Simplicity 4940

[Lady Rebecca]

I sketched out my medieval/fantasy/pre-raphaelite dress for costume college today, and it came out somewhat similarly to Simplicity pattern 4940. But when I looked at the pattern envelope, it calls for near to a whopping 10 yds of fabric. Has anyone used this pattern, and/or knows where all of that fabric disappears to?

[Auryn]

I have that pattern but haven't touched it yet because of the volume of fabric 'required"
I would think all the fabric is to create the volume in the skirt and due to the shape of the sleeves.

[Valencia]

I made that dress a few months ago; it called for WAY more fabric than I ended up using.  I still have maybe 2 yards left of the gown fabric.  I did use a wider fabric (I think mine was 53" wide? I can't remember the details now). But I remember being surprised at the difference between what the pattern spec'd and what I actually used.

[WindChime]

I made that dress years ago and remember having a lot of fabric left over and I made the plus size pattern.

[Kate XXXXXX]

Look carefull at the pattern layout: it's probably for a 'with nap' layout, for things like velvet, where you have to lay all the pieces the same way up on the fabric.  if you are making it from a plain fabric, you can probably dove-tail the pieces and save some fabric.  However, plus sizes may find they save less than smaller sizes doing this.

[Lady Rebecca]

I have 8 yds of app 52" wide linen (that I dyed for the first time ever!) to make it, but I'm also not really following the pattern. I'm making this:

So I'm definitely using the majority of the bodice part of the pattern, but this is the underdress:

so it's going to be more of a chemise with an empire waist and fitted sleeves. I was inspired by the green dress that Armstreet sells.

[Cilean]

Yes, I made this way back when and unless you have the same boyish figure the model does, well I don't and I have straight hips and a big tummy,... I looked horrible in it and it was a waste of  my lovely fabric!

May I make a suggestion?

Try this for what is being called the Gothic Fitted Gown:
www.cottesimple.com

I think this really does make a better gown and it can be adapted for so many more things!

Cilean

[Lady Rebecca]

Thanks, that's a great resource! I think it's a little more accurate than the romanticised idea I had for the bodice of the underdress, but I can already tell that it will greatly help me for the sleeves. This link is the one I had originally found that I like: http://armstreet.com/store/clothes/medieval-dress-tunic-forest-princess

[Goody]

i made that dress for a plus size girl a couple years ago but had a  chemise, gored skirt and then made the bodice a lace up. it fit her figure well other than i coulda taken out some of the bulk in the skirt waist.