Summer staple dress

A review of Sewing Patterns by Masin Dayo Dress & Blouse

Reviewed by thefoldline on 11th August, 2021

The Dayo dress was my first summer make this year and it’s been a great addition to my handmade wardrobe. I found the instructions for this pattern really good, with detailed descriptions and digital illustrations. The design features that sold this pattern to me were the ‘neckline tucks’, which effectively act as mini bust darts and also the shirring at the waist and wrists. As I had a bit more fabric than I needed I added an extra tier to the bottom of the dress.

I did need to do a full bust adjustment, and I enjoyed the challenge of figuring this out using those ‘neckline tucks’. The end result was spot on and after I made a toile of the bodice (making my usual changes – including narrowing the shoulders and shortening the bodice) I jumped straight into making the dress. I would definitely recommend a drapey fabric for this dress, I don’t think it would work well in anything structured – a viscose or crepe would be perfect.

I decided to do French seams for this dress as I’m making it for a wedding next year and wanted to spend the extra time on getting a good finish. I’m really glad I did as it looks beautifully finished inside. If you haven’t tried shirring before I would definitely recommend practicing it on some scrap fabric, it look a couple of tries before I got the hang of it!

Notes: I made a size M and my body measurements are bust 39″ (needed to do an FBA), waist 30″ and hips 39″.