This is just what I wanted to see - the "walkaway dress" done with a block so that it will fit a human properly! I also don't use commercial patterns (and never have), so thanks so much for this!
I can't believe you did it - you made the Walkaway Dress to look in person the way I see it in my head, as an actually gorgeous, well-fitting vintage dress! This is a triumph!
Hilariously, this was the first walk away dress video I have seen, but I am absolutely amazed at your audacity constantly. You will make want you want and it will work out just like it’s supposed to! Your sewing is just so damn confident it’s infectious, now I’m absolutely positive I’m going to make this because it’s just so neat and wearable! I enjoy your content and art endlessly thank you for sharing it with the internet
It's the years of foundation, with drafting training and a library of personal slopers she's created. I don't have a collection of carefully tested pieces like that because I haven't put in the time, and it shows when I'm trying to put something together. It takes a lot longer, and the seam ripper and I have way too close a friendship, lol!
As a human whose measurements have never matched the expectations of fashion, your videos and patterns are so refreshing. I taught myself how to sew and tailor in high school so I could have clothes that actually fit me, and it’s so nice to learn the proper/efficient ways to do things I have been brute-forcing for decades.
The Walkaway Dress have always been a "it looks pretty-ish, but not something I would want to wear much less spend time making (and also heard a lot of less than satisfied things about it)" but this is GORGEOUS! This actually inspires me to wanna make the dress
The original dress is an interesting concept but in reality, it does look like an apron more often than not. I really like yours. The neckline is gorgeous and making the underskirt a full skirt definitely looks better as well as adding the security from blow ups😂
I’m a sewist, but I never have to reset a camera each time I move from cutting out to pinning to sewing to ironing. All credit to you for your hard work…so please stop saying you’re lazy! You’re not! Beautiful work. PS I make my own bias binding too as the shop bought stuff is hopeless fabric, and have bought a little device that folds it for us as we iron. Look for it and save yourself one job…not lazy just efficient!
Now THIS is what the walkaway wishes it was! 🤩 The shaped neckline really elevates it into something spectacular. Also, good call on getting rid of those strange darts. The one under the arm is one of the weirdest things I've ever seen and took me forever to figure out what was actually going on there 👀
Thank you! Yeah I think the little bust dart makes some sense, but then the other long dart there seems to be trying to combine a dart with side seam shaping without having to have an actual side seam...but just like, have a side seam instead!!
1. SOOO adorable! I love it! 2. Your new tattoo is gorgeous 😍 3. Happy birthday! 🎉 4. Happy writing! 🖊️ 5. 2 years ago I bought a $4,900 Bernina and I ended up selling it about a month ago because it was way more than I needed and honestly way too complicated and I would never use it to its fullest potential. I found an old 50s singer on the side of the road and grabbed it and had it serviced. It works beautifully. 10/10 recommend!
I also found a screaming deal on a featherweight that I bought last year and have been so much more happy with a simple machine that was made to do one thing and that is sew and sew well.
What a time to be alive, where I can view this sort of content and learn in depth sewing techniques from someone so ridiculously well dressed without even needing to leave my house. 🔥 This was also my first Walkaway dress post past seeing the pattern on Pinterest so now I'm going to get myself a cuppa and get some context 😅
I am still somehow always so thrown to learn UA-camrs i admire are in fact younger than me. It's encouraging to see folks like you who are basically the same age as me AND teens out here in the maker space. I follow a couple kids that do really cool designe work with crochet and knitting and gawd it's good to see us all reclaiming our wardrobes from fast fashion. 🥰
This is the most beautiful version of the Walkaway Dress I have seen. The fabric you chose is perfect and your skirt design goes with the bodice so much better than the Butterick version. Just fabulous!
i wish you were my sewing teacher. i would learn a lot about sewing, i mean EVERYTHING about it. Making patterns, where to make darts. proper measurements, etc.
my brain just exploded. i shouldn't even be looking at this. garment sewing is a whole different animal to me. i have not gotten this advanced in my sewing yet. (i just started back sewing in january and i have not sewn since high school and i made a skirt and a bag back then) but i sew canvas tote bags. as far as garments i sewn shirred sundresses and Sherpa vests and infinity scarves. so i am slowly learning! lol! maybe one day i will get to your level of sewing. it's journey!
I love this design. I could also see making the underskirt a half circle skirt so you could wear a petticoat under and achieve the floof. The walkaway dress also could be modified to make it very adjustable such as making the back lace up and the front be a tie with a wide sash. Brilliant job as always. Can't wait to see the costume piece coming up.
Lovely. I have my great grandmother singer machine. I need to get it serviced and have someone teach how to adjust the tension. Your needle changing tip, may be my issue… LOL. Thank you.
Girl you're a gifted Talent is amazing. The expression girl only mean a wow factor being Amazed by what your eyes were blessed to behold, you are someone special. There are times that I watch your videos the girl let me tell you something this is one of your tops to me. I still feel the excitement of the reveal. Thank you for showing and expressing Who You Are you're beautiful.
This is probably my favourite of the walkaway iterations I've seen! And I'm gonna take that as yet another reason to not bother with commercial patterns 😂 turned out so cute!
One of my first sewing projects was the repro walkaway in thrifted bedsheet material and stiff poly bias tape and oh, it was a MESS. So lovely to see how the concept can be redeemed. absolutely gorgeous!
I'm fascinated by the way you developed a mid-point between the half-circle and the full circle skirt. That in itself was a major improvement over both the original and repro version.
Amazing! I love to see a young seamstress/sewist use a pattern for inspiration and then transform it and make it their own! What a delight to watch you create this lovely dress!!! And when you started stitching on your vintage Singer 99K…my heart skipped a beat! You just can’t beat vintage Singer machines for dependability and a beautiful straight stitch! So happy I ‘found’ you today on UA-cam…can’t wait to see what you do next!
Actually, yours is the first walkaway dress that I have seen. I am quite prepared to believe that your way would look much more professional. I like your explanation of the changes you made. The dress looks lovely and can easily be worn all day long and into the evening. And you looked wonderful! I hope you have a great weekend!🫖🐈⬛📚🖖
Wow...having made the walk away, yours is fantastic it's also a lesson in how material/print etc makes such a difference BTW: Doesn't look ready to wear-Looks custom made Beautiful
This is what we all needed to make a wrap dress workable. Thank you for redeeming the Walk away! This cute idea needed such an excellent execution. This is the way.
Always here to advocate for older machines! Mine is a Singer 401a from the 1950’s too! It’s not as cute as the antique repro ones but it’s tough as hell. And this came out so darling! Those earrings with that look are perfection!!
A triumph These days I would not risk the commercial pattern for the Walkaway dress when self drafting is the way to go Thanks again Bianca for de- mystifying this style and explaining it all in a no nonsense way Now I need to work out what to do with all the dresses that I am making thanks to your tutorials. !
Oh, this is what the Walkaway Dress pattern is supposed to look like! I have never seen it fit so well without so much fiddling. Redrafting from the pattern illustration was a great idea here.
This was my first Walkaway dress pattern video. 😂I bought that butterick pattern (the reproduction version) way back in 2007 and just never got around to making it. I had no idea it was called "The Walkaway dress", or that there was such a social media phenomenon about it, but I really like what you did here! I've been sewing since I was a little girl and only saw this video because YT suggested your "Stop Using Commercial Patterns" video and this was suggested. I recognized the pattern art and here I am.
I'm late to the WAD party, but, I have to say, your "version" doesn't disappoint! You look amazing in the dress! The fit and fabric print are top-tier! Awesome!
A-ah! I also made a modified version of this years ago, with the underskirt closed in the back! Or at least mostly closed: I left just the opening for an hypothetical zipper and didn't put anything in it, but the idea was there. Also, I went extra and had a half-circle skirt as the underskirt and a 3/4 circle skirt as the overskirt (color combination inspired by the original envelop, back-over-half black and front-under-half cream).
Thanks. Your dress looks absolutely beautiful. I love the fabric as well. I am a sewer too. I change the pattern a lot of the time. I appreciate your changes. I will put pockets on the sides.
Ever since I first saw the picture of the original dress, I've been fascinated by it. But it has so many problems. I have patterned this dress a million times in my head, trying to get rid of those terrible darts and awful gap in the back. Now, with your wonderful help I may finally be able to get the pattern on paper and get sewing. Thank you, Bianca! It really looks wonderful and chic, and definitely not apron-like. 😍👌🙏
Of course, aprons and home entertaining in fancy ones was all the rage and that piping on the original picture really sells that idea I'm surprised it wasn't pictured with cherry print fabric
Love the dress it looks so classy! The new tattoo and the new hair are lovely as well. :) Oooh you are teasing us... new costuming adventures to come? I am totally here for that. Who am I kidding I'm here for it all including all the vintage clothing...
I do enjoy seeing how your pattern drafting process works! It's a very simple thing, but many of us aren't confident enough to do it. Once you have a few great templates for bodices etc that already fit your figure, why not apply them with ideas from an interesting design, instead of fitting you into yet another pattern? Thank you for showing everyone again it's just about using good paper, liners and pens, scissors and tape. Plus old bed linen for mock ups, if not muslin.
I have been hesitating on this one for-EVER. I was going to just make the underskirt wrap further around but your idea of the pencil skirt is BRILLIANT!!!. I love the fabric choice too. I'll have to investigate cotton sateen more in depth. Glad to see you are as enamoured with your overlocker as I am - NOT. I mostly French seam everything. But if I'm in a rush or am using an indie pattern, where the seam allowances differ from the 1.5cm then I use the overlocker on the pieces only. I never seam something with it....girl's gotta be able to alter things from time to time. Signed: 60yr old sewist (55 yrs sewing) with tattoos and dyed purple hair LOL.
Bianca, you never disappoint! Now it finally makes sense to me how it works. It looks way better than ones made out of the Butterick pattern. I also like your neckline better. And using full pencil skirt makes it look more polished. It drapes nicer. Also, belated happy birthday! 🎉
THIS DRESS! 🎉 You know how to do the Walkaway dress the correct way. I will definitely redo mine so that I will love wearing it. Thank you for the inspiration!
I've never seen a walkaway dress & now I want to make one. I have 6 yards of this great fabric from Mood that I've been thinking of something great to make with it. I think this it! It'll be my birthday project, too!
I love this pattern and have made about a dozen, however, I prefer the look of the pencil skirt rather than the open back (read as Hospital gown) look of the original. So nice to you using the lovely old 99K👏👏👏
Wow, this is very impressive. I really like the fabric placing at the neckline. That darker leaf in the center front makes it look as though it's a scoop neckline with a jagged sweetheart insert. I don't know if you intended that and it looks lovely. I've always liked the sketch on the pattern envelope of this dress however seeing enough of them completed had convinced me I never wanted to actually sew one. However, I really like the modifications you made in drafting this and that's clearly the way to go to avoid the frumpiness seen in other versions. Bravo!
I have had that pattern and fabric in my stash for literally 20 years. And now, I am so glad I never made it up because I would have never worn it, but now, I'm totally inspired to draft myself a pattern and walkaway from the Butterick version. I've never liked Butterick patterns, I have found so many mistakes in the instructions and the pattern pieces themselves, that I encourage beginners to stay away from them. I've loved seeing how you drafted the better version.
Can confirm that sewing on a vintage machine is very nice. I recently needed a new belt on my vintage one and swapped back to my modern machine and I HATE it. It's so finicky and irksome. Can't wait to get that belt in the mail and fix my vintage machine.
I have had the worst time trying to make this dresseven using the British sewing bee version it just didn't fit my body and I really didn't like the feel of my butt hanging out the back. Your version is much more civilized❤❤
You did an amazing job on this! You deftly identified, and eliminated the shortcomings of the commercial patterns for the walk-away dress. When I was getting my degree in fashion design our work was always evaluated by how closely our finished garments resembled our design sketches. Your pattern results in a perfect fitting dress that not only looks just like the drawing on the envelope,but more importantly results in a dress that one would actually wear out of the house, instead of an apron, as Sewrena so correctly observed. Well done!!!
That dress is super cute and I love that you showed how you altered the pattern to fit your own body. I hate commercial patterns! And one last thank you - for your video style! I didn't have to listen to you talk about your kids, dog and your past lives. You just described everything succinctly with a few asides to keep things interesting. Excellent presentation!
thank you for making this video! I watched many of those challenge makes, especially plus size peoomaking the dress and always was a bit sad about the fit. I would have loved to make my own but couldn't figure out how to change the existing pattern(s). But with this video I can definitely try to do my own! I don't have a fitting block yet but it's planned as next project (ordered a new book with basic blocks in many sizes and plan to fit from there because I tried drafting my own so many times and it always was unsuccessful for my shape...) Your videos are a great help for understanding those alternations and I love that you sew those garments after you showed how to do the pattern. it's one thing to change something on a flat piece of paper and seeing how it works out on a 3d body!
I love your version!! This was a genius hack for this dress. Yours is what the Butterick pattern wishes it was. Now I kind of want to make a backless caped dress as well after watching the end. Thank you!!!!
+1 on the old Black Iron Singers! 1930s through 1950s machines are great, often under $50 in a fold up table and just need some maintenance revival and rewiring (old plastic cords do crack). Models 66, 99, 15, 221 are found in that price order. My preference are the 15s as the bobbin is larger and mostly use the 15-91 with integral motor. These give better straight stitches than any modern machine from silk to garment leathers and so quiet the pet likes to sleep under the table (the pet doesn't stay around when the zig-zag machine gets used). The 15s were designed for 'dress shops' and such heavy use while the 221 full-size was designed for the Rolls Royce factory (and then sold to the retail market). If seeking portability, find the 99s as they are the first 'featherweight' portable and are sold less than a tenth the price of the 221-featherweight version.
I’ve made this dress, but from Grandma’s pattern after she fitted the original. All of her adjustments have been a perfect fit for me. One of my versions is my Loki cosplay.
Good memories! My mom and I made the walkaway dress in a grosgrain fabric for senior year homecoming- we fussed with front darts and waist height to make it all fit, and the end was still a little funky, but we were really happy with it! (minus the frantic last-minute hand-hemming on that full circle skirt) I wore it with both spanx and a custom petticoat. This updated one is beautiful! For the petticoat: we took a standard half petticoat design (rows of organza, knee length) and placed it on an elastic waistband with a casing with a full open seam in the center front. For this dress, you put it on over the underdress and pushed the petticoat open, then closed the overdress. It still wasn't as full as the drawings, but it did help!
I was so curious about this dress and was always bummed by seeing the fit. This is so lovely. Reminds me of this black sort of duster Lucy used to wear over pants on I Love Lucy.
I don't know why I was so obsessed with this dress. I watched about a hundred videos, and eventually tried my own version of the train wreck. I WISH I'd seen your video first!
I very vaguely remember a slightly older version of the walkaway being a highschool sewing contest design winner, something like a wrap around 30s apron? My mother who ran a sewing business in the 40s hated the Walkaway when so many of her ladies wanted it. She nearly late term aborted me at age 35 when I went retro and asked her about that pattern! 🤣 Your version is a masterpiece, and the how-to is brilliant! Now if I can just get over my PTSD over it to make it!
THIS. This is what the people want from the Walkaway Dress (AKA do everything differently 😂)
😁
I was thinking the same thing!
YESSSSSS
It quickly becomes "don't listen to anything butterick tells you!" 😅😂
Beautiful.
This is just what I wanted to see - the "walkaway dress" done with a block so that it will fit a human properly! I also don't use commercial patterns (and never have), so thanks so much for this!
Oh my goodness! Yours is what I think the Walkaway Dress wants to be when it grows up! It looks spectacular and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Thank you Stephanie!!
I can't believe you did it - you made the Walkaway Dress to look in person the way I see it in my head, as an actually gorgeous, well-fitting vintage dress! This is a triumph!
Thank you Kathleen!
Hilariously, this was the first walk away dress video I have seen, but I am absolutely amazed at your audacity constantly. You will make want you want and it will work out just like it’s supposed to! Your sewing is just so damn confident it’s infectious, now I’m absolutely positive I’m going to make this because it’s just so neat and wearable! I enjoy your content and art endlessly thank you for sharing it with the internet
Same
Me too. But now I know what a walk away dress is. It looks very elegant.
Thank you so much! I promise there were years of "fail" before I got to this point 😅😂
It's the years of foundation, with drafting training and a library of personal slopers she's created. I don't have a collection of carefully tested pieces like that because I haven't put in the time, and it shows when I'm trying to put something together. It takes a lot longer, and the seam ripper and I have way too close a friendship, lol!
Same. It's very confortable sewing, whit this girl.
Thank you! Made it! Then changed it to shorts with an over skirt! I'm not a pencil skirt type. LOVE it! Gotta make more!
As a human whose measurements have never matched the expectations of fashion, your videos and patterns are so refreshing. I taught myself how to sew and tailor in high school so I could have clothes that actually fit me, and it’s so nice to learn the proper/efficient ways to do things I have been brute-forcing for decades.
The Walkaway Dress have always been a "it looks pretty-ish, but not something I would want to wear much less spend time making (and also heard a lot of less than satisfied things about it)" but this is GORGEOUS! This actually inspires me to wanna make the dress
Thank you!
The original dress is an interesting concept but in reality, it does look like an apron more often than not. I really like yours. The neckline is gorgeous and making the underskirt a full skirt definitely looks better as well as adding the security from blow ups😂
Thank you Cynthia!
Your version is 1000 times better than the pattern. Fantastic job and gorgeous tattoo. 👍🥰 Your tattooist is definitely talented.
Her hand tattoo is very pretty. I was wondering if she is going to have it colored.
I’m up cycling some fit and flare dress with half circle skirts and I had something like this in mind! Thanks for the tips
I’m thinking I may need to make a lace sleeve to sub that tattoo.
Thank you! My tattoo artist is indeed the best 💜
I’m a sewist, but I never have to reset a camera each time I move from cutting out to pinning to sewing to ironing. All credit to you for your hard work…so please stop saying you’re lazy! You’re not! Beautiful work. PS I make my own bias binding too as the shop bought stuff is hopeless fabric, and have bought a little device that folds it for us as we iron. Look for it and save yourself one job…not lazy just efficient!
Now THIS is what the walkaway wishes it was! 🤩 The shaped neckline really elevates it into something spectacular.
Also, good call on getting rid of those strange darts. The one under the arm is one of the weirdest things I've ever seen and took me forever to figure out what was actually going on there 👀
Thank you! Yeah I think the little bust dart makes some sense, but then the other long dart there seems to be trying to combine a dart with side seam shaping without having to have an actual side seam...but just like, have a side seam instead!!
1. SOOO adorable! I love it!
2. Your new tattoo is gorgeous 😍
3. Happy birthday! 🎉
4. Happy writing! 🖊️
5. 2 years ago I bought a $4,900 Bernina and I ended up selling it about a month ago because it was way more than I needed and honestly way too complicated and I would never use it to its fullest potential. I found an old 50s singer on the side of the road and grabbed it and had it serviced. It works beautifully. 10/10 recommend!
Thank you! Yeah my Bernette only ever gets pulled out for knits 😂
I agree, the old machines were made with so much better quality than the new ones. I have about 10 of them, I need to sell some, lol!
🍀😃Beautiful dress 🍀 And Happy birthday 💐🌺
I also found a screaming deal on a featherweight that I bought last year and have been so much more happy with a simple machine that was made to do one thing and that is sew and sew well.
Ah! The first walk away dress that doesn’t look like an apron. Stunning! Yours also gives the illusion of cap sleeves which I really like.
That’s definitely a Run To Dress! LOVE YOUR VERSION THE BEST ❣️👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻💚
Thank you Kera!
Huge improvement over the commercial pattern version! This looks like the dress people are hoping to get from the illustration. Love it!
Thank you!!
What a time to be alive, where I can view this sort of content and learn in depth sewing techniques from someone so ridiculously well dressed without even needing to leave my house. 🔥
This was also my first Walkaway dress post past seeing the pattern on Pinterest so now I'm going to get myself a cuppa and get some context 😅
Stephanie Canada has a couple videos - she's also the one that started the challenge... and apparently the challenge became an epic trash fire. 😂
@@thebookwyrmslair6757 hooo boy I love me some epic trash fires
I am still somehow always so thrown to learn UA-camrs i admire are in fact younger than me. It's encouraging to see folks like you who are basically the same age as me AND teens out here in the maker space. I follow a couple kids that do really cool designe work with crochet and knitting and gawd it's good to see us all reclaiming our wardrobes from fast fashion. 🥰
The tattoo is fabulous. It looks like a floral lace glove.
This is the most beautiful version of the Walkaway Dress I have seen. The fabric you chose is perfect and your skirt design goes with the bodice so much better than the Butterick version. Just fabulous!
Thank you!!
Gorgeous!
Oh yeah. Definitely taking on this project. You’ve done gods’ works.
Wow! That is the most gorgeous walk away dress ever. I love the neckline. ❤
Thank you Linda!
i wish you were my sewing teacher. i would learn a lot about sewing, i mean EVERYTHING about it. Making patterns, where to make darts. proper measurements, etc.
also LEARN ABOUT HOW TO USE A SERGER!
This is definitely THE BEST version of the Walk Away dress. 😊
Thank you Linda!
my brain just exploded. i shouldn't even be looking at this. garment sewing is a whole different animal to me. i have not gotten this advanced in my sewing yet. (i just started back sewing in january and i have not sewn since high school and i made a skirt and a bag back then) but i sew canvas tote bags. as far as garments i sewn shirred sundresses and Sherpa vests and infinity scarves. so i am slowly learning! lol! maybe one day i will get to your level of sewing. it's journey!
I love this design. I could also see making the underskirt a half circle skirt so you could wear a petticoat under and achieve the floof. The walkaway dress also could be modified to make it very adjustable such as making the back lace up and the front be a tie with a wide sash. Brilliant job as always. Can't wait to see the costume piece coming up.
That's exactly what I was thinking! In fact I bet a fuller underskirt would have it's own petticoat effect!!!
Thank you! I am so excited to finish the costume becuase my fingers hurt from silk flower making 😂
Lovely. I have my great grandmother singer machine. I need to get it serviced and have someone teach how to adjust the tension. Your needle changing tip, may be my issue… LOL. Thank you.
Girl you're a gifted Talent is amazing.
The expression girl only mean a wow factor being Amazed by what your eyes were blessed to behold, you are someone special.
There are times that I watch your videos the girl let me tell you something this is one of your tops to me. I still feel the excitement of the reveal. Thank you for showing and expressing Who You Are you're beautiful.
This is probably my favourite of the walkaway iterations I've seen! And I'm gonna take that as yet another reason to not bother with commercial patterns 😂 turned out so cute!
Thank you! Yeah we all know I feel commercial patterns are more trouble than help 😂
One of my first sewing projects was the repro walkaway in thrifted bedsheet material and stiff poly bias tape and oh, it was a MESS. So lovely to see how the concept can be redeemed. absolutely gorgeous!
Thank you!! We've all been there 😂
I'm fascinated by the way you developed a mid-point between the half-circle and the full circle skirt. That in itself was a major improvement over both the original and repro version.
Thank you Loretta!
Amazing! I love to see a young seamstress/sewist use a pattern for inspiration and then transform it and make it their own! What a delight to watch you create this lovely dress!!! And when you started stitching on your vintage Singer 99K…my heart skipped a beat! You just can’t beat vintage Singer machines for dependability and a beautiful straight stitch! So happy I ‘found’ you today on UA-cam…can’t wait to see what you do next!
Thank you! I love my Singer 99k, I could never go back to a plastic machine 😅💜
I'm weird even for a quilter and love doing bias binding. Mitred corners are one of my favorite things. Soooo satisfying.
Actually, yours is the first walkaway dress that I have seen. I am quite prepared to believe that your way would look much more professional. I like your explanation of the changes you made. The dress looks lovely and can easily be worn all day long and into the evening. And you looked wonderful! I hope you have a great weekend!🫖🐈⬛📚🖖
Thank you! I wore this one out to dinner the night I filmed this, big earrings and all 💚
@@TheClosetHistorian 📚🫖🐈⬛😎
I made that pattern for Halloween last year! And it was very annoying!! Thank you for showing what needs to be done to fix it
So refreshing to see this dress engineered correctly!!! Beautiful. ❤
Thank you!
Wow...having made the walk away, yours is fantastic
it's also a lesson in how material/print etc makes such a difference
BTW: Doesn't look ready to wear-Looks custom made
Beautiful
Thank you!!
Love love love the idea of a wind proof underskirt!
This is what we all needed to make a wrap dress workable. Thank you for redeeming the Walk away! This cute idea needed such an excellent execution. This is the way.
Thank you Kaytie!
Always here to advocate for older machines! Mine is a Singer 401a from the 1950’s too! It’s not as cute as the antique repro ones but it’s tough as hell. And this came out so darling! Those earrings with that look are perfection!!
I have a featherweight, but I use my 401a soooo much more.
Just makes me happy sewing with it.
A triumph These days I would not risk the commercial pattern for the Walkaway dress when self drafting is the way to go Thanks again Bianca for
de- mystifying this style and explaining it all in a no nonsense way Now I need to work out what to do with all the dresses that I am making thanks to your tutorials. !
Thank you Valerie!
Old Singers and Kenmores are the way to go for sure!
I LOVE how this came out! Definitely an elevated version. So flattering and stylish 😄
Thank you Becca!
The best Walk Away Dress I've seen until now. Congrats.
Oh, this is what the Walkaway Dress pattern is supposed to look like! I have never seen it fit so well without so much fiddling. Redrafting from the pattern illustration was a great idea here.
Thank you!
Stunning!! You totally elevated this pattern in your usual Bianca fashion - I LOVE all your upgrades, it makes so much more sense.
Thank you Michele!
Imagine this.... The under dress is a sheath, the wrap is peplum. And its velvet for winter 😍
This was my first Walkaway dress pattern video. 😂I bought that butterick pattern (the reproduction version) way back in 2007 and just never got around to making it. I had no idea it was called "The Walkaway dress", or that there was such a social media phenomenon about it, but I really like what you did here! I've been sewing since I was a little girl and only saw this video because YT suggested your "Stop Using Commercial Patterns" video and this was suggested. I recognized the pattern art and here I am.
I'm late to the WAD party, but, I have to say, your "version" doesn't disappoint! You look amazing in the dress! The fit and fabric print are top-tier! Awesome!
Thank you!
Yours is SO MUCH BETTER than the Butterick! I love it! Your dress looks fantastic!!!
Thank you!
Beautifully done !!! Perfect 👌🏻👏🏻🎉
Thank you Kaitlynn!
A-ah! I also made a modified version of this years ago, with the underskirt closed in the back! Or at least mostly closed: I left just the opening for an hypothetical zipper and didn't put anything in it, but the idea was there. Also, I went extra and had a half-circle skirt as the underskirt and a 3/4 circle skirt as the overskirt (color combination inspired by the original envelop, back-over-half black and front-under-half cream).
Thanks. Your dress looks absolutely beautiful. I love the fabric as well. I am a sewer too. I change the pattern a lot of the time. I appreciate your changes. I will put pockets on the sides.
Thank you!
Ever since I first saw the picture of the original dress, I've been fascinated by it. But it has so many problems. I have patterned this dress a million times in my head, trying to get rid of those terrible darts and awful gap in the back. Now, with your wonderful help I may finally be able to get the pattern on paper and get sewing. Thank you, Bianca! It really looks wonderful and chic, and definitely not apron-like. 😍👌🙏
Of course, aprons and home entertaining in fancy ones was all the rage and that piping on the original picture really sells that idea I'm surprised it wasn't pictured with cherry print fabric
So true. I made my mom a lacey apron to wear for serving cocktails at parties. It looked nice over her pretty dress.
Thank you! Yeah the key is basically to not listen to Butterick 🤣
Love it!!! Great job. Thanks so much for sharing!❤
Thank you!
So much work done so well. It’s beautiful. I love a tropical print and the piping is scrumptious.😊
Thank you Maureen!
"It's just for people who are watching me leave " you are an endless delight.
You look so beautiful in this dress! 🥰 Love your version! It fits the body much better like that.
Thank you!
Yours is one of the very best versions of this dress that I've seen. Using fashion fabric to create the bias tape brings it to next level.
Love the dress it looks so classy! The new tattoo and the new hair are lovely as well. :) Oooh you are teasing us... new costuming adventures to come? I am totally here for that. Who am I kidding I'm here for it all including all the vintage clothing...
Thank you! Happy Birthday as well then!
Beautiful and the BEST one!
Thank you Brooke!
This is a much more polished version of this dress. I love it. Also, the ink is stunning and a very happy birthday to you.
Thank you Sara!
I do enjoy seeing how your pattern drafting process works! It's a very simple thing, but many of us aren't confident enough to do it. Once you have a few great templates for bodices etc that already fit your figure, why not apply them with ideas from an interesting design, instead of fitting you into yet another pattern?
Thank you for showing everyone again it's just about using good paper, liners and pens, scissors and tape. Plus old bed linen for mock ups, if not muslin.
Thank you Julia!
This is the prettiest Walkaway Dress that has ever been made! 😍 Thank you!
Thank you!!
I have been hesitating on this one for-EVER. I was going to just make the underskirt wrap further around but your idea of the pencil skirt is BRILLIANT!!!. I love the fabric choice too. I'll have to investigate cotton sateen more in depth. Glad to see you are as enamoured with your overlocker as I am - NOT. I mostly French seam everything. But if I'm in a rush or am using an indie pattern, where the seam allowances differ from the 1.5cm then I use the overlocker on the pieces only. I never seam something with it....girl's gotta be able to alter things from time to time. Signed: 60yr old sewist (55 yrs sewing) with tattoos and dyed purple hair LOL.
Bianca, you never disappoint! Now it finally makes sense to me how it works. It looks way better than ones made out of the Butterick pattern. I also like your neckline better. And using full pencil skirt makes it look more polished. It drapes nicer.
Also, belated happy birthday! 🎉
Thank you Noel!!
Got to love love love that fabric!
THIS DRESS! 🎉 You know how to do the Walkaway dress the correct way. I will definitely redo mine so that I will love wearing it. Thank you for the inspiration!
Thank you!
I've never seen a walkaway dress & now I want to make one. I have 6 yards of this great fabric from Mood that I've been thinking of something great to make with it. I think this it! It'll be my birthday project, too!
This is stunning! As ever, your fabric choice is divine!
Thank you Becky!
I love this pattern and have made about a dozen, however, I prefer the look of the pencil skirt rather than the open back (read as Hospital gown) look of the original. So nice to you using the lovely old 99K👏👏👏
Thank you!
Wow, this is very impressive. I really like the fabric placing at the neckline. That darker leaf in the center front makes it look as though it's a scoop neckline with a jagged sweetheart insert. I don't know if you intended that and it looks lovely. I've always liked the sketch on the pattern envelope of this dress however seeing enough of them completed had convinced me I never wanted to actually sew one. However, I really like the modifications you made in drafting this and that's clearly the way to go to avoid the frumpiness seen in other versions. Bravo!
Thank you!! 💚
The dress is GORGEOUS. I think the proper underpinnings make all the difference. Bravo.
Absolutely perfect, Bianca! Looks wonderful on you!
Thank you Susan!
I love the way you did the skirt. The addition of pockets would make it perfect.
Thank you! I knew you could do this better! And yes, a very happy birthday to you. You've made a difference in my sewing. Thank you so much!
Thank you!!
I have had that pattern and fabric in my stash for literally 20 years. And now, I am so glad I never made it up because I would have never worn it, but now, I'm totally inspired to draft myself a pattern and walkaway from the Butterick version. I've never liked Butterick patterns, I have found so many mistakes in the instructions and the pattern pieces themselves, that I encourage beginners to stay away from them. I've loved seeing how you drafted the better version.
Ugh that sounds so bad. Imagine new sewists being decouraged from sewing, thinking they can not do it, when the pattern is the problem.
Thank you Holli! My favorite thing about vintage patterns is the envelope illustrations for ideas, the rest is a no thanks 😂
Can confirm that sewing on a vintage machine is very nice. I recently needed a new belt on my vintage one and swapped back to my modern machine and I HATE it. It's so finicky and irksome. Can't wait to get that belt in the mail and fix my vintage machine.
My belt snapped recently and I luckily had a back up, but I bought two extra belts to always be prepared!
This is by far the most tailored and best fitting walkaway dress I've seen. Gorgeous. Love the notched neckline and the utterly fabulous earrings!!!
Thank you Hannah!
I have had the worst time trying to make this dresseven using the British sewing bee version it just didn't fit my body and I really didn't like the feel of my butt hanging out the back. Your version is much more civilized❤❤
That has basically been the reason why I haven't done it, I don't like the fact it isn't closed in the back. Has a bit of a hospital gown feel XD
You did an amazing job on this! You deftly identified, and eliminated the shortcomings of the commercial patterns for the walk-away dress. When I was getting my degree in fashion design our work was always evaluated by how closely our finished garments resembled our design sketches. Your pattern results in a perfect fitting dress that not only looks just like the drawing on the envelope,but more importantly results in a dress that one would actually wear out of the house, instead of an apron, as Sewrena so correctly observed. Well done!!!
32? Still a spring chicken girl lol. Hope your bday was all you wished for :)
Another SPECTACULAR make! You are so talented. My toxic trait is thinking I’d ever be able to do this. Lol. Thank you for this video!
Thank you! You can though I promise!!!
Perfection!
So beautiful! I love the bold tropical colors!
Thank you!
That dress is super cute and I love that you showed how you altered the pattern to fit your own body. I hate commercial patterns! And one last thank you - for your video style! I didn't have to listen to you talk about your kids, dog and your past lives. You just described everything succinctly with a few asides to keep things interesting. Excellent presentation!
thank you for making this video! I watched many of those challenge makes, especially plus size peoomaking the dress and always was a bit sad about the fit. I would have loved to make my own but couldn't figure out how to change the existing pattern(s). But with this video I can definitely try to do my own! I don't have a fitting block yet but it's planned as next project (ordered a new book with basic blocks in many sizes and plan to fit from there because I tried drafting my own so many times and it always was unsuccessful for my shape...)
Your videos are a great help for understanding those alternations and I love that you sew those garments after you showed how to do the pattern. it's one thing to change something on a flat piece of paper and seeing how it works out on a 3d body!
I love your version!! This was a genius hack for this dress. Yours is what the Butterick pattern wishes it was. Now I kind of want to make a backless caped dress as well after watching the end. Thank you!!!!
I've never understood the obsession with the walkaway dress, but I'm LIVING for your new tattoo 🤩
Thank you!
Wow. This is what a sewer wants to see! Thank you for something freshly presented 🤍 you are a keeper!
Thank you!
+1 on the old Black Iron Singers! 1930s through 1950s machines are great, often under $50 in a fold up table and just need some maintenance revival and rewiring (old plastic cords do crack). Models 66, 99, 15, 221 are found in that price order. My preference are the 15s as the bobbin is larger and mostly use the 15-91 with integral motor. These give better straight stitches than any modern machine from silk to garment leathers and so quiet the pet likes to sleep under the table (the pet doesn't stay around when the zig-zag machine gets used). The 15s were designed for 'dress shops' and such heavy use while the 221 full-size was designed for the Rolls Royce factory (and then sold to the retail market). If seeking portability, find the 99s as they are the first 'featherweight' portable and are sold less than a tenth the price of the 221-featherweight version.
I’ve made this dress, but from Grandma’s pattern after she fitted the original. All of her adjustments have been a perfect fit for me. One of my versions is my Loki cosplay.
Now that is an extra excellent hand me down pattern!
Good memories! My mom and I made the walkaway dress in a grosgrain fabric for senior year homecoming- we fussed with front darts and waist height to make it all fit, and the end was still a little funky, but we were really happy with it! (minus the frantic last-minute hand-hemming on that full circle skirt) I wore it with both spanx and a custom petticoat. This updated one is beautiful!
For the petticoat: we took a standard half petticoat design (rows of organza, knee length) and placed it on an elastic waistband with a casing with a full open seam in the center front. For this dress, you put it on over the underdress and pushed the petticoat open, then closed the overdress. It still wasn't as full as the drawings, but it did help!
Wow! That is the look everyone has in mind when they make that dress! What a looker it is!!!
Thank you!
I was so curious about this dress and was always bummed by seeing the fit. This is so lovely. Reminds me of this black sort of duster Lucy used to wear over pants on I Love Lucy.
Would be totally cute over little 1950's capris ✨
Okay, now WHY did this look so elegant when you opened it? I need to see you in a black dress like this with red accents at the seams and a CAPE!!!
We can make some cape dresses sometime 😂
A half petticoat just in the back? You just made bustles relevant again, I love it!
Love the Tropical print fabric, the contrast edgings, the new neckline shape. The end result looks fabulous!
I love hearing you sing the praises of the 99K. I love mine to infinity.
I don't know why I was so obsessed with this dress. I watched about a hundred videos, and eventually tried my own version of the train wreck. I WISH I'd seen your video first!
Oh my goodness! Bianca don't stop being awesome!
I very vaguely remember a slightly older version of the walkaway being a highschool sewing contest design winner, something like a wrap around 30s apron? My mother who ran a sewing business in the 40s hated the Walkaway when so many of her ladies wanted it. She nearly late term aborted me at age 35 when I went retro and asked her about that pattern! 🤣 Your version is a masterpiece, and the how-to is brilliant! Now if I can just get over my PTSD over it to make it!