see the video review I made of the dress, that’s here below.

I Used Two Patterns To Make One Dress

For my latest Minerva project, I used two patterns to make one dress. I took the dress portion from one and added the sleeves from the other.

Pattern envelopes — Vogue 8847 & Butterick 6446

The Fabric

For this project, I was gifted this very nice, lightweight fabric. It’s called John Kaldor soft crepe and it’s 100% polyester. The fabric has a gorgeous drape and is very soft like the name says.

This fabric washes and dries really well. I love the vibrant print of it as well. It’s perfect for summer!

The Patterns

I’ve had both of these patterns since around 2012 and 2015. I l For this particular look, I wanted a bell-shaped, flowy sleeve. As the heat and humidity rises when we get into summer, there was no way I was going to make a long-sleeve dress.

The Dress

The Very Easy Vogue pattern is quite easy and quick to sew. While it wasn’t really necessary, I did pay attention to the direction of the fabric when I laid out the pattern. It’s a very loose fitting dress with gathers in the back and front yokes. There are no buttons or zippers, so you can simply pull it over your head.

The dress has inseam pockets too!

woman wearing yellow floral dress with her hands in pockets

Because the dress is very loose, the belt really helps to cinch in the waist. By the way, there were no issues with adding sleeves in from a different patten. The sleeves from the Butterick pattern fit perfectly into the Vogue dress.

Conclusion

While I am a little bit concerned about how comfortable the dress will be when the weather gets hot, I think it will be fine to wear. I am always cold in the summer when I’m indoors and the air conditioning is blasting!

I am so glad I used two patterns to make one dress. The end result is just what I had in mind.

If you’d like te see the video of this project, you can view that here.

Style Arc Olivia Dress

If you ever want a super simple, quick and easy summer dress pattern, the Style Arc Olivia dress may be the perfect one for you.

The Pattern

This is a pattern I actually got for free when I purchased other Style Arc patterns. If you aren’t familiar, Style Arc usually has a couple of choices for a specific free/bonus pattern of the month. You chose one when you’ve purchased a pattern (or patterns) from them.

As you can see from the picture above, the Olivia dress is rated Easy. Be sure to check their size chart at Style Arc if you are interested in purchasing their patterns. The sizing may be a bit different from what you are used to. Olivia is designed for woven fabrics and includes a belt pattern.

My Dress

For the dress I made, I used some fabric I purchased locally at G Street Fabrics. It’s part of the Robert Kaufman “Florence” collection and can be found here. This is basically a quilting cotton with a really pretty print. A print like this is the perfect thing to pair with a simply designed pattern. The “star” of the outfit becomes the print when there’s few details or design elements.

Back view of woman wearing Style Arc Olivia dress

This is a pattern that comes together quickly. The only change made to the pattern for this was to lengthen the bodice by about an inch. I find that often when I have dress patterns that include waistline elastic, it hits me in the rib cage which is uncomfortable for me. I might make one without this alteration just to see how it is.

One future change I will definitely make is to add pockets! Having a place to put your hands (or keys, or a tissue) is just really convenient. They are always missed when they aren’t there-I don’t know what to do with my hands.

The Style Arc Olivia dress features a scoop neck without any buttons or zippers. That’s another thing that makes this so quick and easy to make. You can just pull it over your head and that’s it!

If you’d like to see another easy spring/summer dress pattern, you can take a look at this post . This is a perfect time to start planning your wardrobe for the upcoming season. For me (and those of us in this hemisphere) that means summer.

If you’d like to check out the video review I did, here it is…