Pattern Review: DIBY Julianne Shirt & Dress

It’s almost the end of the CSC shirt / shirt dress season and today I’m introducing another to the mix with the DIBY.club Julianne Women’s Button Up Shirt & Dress.

The Julianne has approximately eleventy billion options {no, really!}
– 8 bodice styles (Shirt, Tunic, Mid-Thigh, Knee length – each with a straight or curved hem)
– 4 Sleeve Options (Short Hemmed, Elbow Hemmed, ¾ Cuffed, Long Cuffed)
– 2 necklines (Mandarin collar and Hood with a 3rd, free add-on, for a standard collar)
– 2 placket options (Full and half)
– 2 additional options (Patch Pockets and Drawstring casings)
Someone else can work it out – but – it’s A LOT of variations, really. Especially when you factor in all the different fabrics it is suitable for!

As with all DIBY.club patterns the size range is exceptionally inclusive, it goes from a Misses 00 right to a Plus 36, all in one pattern, all for one price.
{Don’t worry, Misses and Plus are drafted separately, and sizes 14-20 are included in both nested pattern groups for ease of grading!}

DIBY.club Fit Measurements:
Full Bust: 31” – 63” (79cm – 160cm)
Waist: 24” – 59 ¾” (61cm – 151cm)
Full Hip: 34” – 67” (86cm – 170cm)
Drafted for someone 5ft5” (165cm)

Based on my measurements, I graded between the 26 High Bust, 28 Waist and 36 High and Full Hip. Every bone in my body wanted to do an FBA (for my 44H bust) but I was torn.
Page 16 told me what I thought I already knew – “If your Full bust measurement is in a larger size than your high bust measurement, you will want to do a FBA. “
But the FBA adjustment on page 22 told me “Look at the full bust measurement in the same column as your high bust measurement. If your full bust is larger than two sizes up you may want to do a FBA”

My full bust measurement was only 1 column up from my High bust measurement – so – for pattern reviews sake – I didn’t do the FBA so you can see how it turned out and what you think, and if you would opt to do one if you make your own.
{As a side note – each DIBY pattern comes with a full guide on how to do an FBA for that specific garment, which is clear and concise and takes all the guess work out of your FBA, so FBAs need not be feared}

Unlike other DIBY patterns, this one had no markings to designate bust/waist/hips etc. so I guessed as best I could, using the drawstring casing marks for waist grading and the Shirt length hem marks for hip grading.
While I am only 5ft2.5” the dress Length was going to hit me where it should, so I didn’t make any height adjustment.

I felt like my muslin was a disaster. I was hoping for a wearable vintage/retro vibe dress and missed the mark by a long shot – I think this exacerbated how I felt about the initial fit too.

– There were sway back issues (not uncommon for me)
– While my bust ‘fit’ there was pulling at the side seams to that area.
– I felt the stomach/hip/butt area was too tight all round.
– The hip grading hit too low and created weird air pockets like saddle bags.
– I felt frustrated that I felt so frustrated, because – it still fit better than any RTW I had bought in a woven fabric, ever.

Everything got put in the naughty corner… Until I remembered I had to go a second round with it to write this review. And, I’m really happy I did.

I started my final piece by contacting Jess, the founder of DIBY.club through their facebook group and saying “Hey – Where are the markings?! I’m going crazy over here!”
She was quick to respond and help out and provided a diagram giving measurements and showing where to put the ‘usual markings’ for the size I was making.
{The pattern is now on the list to be updated so those ever important markings can be added – You’re welcome! I also want to say, this is not the norm, every other DIBY.club pattern I have made has had these.}

With the correct locations for grading sorted, I added a little length added between bust and waist, and took a little length taken from waist to hip to fit my proportions. I also hoped that the stomach/hip/butt area tightness would also be fixed.
I chose to make a shirt with drawstring for my final, to see if it would negate the need for a Sway back adjustment.
The only things left to address then were bust fit and fabric choice.
I wanted to give the ‘no FBA’ option another go in a full placket style to see if it pulled at all – and to give those who are FBA shy a chance to see if this might work for them. For Fabric I went all in and chose a timeless Chiffon Polka Dot.

I haven’t seen a Julianne in Chiffon – and I thought it would be great coming up to Summer time in Australia – What do you think?

Me? I love it. I did make some small changes to the construction though either for personal preference, or to accommodate the sheer fabric.

– The pattern calls for an over locked or bias bound neckline to the collar. While I love this look on heavy fabrics, Given the delicate nature of the chiffon, I chose to attach the neck line by sewing the back of the collar stand to the neckline, and then turning under the front of the collar stand and invisible hand stitching it in place (You could use your machine to top stitch it down instead, if you wish.)

I built the waist casing into the length of the shirt, and then folded it to the outside during construction to make a feature of it (As it would have been seen through the chiffon anyhow) and I used interfacing and metal eyelets for the drawstring casing holes and then hand bound them with embroidery cotton to really strengthen them and stop them pulling through the fabric.

I also interfaced the Full Placket, Collar, Stand, Cuffs and Sleeve tabs – Partly to reinforce these areas, and partly to hide the inside seam allowances.

Like the collar, the cuffs are attached and the seam is finished by over locking. I prefer enclosed seams for my cuffs, but it is not at all noticeable in the end product.

Oh… and I chose to do French seams throughout the top as well, seeing as this top is sheer and hides nothing…

Rather than buttons, I self covered cream snaps to match the top and only applied them between the waist casing and the hem of the shirt for a more casual look. The photos above had been carefully pinned in place to emulate a fully buttoned shirt so you could see fit without the FBA. It was comfortable – But in the future, I would personally chose to do an FBA.

Size Range – 5
Instructions – 4
Construction process – 4.5
Final Fit – 4.5

Overall Rating – 4.5
Overall, the instructions are completely amazing, but, with a 55 page construction booklet, it can be overwhelming (I also printed 4pages to a page, to save paper) and I found myself flipping back and forth a lot to find what I was looking for. I think the FBA / No FBA thing could also confuse those new to sewing garments.
The missing bust/hip/waist markings for grading and height adjusting were unfortunate, and if it were not for wanting to write this review, I may not attempted this again. I am pleased this will be corrected, and am genuinely pleased I did try this pattern again.

With the construction I would have loved to have seen a proper collar with enclosed seams and likewise the cuff. I also think a facing for the inside of the shirt front would be advantageous to be included. While the chiffon top works beautifully without it – The muslin would have benefited from having a facing to hide the not so attractive ‘wrong side’ of the fabric. The pattern pieces all fitted together well. My tester sleeve went in beautifully – I had some troubles with the sleeves in the chiffon shirt, I blame that on slippery fabric and French seams though, not the pattern.

I think this could be a powerful pattern for the curvy sewist to have in their arsenal – Size inclusivity makes it an easy base to start with, and once a perfect fit has been achieved, there are so many options available within the one pattern that you can use it all year round and never look like you are a one pattern wonder (Not that I have any problem sticking with a favourite pattern!) While I don’t currently have another planned, I wouldn’t hesitate to use the pattern again should the need call for it.