I’ve been wanting a Mondrian dress since the late 1960s and have been looking for an affordable original dress pattern for a few years now, and even bought the Great British Sewing Bee book because it had the pattern in it. However, I was quite disappointed that it isn’t a very sophisticated pattern and seems to be just a shift which had been broken into parts with individual straight strips for the bands.
I found myself in my pattern making class with a lack of projects and asked Sarah if we could draft a pattern for a Mondrian dress and she accepted with alacrity. We immediately started visiting various versions on the web and it appears that there are a plethora of them…
I do like the long sleeved version and think I might have to have one of these in my future at some point.
We focused on the ones with the centre band as they reflect this monochrome one that I fell in love with in the Bath Fashion Museum.
A trio of versions, but those boots are making me hyperventilate!
To the process: we took my basic bodice block and pivoted the neck dart into the side seam perpendicular to the bust apex. We then drew on the bands and the pattern pieces were traced off. We decided to eliminate the side seams on the middle and lower dress sections as many of the photographs we looked at appeared to have no side seams.
The top band took on an interesting shape, and it is obvious where the dart was pivoted if you look at the band on the right hand side of this photo. We spent some time considering the width of the bands. There seems to be a variety of different widths of band, but I still like the version I saw in Bath, with strong bands and a more prominent lower band. I like that the bands were cut in a complete section rather than in strips. This used a lot more fabric but gives a much cleaner finish on the dress, so totally worth it. The pattern is laid on the blue fabric for illustrative purposes only.
The upper front and back panels were sewn into crosses with the intersections being snipped within a whisker of where the stitching would be. A tip that Sarah gave me was to sew with the band on top to make pivoting easy and it worked brilliantly. The side panels were set in as a complete square and the centre back seam has an invisible zip included.
The neckline and armholes are finished off with bias binding. I am so sorry that I didn’t get photos of each of these steps, but I am going to make another one or two, so will try and capture the processes then.
The dress is often described as “A-line” and so we made it slightly flared through the body, but I think that it finished up a little bit wide at the bottom. We subsequently re-drafted the pattern so my next version will be much straighter.
Because I was so unprepared to make this, we sewed the dress with fabric from Sarah’s stash – some lovely linen/cotton blend in three different colours. That oatmeal colour is probably not what I would have chosen but I love it. I wore the dress to the Rodriguez concert in King’s Park and it was ideal for a balmy evening.
I decided that it was the perfect dress for our Christmas Eve dinner at Tom and Bridgette’s house. To make it a touch more festive I added some bling in the form of a brooch that had belonged to Mark’s grandmother. Several of the versions I saw on the web had large round brooches on the yoke, including the monochrome dress.
I decided to use this dress for the Designin’ December challenge being organised by Linda from NicedressthanksImadeit. Mine is more of an interpretation than a direct copy, but I think it’s recognisable as a Mondrian dress.
I’d like to take this opportunity to wish all my followers a wonderful holiday season and happy new year.
It’s gorgeous!!! Merry Christmas!
-Amy
thank you so much Amy! Merry Christmas to you too.
I had never seen a Mondrian dress with long sleeves – thanks for sharing! I would certainly love to try that some day. Yours is a total success judging by the superb picture in the park. Bravo!
I know, how good are those long sleeves? Merry Christmas to you and your family Hélène.
This is absolutely fabulous and thank you for sharing with such detail of the process. Seasons greetings to you and your family and I look forward to reading more about your adventures, both sewing and travel in 2017.
Thank you so much Christine. Next two holidays being planned as I write!
Merry Christmas to you and yours! The dress is fabulous and inspiring. I look forward to see your future interpretations.
Merry Christmas to you too. I also look forward to my next versions 😉
I love this, you look fabulous!
Thank you so much. Merry Christmas!
The long sleeves are something new to me but I remember my sisters chasing after mini dresses with this colour blocking/black bands. This is very cool and even more cool that you attended an evening concert wearing it – although in the 60’s it might have bee a different performer! 😂 it’s a lovely copy of a Designer Original and I am please to share it everywhere I can! Thank you for participating! And happy holidays to you too!
Oh, I’m so glad you liked it Linda. Actually, Rodriguez was around in the ’70s so I’m only just off the era :).
There you go! Just a little bit of time travel here and there! 😃👍
This is lovely and perfect for Christmas Eve. I must get my Mondrian pattern out and have another go. Merry Christmas xx
Have you got an actual Mondrian pattern??
Your geometric designes dress is well balanced and looks gorgeous. Great make.
Thank you Sonja 🙂
You so rock this look. I am with you about those boots… swoon… I’d kill for boots like those. I have never seen a long sleeve Mondrian dress either… I like all the different looks and I await your other versions! Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas to you too. Yep, the long sleeved one is definitely on my list!
I love this dress and the other ones pictured! I don’t remember the long sleeved version but it is superb! You are such an amazing seamstress – I only wish I were half as talented. If I were to send you a link to a shirt i want to try and copy, would you be able to make a suggestion of a pattern to use or start with? I’m in the US so probably don’t have access to the many indie patterns available in Australia. I’ve been fondly folding the silk I purchased in New York last fall to use for the shirt – never sewn on silk before so it will be a real challenge. The shirt I want to copy retails for over $300 USD!
Martha Ann Murray
Hi Martha, I would be happy to try and help. Don’t forget to muslin your pattern before using the silk though!!
Stunning dress! You look fabulous!! And amazing legs too! I GP gave dress and leg envy!! 😁
I should read what it says before I hit the comment button. It should say I have dress and leg envy!
Happy Christmas 🎄😁🎄
LOL! I actually was teased about my legs all through school so didn’t wear dresses at all in my twenties. They were like sticks…
Well I bet the teasers wish they had your legs now 😉
Love this dress. An excellent interpretation of the Mondrian dress. And you wear it so well…great legs.
Aw thank you Jean 🙂
I love yo u r dress. I hope to make a Mondrian dress in 2017 so your post is timely and very inspiring. It looks fabulous on you.
Thank you so much. I must keep an eye on your blog for yours 🙂
This is really awesome!
Thank you Fiona!
My second favourite thing to fabric shop rummaging is vintage brooch rummaging! I love the whole thing!
Thank you, it’s an epic brooch!
Gorgeous dress and love your version.
Merry Christmas and all the best for 2017.
Thanks Sharon and happy new year to you too!
I didn’t know anything about Mondrian dresses, so thank you for enlightening me :). Yours looks lovely, the colors work very well together and those straight lines look amazing!
I wish you all the best for 2017!
All the best to you too Katharina. I hope you get to do lots of camping in 2017!
Oh, I remember these dresses! Yes, from the old, old days. I always dreamed of one….and lo and behold, there’s a pattern. You’ve put it together so beautifully, definitely a stunner out in public! I can’t wait to see your next version (especially a sleeved one).
Thanks Jen, I have another summer one planned which I’m quite excited about. Now I just need some time 😜
Love it!! I’ve always wanted this since I saw it at ny moma! 25 years ago – can I watch you make the next one?? Xxx
It’s such a classic design, Robin. I don’t sew well with an audience, but will let you know when I attempt the next one (if I remember!!)
Another fabulous garment Sue. It looks absolutely fabulous with that brooch – I have serious dress and brooch envy. Maybe this is the year for my Mondrian too?
Yes, definitely your year for a Mondrian, Kim, you might have some time now?
I truly hope so! 😃
So love this dress Sue! You could have been on the pattern envelope cover! (Looking forward to the competition results wink wink!).
Ha! I don’t think I have much hope in the competition, but it’s nice to be part of it!
Sue the Mondrian dress is a winner!!! Like you, I have loved these dresses since the 60’s. Really impressed with your drafting skills. Dress looks fabulous on you.
They are the best, Rachel and I can’t wait to make another one, which is going to be quite an interesting version 🙂