I bought the Simplicity s9326 (along with the M7971) as a contender to be made into my wedding reception dress. I knew for sure that I wanted to hack it a bit for the final wedding version, but first I made a wearable toile following pattern as is. I had some fit issues that were mostly my own fault, but overall really liked the style of the dress and have decided to use it to make my wedding reception dress! The dress shown here is the wearable toile version that I wore to my bridal shower.
Fabric and sizing
I knew I wanted to make my bridal shower dress and I knew I didn’t want it to be white. I spent hours scouring Etsy for a fabric that felt “bridal” but also something I could easily wear again. When I found this embroidered daisy fabric I knew it was perfect. It’s a a medium weight linen and probably a little bit heavier and more structured than what this pattern is probably intended for. However, it still really worked perfect. A lighter weight, flowier fabric would have been beautiful with this pattern but it just wasn’t the look I was going for.
I think I say this almost every big 4 post, but I am always nervous when choosing a size on big 4 patterns. Thankfully this particular pattern clearly outlined finished garment measurements on the pattern pieces which made it easier (so I thought). I went with a size 10, but was nervous that the finished garment measurements in the waist were slightly too small. So I slightly graded out the waist in the bodice. This was completely unnecessary and the bodice ended up oversized. For my wedding dress version I will be doing a straight size 10 with no additional grading. This is what toiles are for!
Sewing the S9326
I sewed the M7971 and S9326 at the same time and I found them to be fairly similar to construct. They both have lined bodices and slit skirts. I chose to omit the slit on the skirt because I didn’t think it would look right with the heavier weight of my fabric. The bodice was fairly easy to construct. The trickiest part for me was sewing an invisible zipper on a dress with a lining. This was my first time doing it. It can be difficult to keep all the layers in perfect harmony. I wish I had tips but I don’t really think I’m an expert yet.
Final thoughts on the S9326
Despite some fit issues with the bodice (again, these were my fault), I’m super pleased with the style of the S9326. I’m going to be using it to make one of my reception dresses and I can’t wait to share the final product!
