Retro Butterick B5708 – Pattern Review

Back when I bough this pattern and excitedly showed it on Instagram stories, I received messages straight away warning me about it. Butterick B5708 is a rather notorious pattern; one that required alterations off the bat and can’t really be trusted to give you the results you expect from the envelope. I didn’t want to just discard it, though. Look how adorable it is! How much fun I’m going to have with the tie strap shoulders and all the different ways I can wear it! I decided to put off making this pattern until I felt up for the challenge. That day has finally come, and I’m ready to share my experience with you in this review.

Designer Stitch Pippa Wrap Dress

Type: PDF pattern
Sizing: US 2-22, EU 34-54
Price: $14,95
Material: Light to medium weight cotton, linen, silk, georgette
Notions: 1 snap button or small regular button
Difficulty: intermediate

I made: Midi length, longer sleeves, size 3 (US 6)

Design

Instructions

Result

Rating

5

This pattern comes with two views, view B being the same pattern but with a contrasting bodice. The other variations are achieved by tying the straps in different ways- instructions for this are included in the pattern.

My Experience

I chose to make this dress in a lovely, airy cotton viscose blend with a floral print. It’s a light fabric at 100g/m2, with no stretch. A flowy summer look seemed perfect for this dress.

I was warned beforehand that this pattern comes with instructions that make little sense. For example, they tell you to attach the skirt to the bodice before attaching the bodice lining; meaning you have to manoeuvre the fairly complicated bodice through your machine with skirt attached in order to line it. Seems unnecessarily complicated to me.

I ended up not following the majority of the instructions, and simply attaching the pattern pieces as I saw fit. I lined the bodice first, leaving the waist seam open, attached the skirt to the outer bodice, and then whip-stitched the lining to the skirt on the inside. I also ended up inserting a regular zipper instead of an invisible one, and I stitched that in by hand.

Besides the lining issue, the instructions were fine, albeit minimal. In a beginner pattern I’d expect more extensive instructions and more tips and reminders. There were definitely some points that could’ve used more explanation, such as the pivot point where the midriff pieces attach to the top of the bodice, or the armpits where multiple pattern pieces meet, or the ends of the ties where you should clip the seam allowance. None of these things are vital, but it would’ve been nice if they had mentioned them.

Aside from the instructions, another known issue with this pattern is the fit. Many people experience fit issues around the bust, and upon closer inspection I discovered that the bust measurements are simply incorrect. The finished garment measurements that are written on the pattern piece aren’t the measurements you actually get- the pattern is a good couple centimeters smaller. My chest certainly wasn’t going to fit into the garment this way.

I altered the bodice by extending the bottom of the bodice front (the seam that attaches to the midriff pieces) out by 2cm on each side, and then grading that into the existing shoulder straps so that the neck and shoulders would remain the same. This seam gets eased or gathered, so any extra fabric is easily incorporated into the garment. This is a good place to add a little extra room for your chest, if needed.

Because of this, even though my dress came out nice, the pattern only gets one star for design. Incorrect measurements and an unwearable default product are unacceptable in my opinion.

Another small alteration I made is to nip in the waist a little bit at the center back seam. There was quite a bit of ease at the waist and I prefer my dresses more fitted in that area.

Other than that, the dress was easy enough to make. I would’ve struggled a lot more if I hadn’t known to be careful beforehand, and if I’d had less sewing experience. This is definitely one of those projects that might need a mockup, though!

The Results

As much as there is to complain about regarding this pattern, the dress did come out amazing. I absolutely adore the tie straps and the versatility they give me. The straps can be tied in different ways to achieve different looks. A common complaint about this pattern is that the straps can be difficult to tie, but that’s not something I’ve experienced personally.

Twisting the ties before you tie them prevents the neckline from gaping or drooping too much, if you’re not into the cowl neck look.

I adore this dress, and I really wish the pattern had been better so that more people would be able to enjoy it. The potential this design has doesn’t deserve to be hated as much as it it. I’d love to make the dress again in a velvet or satin, for a more formal evening look.

If you’d like to see the video of how I made the dress, you can watch that here.