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My dress of the summer, Megan Nielsen Darling Rangers Dress

Hi there, its been so long since I blogged, so I decided I would get back into with my favourite make of the summer. It is my most worn item this summer. I had originally made it in March and although I did wear this initial version, there were a few issues that stopped it being a favourite. Once I had fixed these I made 2 more!

I made a cotton lawn version in Lisa Comfort fabric and a linen/viscose mix from Lady McElroy and they both were in heavy rotation. 



The pattern its self is easy to follow, I find Megan Nielsen patterns are well illustrated and written. All the elements come together as expected, and the pattern pieces are easy t make the alterations required. For reference my measurements are;

Height 164cm
Bust 100cm
Waist 86cm
Hips 114 cm

I made a size L chest graded to a XL at the waist and hips, with the following adjustment's. 

Firstly, when I moved my arms it felt tight across my upper back, like the seams were staining. Secondly, I felt the actual arms of the dress were a bit snug. The other areas I needed to address were lowering the bust/waist dart and lengthening the dress, I wanted a midi length version so I could comfortable wear it without tights and not have to worry about flashing my undies if the wind got hold or while chasing after children etc.  

To fix the tight back I decided to do a broad back adjustment, of 1 cm. I followed the Deer and Doe broad back adjustment from their blog and along with a full bicep adjustment from Helen's Closet of 1", I found changing both these areas has made a huge difference in how comfortable and wearable my dresses are. 

I also had to lower the waist darts by 1 1/4 " to hit the apex of my boobs. I lengthened the skirt by 5", by adding 5" to the pattern pieces. 



I added the back ties as it is an over sized dress at the waist and I think this will give the dress more longevity with weight fluctuations. 




What's not to love about this dress! Firstly its a shirtdress which I love, and with the waist ties you can make it more fitted or loose depending on your mood. It lends itself to a variety of fabrics and is an easy silhouette to wear, and a relatively quick sew. One thing I would say is to stay stitch the neck areas when you cut your bodice pieces to prevent it from stretching out. 



I think its a 'confident beginner' level dress and with the great instructions everyone whatever your experience of sewing should give it a go. I also think it lends itself to hacking, whether that be removing the button placket, adding ruffles to the skirt or changing the gathers to pleats. The dress also comes with a sleeveless version and a A-line version in the same pattern. 

I hope you've found this review helpful, have you made the Darling Ranges dress? I think I need a denim one for autumn/winter!

Thanks for stopping by,

Rebecca xx

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