Vogue 1541: A Pink Linen Tunic Dress

I’ve wanted to make this Vogue 1541 tunic dress for a couple years. I saw it in the Vogue pattern book at the fabric store and immediately took a liking to it.

My daughter was graduating from university, so I decided to make it for one of the graduation events I would attend. I love how it turned out. The linen fabric works perfectly with the pattern. I’ve had this fabric sitting in my stash for two or three years and was a bit scared to cut into it, but it’s perfect for this tunic dress. I love the swish and the pink, actually raspberry, on pink. To be honest, if you looked in my closet you would see mostly whites, blacks, greens and greys, but I’ve been wanting to add more colour to my wardrobe. Liven it up a bit. I love looking at @textile.mixologist feed for colour inspiration and courage. I’ve followed her on my person account for years and the combination of colours always feel so happy and energizing. This dress is definitely that.

Adjustments

I based my size on the finished measurements provided with the pattern and decided a size 10 was my fit. This pattern has a lot of ease built in and therefore, there were not a lot of adjustments that were needed, I made a toile and from that decided to raise the bust dart 1 cm. I also made the slit in the side a bit bigger, for more ease. I sewed the pockets and wore it that way to the graduation events, but I didn’t like them and I decided to open the seams and remove the pockets.

The one thing I would change if I made this pattern again would be to adjust the sleeves which are a bit tight around the top half of my arm when I raise up my arms.

Hand Sewing

I did a lot of hand sewing with this dress. All the seams are finished on the inside with a flat felled seam, with hand sewn seams. I find hand sewing just so relaxing. I enjoy the rhythm of hand sewing and the portability of hand work. No sewing machine needed. I also enjoy the process of waxing the thread. There is a feeling of anticipation (cue Carly Simon) in the work of preparing the thread for the work ahead. And lastly, I love the look of the stitches.

Fabric

It took me a while to decide on the fabric for the lapel, sleeve band and button placket, but I’m happy with how it turned out in the end. The satin is a nice contrast to the matte finish of the linen. It adds some needed shine. I’m still not sure these are the best buttons, but I love their shape and colour. They ground the dress somehow.

I’m looking forward to wearing this now that the weather is warming up. I love how I feel in it. I also think that this dress would look great with a pair of extra wide leg pants. I’m a fan of the pants under a dress look.

• Midweight Linen from @BlackbirdFabrics
• Pink satin from @DiscountFabricMart in Hamilton
• Buttons from @Fabricland

Let me know what you think about the dress in the comments.