Hey all! I was a tester for the latest and greatest True Bias pattern, the Colfax dress!
Colfax is a fun A-line dress with a cool racerback, with options for contrasting neckline facing, hem facing and arm and neck binding.
Please note: this version pictured here is the tester version. Since testing, Kelli has made a few minor changes for the final pattern.
My fabric is a piece of pretty hand-stamped Indonesian batik from my stash, purchased when I lived there. The pieces had a hard-to-cut-around stripe/border on one end, selvage-to-selvage. I think when you wear the batik as it is meant to be worn, wrapped around your hips as a sarong, the border would end up hanging vertically at the center front of your skirt. I ended up putting it horizontally on the front of the dress, as far to the bottom as I could.
For the exposed neckline facing, hem facing and bias binding, I went with another piece of stash fabric: some coordinating quilting weight cotton in mottled pink and light purple.
The final result of combining these two fabrics: ear-searing goodness! I love how bright and cheerful this Colfax turned out... perfect for beach bumming.
The pattern, I love. I found it to be beautifully cut on the bodice... no armhole gaping for me! I am having a little bit of pulling across the upper bust, but I think I should have chosen a size up on top (I went with a 14 on top, graded to 18 at the hips), as there is not much ease in the bodice. One of the changes Kelli made for the final version of the pattern, though, is to add some ease into the underarm/bust area, so maybe that will resolve my (very minor) problem.
I found the Colfax a bit short for me as drafted (it's drafted for a 5'5" woman, but I am 5'7"), but a great for a beach cover-up. I think the Colfax would be lovely as a summer tank/blouse or even a maxi dress in a slinkier fabric like rayon challis. Definitely, definitely planning to make another!!
I think the Colfax is a really cute pattern... it has a little bit of a '60s feel (especially with my color choice here), but is totally modern at the same time. Good stuff, yet again, from Kelli at True Bias. If you're interested in purchasing the pattern, it's on sale with a code and there will be a sewalong and contest- read more about it on True Bias!
