Well, this was not my favorite dress to make, but at least it's done, and I'm mostly happy with it.
Sorry for the dress form picture, my usual photographer is in Salt Lake this weekend on an interview. Anyway, the dress - I like it, mostly. I love the print and the colors. I like the style, although the flounces are a bit more, well, flouncy than I thought they'd be, but they may settle down after the starch is washed out of the binding.
Here is the back. I like the way that the ties work. Nothing is wrapping over another tie, so it lies nice and flat.
Inside, all of the seams are french, except the sleeves which are self bound and the lower flounce which I bound with more bias tape. I thought about lining this dress, but decided that I wanted it to be light, and didn't want to add a layer. Alas, I should have gone with my gut and at least lined the bodice.
Look at these sad little facings!! They will NOT stay in place, despite understitching. I even tried topstitching them down under the flounce - nope. They flip out. Part of the problem is that the neckline gapes a bit. I think because I lengthened the bodice and shouldn't have. Oops. In my defense, the waist marking on the pattern was way above my natural waistline. Again, I ignored my gut and lengthened the bodice. I snugged it up with some clear elastic, which took care of the gaping, but not those darn facings. The only way to tame them was with the dreaded snap to hold the wrap closed. I hate that! If I make this dress again, I'll line the bodice or bind the neckline. Anything to avoid those facings!!!
My other concern is that there doesn't seem to be a very generous overlap in front, but we'll have to see how it wears.