What? Did you think I was going to make it an entire year without busting out this pattern? Ha ha! Forget about it!
(No idea why I’m standing pigeon-toed in this photo, eh.)
ANYWAY. If you’ve been following my blog for a while now, you’ll know that I loveeeee me some knit wrap dress action. Specifically, some Diane Von Fürstenberg knit wrap dress action. I just think she makes the prettiest dresses and I can’t get enough of them (and by “them,” I mean “knock-offs”) in my closet! I have a few that I made last year – The Wearable Muslin, The Silk Jersey and The Chic Black Wool. And now, here’s #4: The Bold Graphic Print. Just in time for the last few weeks of summer! 
I have an original copy of Vogue 1610, which is a (vintage) Vogue American Designer pattern (this one featuring Diane Von Fürstenberg, obviously). I found it – in my size, no less – at an estate sale for around $1 a few years ago. It’s a beautiful pattern that really lends itself well to all the hacking and modifying I’ve put it through. It’s certainly a bummer that Vogue won’t re-release this pattern for the modern sewist – and before you start pointing fingers, this has nothing to do with Vogue and everything to do with DVF not renewing the license. I’m pretty sure the McCall Pattern Company wants to re-release some DVF love just as much as you want to buy it (I mean, can you imagine how much $$ they’d make? Who can say no to that?), but it’s not really up to them to decide. Seems like the designer just doesn’t want her name on sewing patterns anymore 😦 DIANE, WHYYYY.
Anyway, back to my dress!
Taking a cue from the black wool version, I kept the original bodice from the pattern and changed out the skirt for a simple wrap skirt (specifically, I used Tilly’s Miette skirt and just made it so the wrap is in the front). I added 1″ to the overlap, so I’d have a little bit of fabric to fold back and topstitch. I like the gathered skirt that the pattern is drafted for, but I wanted this version to be a little more sleek. I originally planned this dress to include small cap sleeves – I was going to take them off my Lady Skater dress pattern – but when I tried the dress on sans sleeves, I really liked the way it looked so I kept it as-is.
I also kept a slightly longer skirt length (I know, I know… nothing about “practically knee-length” qualifies as “long,” but considering I’ve basically been exposing ass cheeks all summer, this is long for me), again, something I liked when I tried it on during construction. 
I also tried something different with the front band. Normally, I sew it on like how you finish the neckline of a tshirt – stretching the band so that it fits snugly against the bust when worn. However, I lurked in on some actual DVF wrap dresses while I was in Harrod’s last year in London, and noticed that they finish their necklines a little differently. No knit bands to be found anywhere – most of them use a binding or a facing. I was keen to try this myself, so that’s what I did. I cut the band as usual and interfaced it with a lightweight knit fusible (so it has a little bit of structure, but it’s still quite stretchy). I finished one edge, sewed the facing to the outside of the garment, flipped it to the inside and understitched, and then topstitched 1″ away from the edge on the outside. I was 100% certain that I’d fucked up the dress beyond repair at that point – the back had some puckers and everything just looked kind of strange – but it all sorted itself out once I put it on and my body stretched it into shape. The addition of the interfacing gives the neckline a little bit of height, almost – especially around the neck itself. The facing is much smoother and sleeker than any band. And I can pull the dress apart a little and show some 1970s ~natural cleavage~ if I feel so inclined. Yeehaw! 
Not really much else to report on construction – much of the same old, same old. I used my serger to construct, my Bernina (+ walking foot // ballpoint needle) to topstitch. For the arm holes, I just serged them and turned the hem under and topstitched with a straight stitch. So easy! I think I finished this whole thing in less than 3 hours. 
Isn’t the fabric so good? When I saw it on Mood Fabrics recently, it immediately screamed WRAP DRESS and it knew it had to be mine. Sometimes, I find buying knit fabric online to be a bit of a gamble – you can’t really tell weight/hand/stretch recovery (not to mention color) from a photo and description, and occasionally I end up with stuff that wasn’t at all what I was expecting. This fabric definitely exceeded my expectations – it’s so beautiful! Very dense with a good stretch (and an awesome recovery; I wore this all day last week and it didn’t bag out at all), and the color is super saturated. It’s a little on the heavy side – but not bulky. It feels very fluid and luxurious. I wish all knits were like this. This stuff is awesome! Also, the color is “poppy” which I kept seeing as “poppy,” so, like, there’s that.
Here’s a shot of the inside. Super clean finish, yay! 
I think the color and style of this dress will be good for transitioning into the fall months here – where we want to pretend like it’s tall boot and wool hat weather, but it’s actually still 90+ degrees. Which means I can wear this and look cool, but still be cool. Also, I am not ready for summer to end just yet – I have a few more projects left to finish!
Note: The fabric for this dress was purchased with my allowance for the Mood Sewing Network. All comments on this blog post are just, like, my opinion, man.
LLADYBIRD 
Wow. This is absolutely fabulous. You are a picture. Tell me – how the hell do you keep your fringe looking good in hot humidity? Mine is always a mess if we’re going thru a humid phase here: (.
That colour! And your lipstick. Oh yes.
Topstitching with a straight stitch? Even the facing? Scary. Does it last OK? You have encouraged me to finally try my Sewoverit wrap dress pattern which has facings. I remember someone on pattern review saying that it was the reason they liked this pattern…
I think it’s mostly because they are so short – even if they get sweaty (and they usually don’t, unless I’m, like, exercising outside or something), they’re still short enough to look ok completely straight and flat. When my bangs were longer and kind of swooshy, they looked terrible in the humidity. I also upped my hair product game (I almost exclusively use Redken these days), which I think also helps. My hair styles a lot more easily these days!
And yes, topstitching a knit with a straight stitch is fine as long as it’s in an area that doesn’t have a lot of stretch going on. So around the neckline facing, the arm holes, even the hem – since it’s not going to stretch, you don’t have to worry about the stitches popping. That Sewoverit wrap dress is freaking gorgeous! You MUST make it!
Just gorgeous! It’s such a shame they can’t reprint those vintage DVF patterns as they usually cost silly money. I’ve included this pattern in a round up of 1970s inspiration for Vintage Pledge that I’m posting this week, so I will put in a link to your dress too
Yeah, I reckon the “value” of those patterns would go waaaaay down if they were able to reprint them! Maybe DVF is in on this money-making scheme? MAYBE THEY ARE THE ONES DRIVING UP THE PRICES?
And yesss 1970s inspiration! God, I love the 70s.
I bought exactly the same fabric and had the same wrap dress thought. Would love the DVF pattern but had to make due with a rub off of a favorite RTW wrap dress. It’s gorgeous fabric.
Thank you! Smart thinking on doing a rub-off of an old favorite! I love my vintage DVF, but in all seriousness… it’s just a basic wrap dress pattern. There’s nothing super special about it (except maybe the envelope). Any wrap pattern – or rub-off! – would work just as well as a substitute 🙂
Lovely dress, very DVF and so chic. That print is gorgeous. You look amazing too.
Thank you so much! 🙂
Seriously, this fabric is AWESOME!!! and your dress turned out beautifully! Who doesn’t love a well fitting wrap dress!
I feel like a well-fitting wrap dress should be a staple in any (dress-wearing) woman’s closet!
Thanks for showing this. I purchased a DVF dress in this style (but in a lovely pink abstract print silk jersey) about 12 years ago from Bluefly. It is a prized possession. At this time, DVF does not even sell overstocks of RTW anywhere. Please DVF allow the wrap dress pattern to be reprinted. As a person who was an adult sewist in the 1970s, I had one of those vintage patterns and then let it go . . . so sad. Never dreamed at the time her patterns might go out of print. The last time I saw this pattern on ebay it was $189! Even have the Vogue Patterns magazines with interviews about her designs plus copy describing them and back views. One of the fabric companies manufactured her prints for home sewing use. Suspect that when she was new and hungry for sales she was eager to sell these to Vogue. Please remember the folks back when who made you famous, DVF.
You know, you’re probably right about her being new and hungry for sales in the beginning. What I find lame is that I’m sure the reasoning behind the lack of license is because they don’t want to lose their RTW customers… but I feel like the majority (not all, but a big chunk of us, anyway) who would buy the pattern would not buy the RTW version. So they’re losing out on an entire customer base. I mean, I’m sure they don’t make a bunch of money off the pattern licensing, but still…. ::whine::
Amen!
Yes! Just look at Alabama Chanin
LOVE this dress! That fabric is divine – great choice! Must have some. I have an original DVF pattern, but haven’t made it up yet. I’ve used Onion’s wrap dress, which has that slimmer skirt and is wonderful 🙂 So, good alternative if you’re looking. (I blogged that if you’re interested in seeing how that pattern makes up. Only draw back is the wait for the pattern to come from Denmark, but it was surprisingly quick!) You can click on my link – the blog title is “It’s a Wrap” I think it’s a really good DVF look alike 🙂
Great tip on the top stitching, too. I’ve noticed that same thing in current DVF wrap styles. Have you used the collar from your DVF original pattern yet? Wondering how it looks versus the current styles 🙂
Thanks for a great post!
Oh, that pattern is a pretty good copy! Looks just like my version 🙂
My pattern didn’t come with a collar! Which bums me out WAY more than it should! I will admit that I have been tempted to buy the collared version (but my bank account speaks some sense into me), but it would probably be better to just draft a collar. Unless someone out there has a size 32 collared pattern that they want to trade tracings with?? 🙂 ha!
Your dress is so beautiful! Both pattern – though it’s an oldie, but isn’t that what screams great pattern if you keep returning to it? – and the jersey are gorgeous. Want want 🙂
Thank you thank you! 🙂
I continue to be completely green with envy over your DVF pattern. I own a Lily Pulitzer wrap dress, which I have considered reverse-engineering, but it still isn’t as perfect as a DVF. Perhaps one day I will be able to track down a copy!
Ooh, but I bet the Lily is pretty good!
Your dress is so pretty and I like the changes in the skirt.
Thank you, Lori!
I love this dress. I’ve wanted this pattern for a while and it’s even in my size on ebay but I REFUSE to pay that much money for a pattern.
Oh yeah, totally agree with you on that one! It both depresses me and makes me laugh hysterically to see what some of these patterns are fetching price-wise on eBay!
Amazing to see what difference a detail can make, what you did with the band is definitely the way to go. Well unless you ate going for a band in a different color? Well i disgress, this neckline looks amazing!
Thank you! I’m pretty happy with how the neckline turned out, too. It’s different, but I like it!
Lauren – this version is very pretty! And I don’t know if I’ve said this before but I had the original DVF dress pattern as an 18 year and made quite a few of them…your versions remind me of them!
I remember you saying that! What I would give to see some photos of you in your DVFs – I bet you looked great!
In a stroke of thrifting luck I will never replicate, I found the Vogue 1549 DVF wrap pattern in an antique mall for a few bucks the same day I found an $8 DVF wrap dress in the thrift store next door. I made the dress once, but I hated the fabric I picked, while the RTW dress is a beautiful silk jersey. I haven’t yet convinced myself to drop $$$ on equally nice fabric to make a second version when I’ve learned that $8 DVF wrap dresses exist. 🙂
Haha well I don’t know if you’ll ever find another $8 DVF wrap dress again 🙂 That sounds like an AMAZING thrifting day! And hey, if you ever wanna share the wealth of your v1549… I’ll trade you a 1610 tracing for a 1549 tracing 😉 JUST SAYING.
Yeah, why the heck can’t they just re-release the pattern already?? Instead of folks selling it for hundreds of dollars on eBay or etsy??? Seriously people, people that are gonna sew, will sew, people that are gonna buy RTW, will buy RTW…. Sister just wants a wrap dress and wants to make it herself and I’ll give DVF all the credit besides my skills……. But back to you and your fabulous dress…. Nicely done. I have a couple wrap dress patterns, not the DVF, and soon, I’m gonna bust one out and have a shot at it. In the mean time, thanks for all the tips!! Happy Twirling 🙂
Forreals! I’m starting to make conspiracies in my head that say that maybe DVF is selling all those OOP patterns on the internet and reaping in all the cash $$. haha!
Your fabric choice for the dress is beyond fantastic! Boy do I wish I had this pattern, a girl can dream!
Maybe you will find one at an estate sale too! You never know 🙂
You look absolutely fabulous in that fabric! I saw it on Mood and zero inspiration hit me. While I can work on perfecting my sewing skills day and night, it’s the ability to “see” a garment in a bolt that I lack ::sigh:: …rats. Anyhoo, poppy isn’t for me so maybe I’ll go ogle some other color. Nicely done!
I was just talking about that last night at my knitting group! Being able to see a fabric or a pattern and getting the inspiration is definitely a skill that you have to learn over time, but I think it can be done. And not to peer pressure you, but…. they totally have the fabric in a black/white colorway 🙂
So in love with your dress! Well done.
And thanks for explaining that OMG yes, we would love to re-issue the DVF patterns, but that is not an option. (And yes, we’ve pursued this.) However, several of our current wrap dress patterns will get you very much the same look as the original DVF pattern, so don’t feel you have to pay $100+ for the vintage pattern if all you want is a DVF-like wrap dress.
I do believe that there’s even at least one faux-wrap dress in your catalog, that looks exactly like the DVF but with the advantage of not flapping open in a breeze and disclosing all one’s secrets to the hoi polloi. I know I’ve bought three or four iterations through the decades, anyway.
I adore everything about this. I love the fabric and the dress looks amazing on you. The color and your hair up like that? The lipstick? Perfect-o. You should wear this every day!!!!!
Aw, thank you so much! 😀
Simplicity issued a knock-off version in the 70s, #7705. I bought it then, when I was young and beautiful, and sewed the snot out of that thing. I still have it, and will continue to use it, old and haggard as I am. Used copies of 7705 are not nearly as expensive as is the Vogue.
You’ll still sometimes find the DVF patterns at tag sales or at thrift stores — I snagged both the knit and the woven version of the Vogues just this spring, in a job lot of sewing supplies. In my size. I sacrificed three wadders to the sewing gods, in gratitude. (Just so you’ll know, the collar on the woven version is basically a rectangle, folded in half lengthwise, interfaced and sewn together across the short ends. It would be easy to cobble one together and add to the neckline, between the fashion fabric and the facing.)
I just looked up 7705, was temporarily elated (omg it’s PERFECT!!!), then temporarily depressed ($40 for a pattern?? No fucking way man!). Then I found it on eBay for $1, which I immediately bought. Nevermind that it’s not my size. I will make it work somehow (or maybe has my size and wants to trade? This one is a 36″ bust), even if only to use it for the collar and the instructions. Thanks for the head’s up! 😀
Simplicity 8235 from 1977 is another option. It alsohas a short sleeve option.
Ah that pattern is amazing and so ridiculously out of my league price-wise. Sigh sigh. I have some adorable polka dot knit and I just know it wants to become a wrap dress too.
I have loved watching your DVF pattern evolve! For those of us who will never be lucky enough to find it, I have to recommend Vogue 8379. It’s pretty darn close to the RTW DVF’s I’ve had (I remove some fullness from the skirt, and have changed the separate facing pieces to a turned facing to replicate my DVF wraps).
Simple and stylish dress! I like this fabric!
Stacy from http://www.stacyco.com
that is one awesome dress…I think I need to go on an eternal quest for that pattern! 🙂
Perfect DVF knock-off! I prefer this method for the neck facing to your previous bands for sure. And the jersey fabric does seem gorgeous. I am not sure if the back bottom hem is hanging at the sides when you wear it (not on the dressform). Another wrap dress pattern by Vogue which I love is 8379, that one does not have a gathered skirt (abomination) and it’s on sale.
Damn, I cannot close my mouth on this post. This wrap dress is all of that and a big bag of chips. The color is popping. The fit is popping. The dress on you is popping. Bravo!
Love this color on you!
Hmm, that looks lovely. And I find your method for the facing intriguing. Did you just draft the facing based on the pattern pieces for the neckline? Or did they already exist in the pattern somehow! I’m contemplating something similar for another dress, and wondered if it would be easy to draft my own facing for a fairly stable knit fabric.
No, the pattern piece was alrady included inteh pattern. It’s pretty similar to a basic knit band, however, just sewn on differently.
While looking to buy a copy of this pattern I came across your post. I made this dress in 1977 and it’s still one of my favorite items I ever sewed for myself! I believe the fabric of the green dress on the pattern envelope was one of DVF’s designs as well, and I was able to drive, as a teen, to the “city” and buy the exact fabric in red for my dress. I wish I had saved the garment and the pattern. You dress looks great!