Review: Seamwork Mojave Dress
Almost three years ago, Seamwork, a then small online indie pattern company, released Mojave, a kaftan-style dress pattern, and based on the photos alone I decided I wanted that pattern (see above). I’m not going to lie, this style of dress normally would have me running for the hills with its suggested fitting around the bust and its loose, flowing style. It doesn’t tick any of the boxes for what I usually go for, so I was surprised when the pattern somehow ended up in my cart and then onto my computer.
I’m sure I’m not the only one who buys patterns, only to abandon the making of said garment until many years later. But here I was in 2018, sitting in my room looking at a piece of fabric, and my brain instantly clicked to the Mojave pattern. Suddenly I think, this is it, this is what I’ve been waiting for! The fabric itself was a double border floral print remnant, the colours popped so much that it could have been digitally printed onto faux silk. A burn test revealed that even though I thought it was all man-made there was still a small percentage of organic material in there, perhaps even silk.
I chose a size 0 from the pattern and followed the clear and easy to follow instructions. With no complications, I was surprised to find that it was a quick sew, and that made me even more excited to try on the finished garment. But that’s where it all went wrong. Despite choosing the smallest size available, the finished garment ended up being almost 4 sizes bigger than the suggested finished garment measurements. The neck gaped too much, causing the shoulders to keep falling down my shoulders. Where the fabric gathered at the front, what was meant to act as an empire line rode far up my breasts in an unflattering manner. To confirm my suspicions, I asked three other friends to try the dress on and despite their different shapes and sizes, none came close to being able to wear this dress.
It was a huge shame, as the fabric was gorgeous and the style of the pattern would have really enhanced it. But now I’m left with a dress that no one can wear and wasted fabric.
I've recently noticed that Seamwork have updated the pattern with new photos, and if I had only seen those I don’t think I would have been inclined to buy or make the dress at all. I appreciate that you can’t always photograph patterns on different body shapes, sizes and ethnicities, but in these cases, I think pattern companies should really strive to show how one pattern could be flattering to many different people.
On reflection, if I were to use similar fabric again I would interface the front pieces so they aren't as floppy, which added to the revealingness of the garment. I would most definitely remove the excess fabric in the back. It’s one thing to have a scooped back but to have it constantly falling off your shoulders is annoying. If I used a different fabric that had more structure then I’d reduce the neck area and even attach a ribbon from each shoulder to try to limit the falling shoulder pieces.
A big thank you to Perri, who patiently posed in my Mojave dress around the King's Cross Granary Square area - doesn't she look stunning!
Sometimes it’s so much easier to give someone else your makes when you want to photograph your work. If anyone is looking to get a few photos taken of them wearing their handmade items drop me a comment below!
