Yoyo Zebra Dress

This dress is the Yoyo Zebra Dress, along with a boatneck merino top. It's a winter-to-trans-seasonal pinafore style dress, but not a childish style. The fabric for both the top and dress are from The Fabric Store. The dress is a relatively stiff printed cotton drill, and the top is a heavy merino in a rich aqua. 

The pattern is the out-of-print Yoyo Dress from Papercut Patterns. I like Papercut, their patterns are all clearly written and easy to follow, and this one is no different. It's unfortunate this pattern is out of print, given pinafore styles seem to be popular again and the zip front, v neck and angled hem of the Yoyo Dress make it stand out from many other patterns on the market. I like the fit of this dress, with the front pleats and back darts giving some shape, and really work well wtih the heavier weight of the fabric. I also think Papercut's process for attaching all in one facings is amazing, and gives a very clean finish on the outside of the garment.

I made the pattern with no adjustments, so it's a little shorter than it should be. Most Papercut patterns work pretty well for me, but some of their early dress patterns I find a bit short-waisted. With the zip front and triangular hem it ends a bit higher on the thighs than I expected, and the waist seam is about 2cm above my waist. If I had measured it properly before cutting the pattern pieces out I would have lengthened the bodice about 1cm at the shoulder seam and 1cm at the waist seam so it sat better and was a better length.

The top is the Epaulette Top from the Japanese pattern book She has a Mannish Style (translated into English as She Wears the Pants) with added flounce cuffs. As with all The Fabric Store's merinos it was lovely to work with. Being thicker it doesn't slip out of place at all and is very stable. The Epaulette Top is a pattern I've used as a base for making tops many times, because it is an easy to adjust basic shape. This version is designed to be one that can be both casual and work-appropriate and very wearable.

I like both of these pieces. So far I've definitely worn them together a few times, but both are versatile and can work with many other items in my wardrobe.