A Tale of Two Kalle Shirtdresses


Hi everyone!




I've actually now made four Closet Case Kalles and I'm nowhere near stopping! My first cropped version has been blogged successfully here, but I also have a beautiful semi-sheer version with classic collar which is yet to make it to the blog and has now been packed away til the weather warms up. It'll probably pop up as a twofer when I get around to writing up all the things I sewed but never blogged last year... 

I love that this pattern is quite an easy sew but has lots of different options to keep things fresh. Band or classic collar; pockets or none; three different lengths; hem facing or bias binding; classic, concealed or popover button band; inverted or box pleat at the back; etc etc! Loads of ways to make the same pattern to look really different! There's even an optional long-sleeve sleeve add-on if you want (I don't have this as you have to buy it extra and I'm too cheap!).


This navy version I made last summer and has been worn a ton. It looks much more expensive than it is - I believe it's either a tencel or a cupro and came from the celebrated Walthamstow market vendor The Man Outside Sainsbury's a few years ago. People mistake it for silk because of its lovely weight and drape, but it does have a slight tendency to cling which you might notice in a couple of these pics - it was quite hard to get it to hang loose from my buns! Disturbingly that back view is probably quite well-known to people in my workplace but I've only just realised it myself! 

I made a waist tie for this dress using the pattern piece for the SOI Anna coat but doubled in width. I haven't worn it that much because I don't like the front view that much - too much blousing under the bust with lots of fabric to gather around my waist, but it does look quite good from the back so maybe I should reconsider! I mentioned in my last post that I'm not great at getting waist ties to do up neatly, and I definitely made these ties too long and too wide. I double up the fabric so it's half the width tied around the body, which makes it less prone to crumpling, but gives it better body for the hanging ties. It looks a bit weird being that bit longer than the skirt but I'd shorten for next time. 


My band collared version I made in precious traditional Japanese cotton which I had to cut the fronts on the cross-grain and use plain black linen for the inner yoke and bindings to eke out! On my Japanese version decided to use a popper for the collar for a clean look but there are pearly pink buttons on the concealed placket. I’m still in two minds about whether to add breast pockets, I kept some little scraps of the fabric but wouldn’t be able to pattern match them. 


I find both these dresses so easy and comfortable to wear and they get regular rotation, even in cooler months where I'll wear a thermal long-sleeved tee underneath and cardigan on top. I plan to make another version with pockets, concealed placket and classic collar in the Paul Smith elephants shirting I've been hoarding for at least six years as I've well and truly auditioned this pattern now and think it's the right casting. I might lengthen the hem a couple of inches though. To cut a belt or not is still to be decided! I also still really want to try the popover version at some point but not in the tunic length, which I don't know how I'd style. 




As I made these a while ago I can't remember too much about the actual sewing, other than sewing the tencel or cupro was a bit of a challenge as it frayed in a weird fluffy way really easily and was quite a beast to press and topstitch neatly - I really didn't like it when I'd finished as I could really see all the flaws and bits where I hadn't handled the fabric well. Now that I've worn it loads there isn't anything noticeably bothersome about it so I just need to chill and crack on with the next one. 

As many many other sewists have reviewed this dress I'll concur that the instructions are well-written, it's a relatively easy and fun sew. I do get a little confused with the concealed placket still as I never know if the markings are cut for wrong or right side up of the fabric, but with a bit of extra attention and precise marking and measuring it does tend to work out! 


It's also an easy fitting garment with cut-on sleeves, so there isn't too much work to be done in that department unless you're a perfectionist. I could probably make the collar and neck opening a bit closer to my neck but it remains to be seen if I bother...It also comes up a little short at the side hem where it curves up, which I'm OK with as I don't mind a little flirtiness every now and again, but now I have two this length I might lengthen the next version to have something a little different. 

Thanks for indulging me if you've read this far! I'm pretty far through my Zadie jumpsuit (pattern no 2 of my plan this year) so hope to share that with you soon - it's been a fun make so far!

Norse Otter xx



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