Elisalex
Sort of a late post on this one. I ended up tearing this out twice – I started by making this as a gathered skirt, then rolled back on that, and also redid the sizing on the bodice. In the end, I made a bella-lex – I’m not a huge fan of the exaggerated tulip skirt on the Elisalex, but the Belladone skirt has pockets (!) and is a tried-and-true pattern at this point.
![](/images/confetti-elisalex/gathered_close.jpg)
Gathered Skirt
I made a muslin, but accidentally cut 2 sizes too small, because I didn’t realize the pattern was labelled in UK sizes. D’oh. After this mistake, I decided to just roll forward with making the dress out of the fashion fabric. It looked like it would probably fit!
![](/images/confetti-elisalex/gathered_full.jpg)
For this version, I cut a straight size 10, and did a 1" FBA. Unfortunately, I think the BHL patterns are made for someone with a slightly larger back than mine. This meant that the back pieces were too large, so I ended up taking them in by an inch each, which negated my FBA. For my next version, I’ll probably end up doing a 2-3" FBA, and cutting the back pieces smaller. Comparing this to a princess seamed dress that fits, I need the side front to be 7 and 5/8" – these pieces were 5 and 5/8". The bodice is a little too tight now – nothing unmanageable, but mildly uncomfortable.
I knew I didn’t really like the Elisalex silhouette on me as a casual dress – I’m very pear-shaped already, and was worried that a tulip skirt would only emphasize that. A loose, casual gathered skirt initially seemed like the perfect match for the tight bodice. The gathering went by quickly, despite the 3:1 gathering ratio – I used this tutorial to just set up the gathers on my serger. In retrospect, I may have been slightly upset with the look of this skirt because of the absurd gathering ratio. A theatrically puffy skirt isn’t really the best scene.
![](/images/confetti-elisalex/back_blurry.jpg)
Unfortunately, because of the way my waist flares out, the gathered skirt stuck straight out from the waist seam, which wasn’t the greatest look. After trying to roll with it for a few days, I eventually decided to rip out the skirt and fall back to my tried and true Belladone skirt. I like the simpler, more streamlined look of this much more.
![](/images/confetti-elisalex/front.jpg)
Also, the original size 10 bodice was way too long in the shoulders, so I ended up taking about an inch off the shoulders. This is an adjustment I have to do on most patterns, so I’m surprised I forgot it this time. I didn’t lengthen the armscyes to compensate, though, so the armholes pinch a little. That said, I’m pretty happy with how the back fits now!
Fabric // Art Gallery Fabrics' Triangularity in Moon
Pattern // Bodice: Elisalex Skirt: Belladone
Adjustments
1" FBA in the bodice + 1" taken out of the center back. Bodice shoulders shortened. 1/2" wedge taken out of back for a sway back adjustment.
Skills learned:
- lining a bodice
- gathering a skirt with a serger