Simplicity 8084: DIY Washed Silk and Floral Print Shirt Dresses

Simplicity 8084 Washed Stretch Silk Button Down Tie Waist Shirt Dress

Hi Friends,

Todays post is all about Simplicity 8084, a Mimi G Style pattern. This is the first time I have ever sewn a version of a pattern and immediately sewn a second version after. So that should tell you how much I like the pattern. But the other reason was I really wanted to make this up in some washed stretch silk I purchased from Chic Fabrics when I was in NYC recently, so the first version (the floral viscose version) was a wearable muslin.

Simplicity 8084 Floral Viscose Button Down Tie Waist Shirt Dress

I know, the print really hides the details. But I still love it. I wish I had made this printed version up to take with me on holiday because it is so cool and breezy. It has a covered button placket; here’s a close up.

Simplicity 8084 Floral Viscose Button Down Tie Waist Shirt Dress: Covered button placket detail

Simplicity 8084 Floral Viscose Button Down Tie Waist Shirt Dress

For both versions I made self fabric bias binding which was used to create the inner casing for the waist tie. I love both versions but I think the silk version is my favourite. I love the colour, the feel and the overall finished look with the gold snaps. You can read all the details in my review below.

Simplicity 8084 Washed Stretch Silk Button Down Tie Waist Shirt Dress

Simplicity 8084 Washed Stretch Silk Button Down Tie Waist Shirt Dress

Pattern Review

Pattern Description:
Mimi G’s fabulous style shirt dress in maxi or above the knee lengths. Dress is gathered to a yoke, has a covered placket, drawstring waist, and super convenient side seam pockets.

I made the knee length version.
Pattern Sizing:
10 – 28
Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?
Yep.
Were the instructions easy to follow?
Yes. Some small minor dislikes.
What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
Likes:

LOVE the overall finished look. Enough to make this pattern twice over in quick succession, which is saying something for me.

Dislikes:

• Only the right hand side (RHS) placket is interfaced in the instructions. I would say that you need to interface the left hand side (LHS) placket as well (making buttonholes on uninterfaced silk or viscose? No thanks). I used the same interfacing pattern piece as for the RHS for the LHS and it worked fine.
• The instructions tell you to just cut one yoke piece. This is the second time I have seen this in a Simplicity shirt dress pattern and I don’t like it. I cut two yokes and I used the burrito method to sew them to the dress fronts to get a clean finish inside.
• Something again that I have come across in Simplicity patterns before: telling you to stay stitch at 0.5 inches when the seam allowance, in some places, is only 3/8ths inch. Watch out for the changing seam allowances.
• Didn’t like how they have you sew on the sleeve tab. Did my own thing and sewed on the tab using a boxed cross configuration which looks much neater IMO.
• Instructions have you sew the ends of the waist ties closed and turn out the waist ties which are almost 2 metres in length. Hell no. I just sewed the entire length of the waist ties closed (leaving the ends open) and used my loop turner to turn the ties the right way round. Much easier. In the viscose version I turned and stitched the ends closed but I have just knotted the ends of the silk version for now and am thinking how to finish them…
• I didn’t like the 3/8ths inch seam allowance on the upper collar which is turned under and topstitched in place. On both versions I found the 3/8ths inch seam allowance too small to allow me to machine this securely, so ended up hand stitching both versions in place. If I make any future versions I will add 0.25 inches to this edge that gets turned under and this should make it easier to machine in place.

Fabric Used:
Version one was made using a heavy weight floral viscose.

Version two was made using a washed stretch silk purchased from Chic Fabrics in NYC on a recent trip to The States. I prewashed the silk and it presses well (with care).

The gold studs on the silk version were purchased from Le Prevo Leathers in Newcastle, UK.

Both versions saw me using my walking foot.

Because of the fact this shirt dress doesn’t have a waist seam it makes the pattern pieces quite long and consequentially you may find you need to take care to support the weight of the dress when sewing and ironing to avoid stretching and inaccurate sewing.
Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:

• The only alteration I made was to add 2 inches to the length. That’s it. The sizing is pretty generous and it is designed to be fairly blousy and loose fitting.
• I managed to sew my plackets on the first version (the floral viscose version) on the wrong way round, so the RHS is on the LHS and vice versa.
• I made my own self fabric bias binding for both versions to form the inside casings.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
I might sew this again. It is a great design. I do recommend to others.
Conclusion:

I am so pleased I pushed myself to cut into my precious washed silk and sew these pieces up. I may not get to wear the floral version all that much until next summer but I think the silk version can take me many, many places…

Simplicity 8084 Floral Viscose Button Down Tie Waist Shirt Dress

Simplicity 8084 Washed Stretch Silk Button Down Tie Waist Shirt Dress