Today I’ve got my review of the Cuff Dress by The Assembly Line.
I was inspired to try this pattern out after seeing quite a few nice versions online.
Sewing this Cuff Dress was also part of my process of coming to terms with the fact that the last 18 months of working mostly from home is coming to an end for me shortly and I will have to contemplate office dressing again.
While the last 18 months have been traumatic and horrible, one upside is that I have seen very clearly that, as an absolute introvert, who is exhausted by even ordinary real-life social interactions, let alone the complex and often charged interactions of the work place, working from home and being able to concentrate on just getting my shit done on my own, has been wonderful. I am very much fearing everything on the work front simply going back to how it was before. (I do love my job and am lucky to have it, but I’ve seen clearly that I enjoy it more and do it better if I don’t have to do it around other people every day!)
So how do I deal with my anxiety about heading back to the office?
I try to sew pretty work clothes as consolation of course!
Still, the patriarchy that will soon force me to submit to being sucked dry on a daily basis through repeated intense social interactions must have had the upper hand today (well, what’s new) cuz I’m not sure this one has really worked out!
I guess I’ll just go search for solace in wine and chocolate instead.
My Assembly Line Cuff Dress
The Assembly Line Cuff Dress is available up to a size 3XL which caters for a waist measurement of up to 126cm. Apologies, I usually like to use the hip measurement for a clearer point of comparison between different patterns but no hip measurement is provided for the Cuff Dress. I have used the size “Large” for my version.
The fabric is an Atelier Brunette viscose. I found it a little bit of a pain to work with. I was getting a lot of puckering along my seams which impacts on the overall level of polish of the finished garment. It’s print and soft drape are lovely, on the upside.
Starting with the positives, I found the Cuff Dress a very straight forward sew, with clear instructions. It gave me no difficulties. I polished this one off in just a couple of sewing sessions.
Having said that, though, the final garment leaves me feeling a bit underwhelmed. I guess the end result is a little more sack and a little less polished than I had hoped. Particularly around the arms, I’m a bit disappointed in the way that it just kind of hangs rather shapelessly on me.
There’s also one thing I actually find rather uncomfortable about the finished garment which is that the sleeve cuff, on my body, hits exactly at my elbow. It is actually not at all pleasant to have a ring of elastic at precisely the point of my arm which needs to be the most mobile.
I think I will likely get most wear out of this one during winter with a turtleneck underneath and tights, since I am unlikely to wear almost-black in more summery temperatures. So I am desperately hoping the sleeves will remain comfortable enough for this layering to work. If the sleeve length continues to annoy me, I may have to go back in and shorten them or even remove the cuff entirely.
But what would a Cuff Dress be without a cuff?
All-in-all, as you can likely tell from the brevity of this post, I am currently ambling along in ambivalence on this one.
In a way, more than anything, I’m perhaps a bit disappointed in myself. It is, ultimately a very simple pattern. And the reality is that I continue to consume new sewing patterns, desperately hoping that perhaps the next one will be “the one” that works perfectly for me, rather than putting in the leg work of making a few adaptations to things that are tried and tested. It reminds me of the way I spent my early twenties consuming beauty products in the blind hope that if the next one really gave me the clear smooth dewey complexion it promised all would be right in the world.
So, when I make a new pattern in that spirit of eternal hope and it just leaves me feeling “blah,” it’s very easy for the voice in my mind to turn that into “well you should have just put in the effort to hack things you already owned you lazy idiot”.
Ahhh, self-critical internal monologues, introversion and gnawing feelings of ambivalence – who would have thought this Cuff Dress could spark such insights into my current psyche!!
Still what is getting dressed, if not the holding up of a mirror to the soul. Perhaps it will be rather fitting to wear my dress of ambivalence on those days when I really, really, really don’t want to be physically in the office.
I like to hope that this may be one of those garments where I just need to give it a bit of a chance and maybe it will grow on me.
As long as I never need to bend my elbow that is!
If you want to see more of my sewing adventures, you can find me on Instagram here.
I made a cuff dress and was also underwhelmed. I think it only really works well in linen or a quite thick cotton. Also the sizing is tricky, i need to shorten the bodice if i make it again as there’s too much fabric pouffing out at the waist. You have made so many other lovely dresses I guess this one you put down to experience?! It may be that associating it with your feared return to the office is also tainting your view of it? Hope it goes ok.
Thanks, indeed you’re right. My state of mind when sewing often impacts how I feel about a garment at first!
I think it looks lovely on you! I do think I wouldn’t like that length of sleeve, but you could always get a little more fabric and re-do it? I know how you feel about going back to the office. I dread it!!
Ah, puckered seams is one thing, discomfort is another. I think the fabric is pretty enough to warrant altering the sleeves in some way. Or perhaps it becomes a pretty skirt you will enjoy wearing?
I think it looks great! We are always hardest on our own makes.
I loved this post for how much of your heart you poured into it. I definitely believe there is a post make syndrome where we tend to be overly critical of new makes only to return to them later and be surprised how much better we feel.
Though if that doesn’t happen then I would let go. Life it too short to hang onto things that trigger us to feel icky!
I completely relate to the constant drive to try new patterns and love your thoughts on why. I think Instagram doesn’t help as I’m constantly seeing different things that I want to try. The reality is I have a full time job, a family and volunteer responsibilities so I just can’t sew it all!
Thanks for sharing.
I think this looks great on you. The style really suits you. I did have a look to see what length the sleeves are on The Assembly Line website. I do find that seeing what the designer intended the length to be helps me decide on the finished length on my makes. But it looks like on one model the sleeves finish well above the elbow and on the other model just at the elbow, rather like yours. So, I guess that didn’t really help this time!
Maybe you could shorten the sleeves a little so they hit above elbow? I have the pattern on my sewing list (and the physical copy eyeing me why I didn’t start yet), but tried my hands on the cuff top first – less fabric in case it was ugly! I quite liked the top but had the alter the neck a lot. I felt suffocated!
I think the dress suits you well and could work great for office. But I also had some clothes sewn in a bad mood and projected my feelings. Never wore them and handed them to friends who didn’t remember bad job situations or fights with the boyfriend everytime they saw the garment! *shrugs*
It really doesn’t look at all bad on you and maybe just put it away for a couple of weeks and then see how you feel. However your post has reinforced my misgivings about The Assembly Line patterns. They all look very boxy and plain to me. I guess my personal style and preference is for something more fitted and shapely but I just haven’t seen one of their patterns I would want to make – and they are expensive for what you get I think. I hope you grow to love your dress and make it work for you as the fabric looks luscious.