I’m going on a trip to Italy for my honeymoon in a few weeks, and obviously that means I’m trying to make as many cute outfits to wear as possible. The McCalls 7948 pattern seemed like the perfect choice for a dress that I could wear on my honeymoon and wear again as a summer dress afterwards. The style of the pattern is really quite simple and could be somewhat easily hacked with other patterns, for example the Grainline Willow. However, I personally love having patterns like this in my stash because they are so easy to mix + match and hack with different sleeves, lengths, etc so I decided to buy it and try it.
Choosing sizing + fabric
The McCalls 7948 is similar sizing to any other McCalls pattern. However, it’s worth noting that the pattern has a lot of ease and seems to be intended to be larger and unfitted. I typically make a size 10 and was wavering between 8 & 10. I ended up going with 10 and probably could have sized down to get the look I was hoping for.
For my fabric, I went with a daisy printed linen blend that’s been in my stash for a while now. I’ve been waiting for the right pattern to use it for and I think this was perfect. Really any woven would do, but I personally love a linen because it’s so breathable and adds some structure to the dress. I also liked that the linen I used was opaque so no need for a slip or lining.
Sewing the McCalls 7948
The McCalls 7948 is such an easy pattern to hack because its structure is so simple. It’s a basic bodice, with 1 to 2 gathered tiers and the option of sleeves. I made View C, but I added the sleeves on View A. Initially, I had planned on making the bodice and tiers exactly as drafted in the pattern. However, when I finished attaching the tiers I felt like I was drowning in fabric – probably a result of not sizing down.
I decided to shorten the bodice slightly (by about 1.5 inches) and the last tier significantly (about 7 inches). This lets the first tier hit more at my natural waist, giving it more of a babydoll style. After taking off the excess fabric, I found the dress to be much more wearable and less tent-y. Sizing down may have been another solution, however I still like the shorter hemline and higher waistline.
Other than the length adjustments I made, I didn’t make any other adjustments. The pattern is very easy to follow, as it has no darts or zippers. It’s super beginner friendly, as far as McCalls patterns go.
Final thoughts
Despite having to make some alterations to the lengths of the tiers, this dress turned out exactly as I had hoped. I was waiting for the perfect pattern to use this fabric and the result didn’t disappoint. I can’t wait to wear this dress on my honeymoon in Italy!
