McCalls 7774 or Secret Pajamas

This pattern (McCalls 7774) jumped out at me on a trip to Joann during one of their pattern sales. I have been drawn to patterns with these kind of cut in shoulders lately. I've always been self conscious about by under arm fat, but now that my shoulders and arms have gotten stronger I don't mind showing them off. I had ordered this Art Gallery Rayon Challis on a whim. When I saw the two together I knew what I had to do. And I HAD to do it before vacation because this dress needed to go on vacation to Santa Fe with me. Of course I neglected to get photos of me wearing this dress in Santa Fe. It was a perfect summer vacation dress, breezy and cool like secret pajamas. I made the mistake of waiting until the last minute to hem and stitch the bodice lining in place. Then I messed the bodice lining up and mom came to the rescue and fixed it by hand stitching while I finished packing for my trip. Thanks mom!

If I look miserable here it is because it was about 108 degrees when we took these photos, no lie. 

I had only ordered a yard and a half of the rayon so I made up the difference with some black rayon challis that I had on hand. I think it worked out pretty well. I made this pattern in a straight size 10 based on the finished garment measurements and the amount of ease that I prefer. According to McCalls I should be a size 14. I cut the front and back skirt pieces on the fold, omitting the center seams. When I first cut out the bodice I made the mistake of cutting it with a center front seam, even though I didn't want to do the bias cut for the chevron stripe effect. It looked silly with a center front seam for no reason so I recut it on the fold but that did waste a bit of my fabric, which was a bummer. I guess I was just so excited to get the show on the road with this project.

This dress has pockets, which I am looking for here apparently.

My favorite part of this dress is the back cutout that I improvised. Mostly I didn't want to put a zipper in this rayon challis, but I also wanted to add a fun feature, and I am so glad I did. 

Here is how I constructed the fully lined bodice with the back cutout. I wasn't sure it would work and did some serious contemplating on how to go about making it work. It did work out and I am so happy with the outcome!

 

I sewed the darts in the bodice and the lining, and I added some interfacing around the cutout on the wrong side of the bodice. I also sewed them together at the side seams but not the back, so that I had one big bodice piece and one big lining piece. I pinned them right sides together around the back cutout, neckline and armholes. I notched, graded the lining seams, and under stitched where I could.



I turned it and then sewed up the back seam and hand stitched the shoulder seams closed. I got a really clean result, even in this slippery rayon challis!



I also sewed some elastic cording and a button for the closure.