Everybody needs a versatile and classy black dress, right?
I made this dress for my latest Fabric Mart Fabricista post and I am loving it! I also made a boiled wool Seamwork Jill coatigan that you can read more about here.
I was a tester for the Cashmerette Rivermont last year, but tested the peplum version before realizing that peplums are not for me. I had been wanting to make a dress from the final pattern, figuring it would be the perfect work dress.
The Rivermont, which is designed for heavier knits like ponte, double knit or scuba, is described as "fitted sheath dress with slash pockets and optional kick pleat." It's got a lovely high neckline, lots of darts for shaping in the bust, back and skirt, and three sleeve lengths, and no closures (yas!). Of course it has Cashmerette's signature cup sizes.
The fabric I chose from Fabric Mart is a cool crinkly double knit in a cotton/poly/lycra blend, which is sadly sold out now. I've had good luck with double knits with cotton content of late: my Toaster Sweater 2 and my two dress versions of the Cashmerette Concord t-shirt. I don't typically do full-on poly, but I'm usually pretty happy with the look and feel of a blend. I love the matte crinkle texture of this fabric!
The black color, of course, makes it impossible to photograph (well, for me and my weak photography skills)...
The black color, of course, makes it impossible to photograph (well, for me and my weak photography skills)...
This Rivermont is a size 16 C/D with the long sleeves. The fit is pretty great right out of the envelope. Especially in the back... did you see my bum in that shot above? I am never happy with photos of my backside, but in the Rivermont I'm feeling pretty fly.
I might make a few minor fit changes for next time, though. First, I would narrow the forearm of the sleeve as I'm finding it roomy. I might even just hack this sleeve into 3/4 or elbow length because I think the proportions would work better for me. I might also raise the waist in the front by a little bit; for some reason it's sitting lower than the back...
I might make a few minor fit changes for next time, though. First, I would narrow the forearm of the sleeve as I'm finding it roomy. I might even just hack this sleeve into 3/4 or elbow length because I think the proportions would work better for me. I might also raise the waist in the front by a little bit; for some reason it's sitting lower than the back...
Construction-wise, I stuck with Jenny's instructions, which were great, as usual. I did one additional step, which is to stitch-in-the-ditch at each dart to get the waist seam to stay pressed downwards. It kept wanting to flip up because of the bulk of the pockets (two pocket layers plus two more layers for the skirt and bodice get bulky!).
Speaking of pockets, next time I might use a thinner material for my pocket facing to reduce bulk. Maybe something like swimsuit lining? That worked well for the lining of my Turner dress and now that I look back, Jenny recommends it if your fabric is thick. I just had a momentary lapse of judgement and used self-fabric for the pocket facings.
I really like my final Rivermont dress, though! A little bit more conservative, style-wise, than I typically go for, but quite useful. I think I'll likely punch it up with a loud blazer or big necklace when I wear it to work. It will be a great dress for giving presentations or representing my department at big meetings, etc.
Thanks for the lovely fabric, Fabric Mart!