New Modern Dress

I used Simplicity pattern 1733.   I needed a new black dress for a funeral I'm going to because the ones I have don't fit anymore.   I cut out size 10 and used panne black velvet since it was the only fabric that was winter appropriate, a knit, and I had enough of to make the dress.

I didn't follow all the directions but that was partially because it simply makes more sense to use hem facing around the neckline than to cut out a separate piece and use that only along the back.  I had some grey lace hem facing that I used for both the hem and the neckline.

The twist is tricky but not impossible.   It makes sense - amazingly- in the directions.  Basically, the bodice front is long and you make a tube out of part of it.  On the left side, you sew the end of the tube to the underarm edge after gathering the end of the tube.   On the right side, you take the right side tube, pass it through the left side loop, and attach the right side tube end to the right side underarm.  It sounds way more complex than it is and the pictures help to make it make sense.  

It took about two hours to cut it out and make the dress.   My only complaint really is that the gathers in the middle front of the skirt add too much emphasis to the stomach area.  When I do this pattern again, I'll push the gathers off to the sides instead.