On Instagram, it seems like everyone and their dog on is making the Wilder Gown by Friday Pattern Company–yes, that’s “Wilder” like Laura Ingalls and “gown” like nightgown, or “big shapeless dress.” Obviously I had to jump on that bandwagon, too.
Pros:
- Easy pattern
- Great instructions–anyone could make this
- Looks good on lots of people
- The neck gathers make for a nice fit in the bust, even without darts
- Extremely on-trend
- Comfortable, like a nightgown
Cons:
- As drafted, I think the casing for the neck tie is a hair too narrow, leading to lots of folding and bunching of the tie
- The combo of raglan sleeves and unfixed gathers around the neck means that the neckline is prone to a lot of shifting when wearing. I tacked my tie at the center back and at both ends, but essentially the entire weight of the dress is hanging from the neck gathers. Combine that with a lightweight fabric (just some poly crepe from JoAnn) and you get a neckline that moves around a lot.
- No pockets as drafted (I added some)
- If you make it in a dainty floral print, it may be indistinguishable from a nightgown
Am I happy with this? Yes. It’s very FASHUN and good for twirling. Will I make it again? Maaaaybe in a big floral for spring. But we’ll see what the next hot pattern is for 2020 first.
