M6886– I have made several dresses in this style within the last year. Before I started sharing my #MeMade items with the world, I only owned a few patterns – this being one of them. It was my go to pattern to make a comfy dress that I could wear year round. At first I would choose any knit, but for longevity I have learned to use rayon knits or 2-way stretch ponte knits. I am not a fan of polyester spandex ITY knits (because they seem so cheap)…but those last a long time too.
This pattern is one of my classic favorites. You can make so many variations of it….and your dress can be loose fit or tight fit, depending on what size you cut. I have done both. You can also add a sash belt to the dress, to make the style POP even more.
For this one, I used a soft rayon Traditional Kente knit fabric. That fabric can be purchased here. It is 2-way stretch, very soft, and thin – but strong. I made this dress with a view modifications.
This is exactly what I did:
View F Dress (Dress Front #4) + View B Sleeves(Sleeves #6) + Once I reached the B length of Dress Front #4 I started cutting at a diagonal angle – to make a fishtail.
After you cut View F, you can adjust the cleavage point, while the fabric is still folded. I cut my V-neck about 1.5″ lower than the one on the pattern. I did not add the neck band to mine this time.
PATTERN: McCalls 6886
FABRIC: Traditional KENTE Print Stretch Knit, purchase from TheFabricBoss here
DIFFICULTY: Easy, Beginner
VIEW(S): View B Sleeves + View F Neckline (same dress front #4)
MODIFICATIONS:I made the neckline lower, sleeves longer, and added a fishtail bottom to the dress.
The Pattern Boss 