Y’all have been singing the praises of the Wilder Gown for so long, and I’ve been admiring from the audience as the thousands of beautiful gowns and blouses pop up on Instagram. SO let me tell you, I am so excited to join the ranks today and show off MY beautiful Wilder!
I’ve seen some absolutely lovely Wilders. From sheer gowns with a slip underneath, to color-blocked versions, to the classic floaty white paired with a flower crown, it is such a versatile pattern. I knew that I’d make one someday, so I finally purchased the pattern with a Black Friday discount code…. LAST YEAR. Whoops.
I finally broke out the pattern last month, inspired to sew up a sweatshirt hack, and while scrolling through some inspiration photos on Instagram I fell in LOVE with a version by @cath_craft – the black tie brought it all together for me! I was inspired, and ready to sew a dress!
I’d chosen this rayon challis from Minerva, of course drawn to the lovely colors and big floral motif, with a McCall’s M7969 in mind… Another classic that the sewing world obsesses over, which is in my stash but as of yet unsewn!! Once I saw Cath’s version, though, I knew this fabric was actually destined to be a Wilder Gown. I hunted down some velvet ribbon, and brought my vision to life.
Funny story – it was only as I sewed up this dress that I recognized that when sewing my sweatshirt version, I’d forgotten to add the topstitching layer that narrows the elastic casing and creates the little stand-up collar that defines this dress. I’d been wondering why it wasn’t standing up the way that I expected, but I’d written it off to some combination of the knit fabric and slightly large size. As I sewed this version, the lightbulb clicked and I quickly made the changes to my sweatshirt, as well!!
I’m SO happy with this dress! I finished another dress right around the same time that I’d always been intending to wear to Thanksgiving, but in the end, this one won out. I mean… What shape is more perfect for a day of enjoying special holiday foods, than the nice, loose Wilder Gown!
For this version, I decided to go with the longer sleeve length and shorter, one-tier, skirt. Which surprised me, because when I purchased this pattern I remember having the thought that I’d never end up making the shorter version of the dress! Yet, here I am, finally sewing this long expected dress, and I went with the short. Who could’ve known?
If you haven’t tried out the Wilder Gown, this is your sign to go for it! It’s a lovely dress which can bring those swishy dress vibes that we love in the summertime easily into cooler months. As expected, I see why you guys love this pattern. After two back-to-back yet very different Wilders on my sewing table, I can confidently say I’m not done with this pattern yet!
Dress: handmade by me
Pattern: Friday Pattern Co. – Wilder Gown
Fabric: Minerva – Rust Viscose Challis Fabric
Key Ingredients:
Brother XR9500PRW Sewing Machine
Brother 1034D Overlocker
Dahle 36×48 Self-healing Cutting Mat
Prym Sewing Machine Needles
Gutermann Sew All Polyester Sewing Thread
Thanks for reading my thoughts on this pattern! The fabric used for this post was provided to me by Minerva in exchange for photos of my finished garments and a review of my experience with the fabric, to be posted on their website. The pattern was purchased by me. All words and opinions expressed throughout this post are my own, as always. Links provided throughout this post may be affiliate links – if you choose to purchase any products through these links, I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you. This simply helps me justify the costs of my sewing habit and the time it takes to share it with you!! Happy Sewing!
- XX Elizabeth
