10 sewing machines & a serger: Elodie Closet Core Wrap Dress for a Trip to Costa Rica!

I ordered this fabric in the spring of 2021 and the pattern in the fall, specifically for a trip to Costa Rica that I am currently on! (Hopefully! This should post while I am there, all the Covid tests were negative and we are a go for the trip) This trip has been a long time coming. This trip was supposed to be at this time in 2021 and a celebration of my 50th Birthday and all the wonderful things in my life. I don’t need to explain to anyone why this trip never happened! Thank you rona.

Skip to 2022, and omicron…. Ugh, I just trusted that we were all being safe and careful and wearing masks (Chicago has had a mask mandate in place since August) It helps that I have been very careful due to the pancreatitis and not wanting to chance having my body ravaged by a virus on top of the stress of a chronic illness. Anyhow, nothing special about this story! We are all living in this pandemic.

So… back to the dress!! Photos show an almost completed dress!!

Pattern is Closet Core Elodie Wrap dress view B- Midi length with the short sleeves. I really enjoy the patterns from Closet Core. They are thoughtful, have interesting details and a modern look. The drafting is very good and the sizing is very true to the included charts. This pattern has release darts or release pleats in the front and pleats on the back.

I made a muslin of my size from the size chart and the fit was exactly as expected. Tight across the abdomen. The design ease is only a half inch in the waist. On me this amount of ease is just not comfortable (mostly due to my pancreatitis). It is a wrap dress, so I could loosen the wrap and it felt fine but then the amount of cleavage happening was uncomfortable, I would have had to wear a camisole and I did not want that. SO I made sure to mark CF and line that up and asses the fit from there. I did a closed wedge along the front opening below the breast to get rid of some gaping and I added a half inch to the side seam for a total of 2 inches. This gives me about 2 inches of ease at the waist, depending on how tight I tie the wrap, and it feels great!

I also really like the look of the muslin as a top. If anyone is interested I just cut a length 9 inches from the waistband and marked this on my pattern. Completely makes a super cute wrap top!

For design changes I added a 1/4 inch flat piping along the neck edge. This was specifically because I really needed another 1/2 yard of fabric to be able to cut the print out the way I would have preferred. But, I did not have the leeway and I was not super happy with the print placement. So, the flat piping was a way break up the print marching across my chest.

I needed to piece the corner on the skirt fronts lower corner of the side seam. I just did not have the fabric width for this length. I did not even bother trying to match the print. With this midi length and it being such a small portion that no one will ever notice unless I point it out!

I also added top stitching along the waistband. This was because the waistband facing, per the pattern directions, was to be slipped stitched by hand. I skipped this due to a couple of reasons. The biggest one being that this fabric is so tightly woven that even my sharpest pins had a hard time penetrating the fabric! The fabric was very stable and top stitching front the right side was done quite easily. In another type of fabric this may not be so possible.

Of course I had to make a matching mask and key wristlet… ‘cause, why not?? Beautiful fabric! And the current wristlet was literally falling apart after 8 years of constant use!

Due to the tight weave of the fabric, I very carefully used a little dab of glue on the pockets to temporarily hold them in place while I stitched them. This is a wash away fabric glue and very easy to use. I just could not get the pins in without moving the pocket and since this is a washable garment I figured glue stick all the way!

The fabric is 100% cotton print from Core Fabrics. Nice and crisp and beautiful and I would totally purchase this again!! The selves get was super fun and I really wanted to incorporate it but I just couldn’t work it out without it looking strange. SO I just smiled and enjoyed it as I cut out the fabric!

The neck facing and waistband are all interfaced with a lightweight fusible tricot. This fabric really did not need to much extra.

No buttons or zippers used and the only other thing were some labels from Kylie and the Machine. They are just so much fun :)

I used a Guterman thread, rPET, made from 100% recycled polyester and was very happy with it! My first time using this thread for a full garment construction. I will definitely purchase this thread again.

I used a brand new 70/10 universal needle (I did several tests due to the tight weave and this worked best) All seams were sewn on the machine with a 2.5mm straight stitch and finished on the serger with a 3 thread overlock and pressed open.

The hem of the sleeve was done by a double pressed 1/4 inch and top stitched. The dress hem was done with a double pressed 1/2 inch and top stitched. Easy Peasy!

I finished the dress the day before leaving for the trip so I do not have any final pictures to share yet. I will be sure to get some lovely ones while at the resort in Costa Rica.