Fitted Tunic/ Mini Dress Alabama Chanin Style

My finished Fitted Tunic/ Mini Dress in Alabama Chanin Style. The pattern is from the book 'Alabama Studio Sewing & Design'. I highly recommend it if you like this style and hand stitching. 

I made the basic version without any embellishment. Just a double layer of pink cotton interlock jersey from my stash. I am doing some serious stash busting here. It is a test version to check the size and fit. This is a size M in tunic length, but I think it works just fine as summer dress.

I am not sure if the wrinkles in the front seam are caused by using too much tension in the seam. Well, it is still wearable.

The same is going on on the lower end of the side seam. Practice, practice, practice!

It was surprisingly fast to assemble this tunic. Not much to say about the pattern. I have read some reviews of the Alabama Chanin pattern where people complain about the low neckline. That doesn't apply to me. I see no problem there. I must have some lucky build. I hardly ever have to change any pattern.

My cretan stitch to attach the binding is getting more even, so yay!

Here another close up of the binding. 

Pattern Description:

Fitted top in different lengths - shirt, tunic, mini dress, long dress.
From the book 'Alabama Chanin Studio Sewing & Design'
 

Pattern Sizing:

S, M, L, XL
I made a size M
 

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?

Yes
 

Were the instructions easy to follow?
The book give very clear instructions. All the techniques are explained very clear and thoroughly.
 

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?

I love all the patterns from the book. Some people complain about the low neckline, I don't.
 

Fabric Used:

Cotton Interlock Jersey
 

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:

No changes
 

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?

This is a test version without any embellishments. I will sew this again with stenciling etc. I recommend it.

Schoolhouse Tunic

I fell in love with this pattern a couple months ago and really wanted to own it. Then three weeks ago I finally ordered it and was sooooo excited to finally make my own Schoolhouse Tunic. 

Sometimes I skip making a muslin, but this time I made one, and man was that a good idea. The plan was making the muslin out of the awesome natural muslin fabric I have in stash and put some dark red decorative stitching on it as wearable muslin. The decorative stitching turned out just how I had imagined. Unfortunately the tunic didn't.

 Note to myself: Always!! read pattern reviews before buying one!!!

Almost all of the reviews said the tunic turned out baggy and adjustments had to be made. And I don't mean fitting adjustments, no, actually really changing the pattern. And a little bit too much for my taste. I don't want to have to add major things, like an elastic on the side or on the back, or something major to make it look less like an potato bag and more like something a normal human being would actually wear. It also gaps a lot in the front and makes these weird wrinkles. I looked at a ton of pictures online and saw the same thing on those tunics.

I ended up using the top part of the Schoolhouse Tunic pattern and the skirt part from the Favorite Things Prairie Girl pattern including the straps to tie it in the back. 

I really want to love the pattern, but I don't. My final version in Art Gallery cotton turned out ok. I am planning wearing it in the fall with black tights and boots. Pictures to follow.

The tie in the back is a huge improvement to the pattern, also the less wide skirt, but it's still not that I love the fit. I am not a good enough sewer yet to really figure out how I could alter the pattern for a better fit. I would like to write something good about the pattern, but so far it only has been a huge disappointment.