Leinin's dress Tidsel experience

Hi, I’m Leinin. 

I live in California and work as a graphic designer. I’ve taken garment construction classes for two years and have experience with pattern testing, but this was my first time testing for Beklaedt. In my day job as a graphic designer, attention to detail is a major part of my work, and I carry that into sewing as well.  

I like that the Tidsel dress has several sleeve options, although I was immediately drawn to the sleeveless version. 

I don’t fit straight into the general size chart so I decided to use 3 different sizes and gradually grade between them. 

My personal measurements are:

• Bust: 48 ¼ inches (122,5 cm)
• Waist: 43 inches (109 cm)
• Hip: 57 inches (144,8 cm)

Based on those measurements, I chose to work with size EU 52 for the bust, size EU 54 for the waist and size EU 56 for the hips. 

On my first fitting sample, the fabric had much more structure and the fit looked good. My final version was made in a beautiful floral viscose twill with a much softer drape, which introduced a few fitting issues - but luckily those were fixable. 

I found the back was slightly large and the center back seam was puckering. To fix this, I took in the back at the center seam and shortened the bodice (instead of creating a new horizontal seam in the CB to pinch out the excess fabric). I ended up doing quite a bit of reconstruction but it was worth it, the final product turned out amazing! 

I did not find the dress difficult to sew- in fact, it took me the most time to cut the fabric. The most challenging part of construction was finishing the sleeveless armholes but by working slow and following the instructions, it came together nicely.  Having the video tutorial was also very helpful as someone who is a visual learner. Overall, I found the instructions clear and easy to follow on this pattern. 

What I love most about the Tidsel dress is its modern, sleek design. The sizing is excellent, and this was my first time making a bias-cut dress. I don't usually wear dresses with this silhouette, but I can't express how beautiful it makes me feel. I can't wait to wear it out!