Sewing Pattern Review: Vogue V9311

I’ve had this pattern in my stash for a long time and I could swear that my mother also had this pattern to back in the 1970s. I need to flip through her pattern books again next time I’m home. This dress remains popular among sewists and you can find a plethora of reviews for it on the internet. So here’s me adding my $0.02 to the conversation.

Pattern: Vogue V9311
Size Cut: 12′
View: B
Fabric Used: Rayon Challis (You can see more photos of this finished dress here)
Notions: Interfacing for the cuffs
Instructions: I read them once to make sure I wasn’t missing anything special and then didn’t refer to them again. They are clear and straight forward.

Adjustments: I added 3” to the length of the skirt and 1” to the length of the sleeves. I would ordinarily also drop the waist line about an 1” as a rule, but I liked the way it looked as is.

Fit: In my opinion it’s true to size and feels very comfy on. A very easy throw on dress that can be dressed up or down depending on the fabric choice.

Design and Styling: My only criticism of the the design is the final piece does not have the exaggerated full bishop sleeves as illustrated on the pattern envelope. I wanted to adjust this but didn’t not have enough fabric. So I made a note for next time to buy an additional half a yard so I can accommodate for a fuller sleeve.

Difficulty Level: Beginner Friendly. If you’re learning to sew this will be good practice for using bias binding, turning fabric tubes, and sewing narrow hems. If you’re intermediate or higher, you’ll breeze through this.

Overall Impression: A solid design that can be adapted for all seasons and occasions, easy to wear and elegant. I think it’s best for solids and medium to large prints.

Would Make Again: Yes.