Liberty Sewing Patterns Beatrix Maxi Dress

This is the first proper “party dress” I’ve made, in this thin and drapey viscose fabric. I found the pattern easy to follow and I think suitable for a beginner, without much top-stitching or fiddly techniques.

I’m glad I made a toile first. I agree with HRosens review that the sleeves were unusually long. For my final garment I shortened the sleeves and also made the neckline just a bit less plunging. Due to the ties in the back the dress is easily adjusted for size, but I find that there’s a lot of fabric bunching up in the back of the bodice, especially below the shoulders. I followed the size guide for this pattern, but perhaps it would have looked better in a smaller size.

All in all I’m content with this pattern. I’m torn between giving three or four stars. My one advice is to make a toile first and adjust accordingly!

I have wanted to try this pattern for a while because it lends itself to bold prints. The pattern is actually fairly easy and forgiving, with no enclosures to worry about. I would recommend using a highly drape-y fabric: I tried to make a mock up using polyester, and the dress looked like a tent. I would highly recommend making a muslin to see how the dress sits - this is a very low cut dress, so it requires a specialty low-cut bra or no bra at all.

I enjoyed the process, but I gave four stars instead of five for one main reason. The pattern provides a line for height adjustment in the skirt, but not in the bodice or a length adjustment in the sleeves - unless you are average to tall height, you will need to do a height adjustment in the bodice (unless you want it even lower cut) and a length adjustment in the sleeves, which I found uncharacteristically long. This is another reason why making a muslin first is essential.

Other than that, the instructions are clear, the shape is fairly simple and elegant, and it can be a relatively quick sew!