The Pattern
The Atlas Dress by Masin, is this the ultimate wrap dress?
I am a huge fan of The Foldline website. It is a treasure trove of information, inspiration and an immediate window to the latest patterns coming onto the market. It is also my first chosen place to search for Indie sewing patterns.
It is here that I came across the Atlas Wrap Dress by Masin. I have to admit that it was the name that caught my eye at first, as I live in Marrakech, and I am surrounded by the Atlas Mountains. Is this the ultimate wrap dress?
However, the dress lived up to its name and was truly spectacular! I cannot resist a wrap dress in any form. They offer comfort and the perfect fit, even when your weight fluctuates.
The Atlas wrap dress is a combination of a shirt on the top half, and a short sarong skirt on the bottom half. There are two sleeve options and there is a breast pocket should you like a little extra detailing. It is a fabulous design and I am sure will become a classic.
The Fabric
This dress would work well in a linen, cotton shirting, or any fabric with a good drape.
I was passing a local fabric shop which had a gorgeous super heavy weight navy satin, I fell for it immediately. I decided that this would be the fabric for my first Atlas dress. It was going to be a dress for the evening, perfect for a drinks party or dinner date.
Making The Dress
Considering the final outcome, this is a very straightforward dress to make. There are no linings, zips or button holes, and the instructions are easy to follow. Definitely a make for someone with moderate sewing experience. This dress comes together relatively quickly, and is a satisfying make. So, is this the ultimate wrap dress?
The Skirt
First of all, I am of a certain age and mini skirts are no longer an option!Therefore my first alteration was to lengthen the skirt.
I have to admit that this was not as easy as I thought it would be. There is a point on the hip where it says to lengthen the skirt if you wish. Unfortunately, because of the rounded shape if the base hem, it is impossible to line up and match.
I had no choice but to virtually self draft the skirt. I simply dived in and cut what I thought would work. Thankfully it did! It would be a great help if Masin could add a longer skirt to the pattern, for us ladies who need or prefer to cover a little more leg.
The Cuffs
Secondly, I found the cuff too small and there is little allowance to overlap. I had to cut out a second set of cuffs, moving up two sizes for it to work for me. I found some retro 1980’s buttons from Liberty’s in my stash that were just perfect to give a glamorous ( almost cufflink like) detail.
The Sleeves
I opted to make the fuller sleeve, but for me it could have been more generous. I would be happy with it in a linen or shirting, but for an evening dress in satin, I would have liked a little more fullness and drama.
The Ties
I am not a fan of internal ties on a dress that is fitted at the waist. They are bulky and unsightly at the waistline. I chose to eliminate these, and simply added a press-stud fastener. It is also less likely to come undone than a satin tie.
Top Stitching
I found that top stitching did not really work with my satin fabric and so opted not to use it. In fact, it is fine without it. I would consider top stitching a more stable fabric such as linen, or light weight denim for a future project.
Tips & Alterations
A. I lengthened the skirt for some modesty and an elegant rather than edgy look.
B. I omitted the internal ties and simply added a press-stud fastener
C. I increased the width of the cuff as I found them too small, and there was little fabric to overlap. Alternatively you could add a button loop instead.
D. I omitted the top stitching as I found that it did not work well with satin. It would however be fine with a linen or cotton shirting.
E. I found even the fuller sleeve a little mean and I would consider adding a bishops sleeve next time if using a satin or similar fabric.
F. The front of the dress can gape, especially with a satin. I feel that the shirt would hold better in a firmer fabric such as linen. You could of course add a press stud closure, add a button, broach or simple wear a camisole underneath.
Conclusion
Is this the ultimate wrap dress? I would say it definitely is.
It is simple to sew, and yet it is a real statement dress. You can make this dress your own for day or evening wear, with fabric choices, finishing details and of course altering the length of the skirt. There are two sleeve options, but this dress would work equally well with short sleeves or even sleeveless.
For me this is a dress that I can see myself making time and again, so give it a go ladies.
