The Outstanding Underwood Dress

The Underwood Tank from Sew House 7 is a fantastically easy pattern to sew; perfect for lightweight knitwear. It was designed with hot weather comfort in mind and it is definitely the ultimate warm weather travel essential. I have loved having it on my recent trip to Mexico and have used it often. It is a versatile piece to style. It can be thrown on as a bathing suit cover up, used for running errrands at the market or dressed up for a special dinner out.

The dress is fitted through the upper bust, flowing down into an A-line cut. I chose to make the version with a lovely scooped neckline and a deep curve. There are two options for the neckline; the lower curved neckline or a higher neckline. You can make the dress with both options and wear it either way which makes it even more versatile for styling options while traveling.

I made the maxi length dress, adding several inches to the pattern for my height. The longer lengths feature knee high side vents for ease of walking and chic styling. There are several hem lengths to choose from including maxi, knee length and tank top.

The pattern offers two choices for finishing the neckline and armholes depending on the knit fabric you are using. I choose the bias binding finish for my dress. It offers a bit more stability and helps to avoid stretching through both the neck and armsyce. The waffle weave fabric I chose to use can be quite heavy cut to a maxi length so this was the best option for it to hold its shape. I also appreciate the finish that the bias binding offers for a thicker textured fabric. If you are using a light weight knit or bamboo fabric you can simply roll hem the neck and armholes. Both finishing techniques are clearly laid out in the pattern instructions.

The fit of the dress will vary depending on your fabric choices as well. The more stretch in your fabric, the more you will have to play around with the fit that you want. You may need to size up or down based on this. I made a size large based on my bust measurement then graded down several sizes through the waist and hips because of the weight of this waffle weave. I also shortened the dress at the shoulder to stabilize the stretch of a heavier fabric. If you choose a lighter knit that has lots of drape it would be lovely to have a wider A-line finish for movement of the fabric.

This is a really fun pattern to sew and a great dress to wear. I will be making more Underwood dressed to tuck in my suitcase for future trips to the tropics!

After all… There is Sew Much To Design.

Happy Travel Dress Sewing,

Lou Sheffer