McCall's Patterns - Winter/Holiday 2011

The new McCall's patterns have been released. Have you seen them yet?

M6463 was my favorite at first glance. The chic neckline, the smooth line down the middle and the gathers at the hips all make for a great, modern dress.

But then I saw the back. No, not the back of the bodice. That's as adorable as expected. I don't know why, but the gathered skirt in that fabric makes the model's body look odd, and you know from the front view that she's not at all strangely shaped. Maybe it's just the hand of the fabric they chose, but either way, not my favorite any more.

I do like M6462, but without a serger, I'm a little wary of sewing with knits. It is pretty cute, though, don't you think?

I'm not a fan of the huge, baggy shirt version of M6461, but I could be interested in the bolero or the cardigan-style jacket.

I was a little surprised by my favorite. I love M6464, the Palmer/Pletsch sheath dress. I think of Palmer/Pletsch patterns as only useful as slopers, but this dress is actually really wearable. Think of the ways you could play with it! (It's a perfect canvas for fun details like the corded pintuck scallops, bias bands, and surface cording shown on the Colette blog.) It also has cap, 3/4 length, and full-length sleeve options.

And, just for fun, M6485: