Friday Pattern Co.: Wilder Gown Pattern Review

I finished sewing the Wilder Gown by Friday Pattern Company over the weekend. It took me longer than I thought it would. I got really into it and was really excited about it, but I think I sewed myself out and had to take a break for a few days to rebuild my enthusiasm.

For fabric, I used this swiss clip dot shirting in salmon from Style Maker Fabrics (currently sold out). The fabric was really easy to work with and comfortable to wear. It’s also a little bit sheer - not so much that you can see every inch of my body through the fabric, but enough that you can see the outline of my leg through the skirt if I’m standing in the sun. I opted to wear a slip under the dress just to keep things tidy.

When I first saw the Wilder Gown, I couldn’t believe it was a pattern meant for beginners. Surely all those ruffles meant the dress was very fancy, right?

Well, it still looks really fancy, but the instructions were clear and made it easy to understand how to create fullness with gathers and how to construct the skirt. I still had some trouble because it was my first time using gathers, but it was nothing I couldn’t solve with a cold glass of water and a few minutes to clear my head.

I will say I had my doubts when sewing it. I really couldn’t figure out how the pieces were going to fit together to make the bodice of the gown. I decided to trust the pattern and just sew, and it worked out wonderfully.

I’m really in love with the simplicity of the Wilder Gown and how nice it looks. If you scroll the #WilderGown hashtag on Instagram you’ll see the dress is super modular - you can make it into a shirt, a shorter dress, or the full length gown, and all have the option for long or short sleeves. It can also take on a totally different feel depending on the fabric you use. So, have at it! Use lots of fabrics! Make lots of versions! I already know I’m going to make a shorter version of the dress and a long sleeve shirt.

This pattern is definitely beginner friendly, and Friday Pattern Company is wonderful as well. The instruction booklet has cute little illustrations to cheer you on! I recommend this pattern to anyone who is looking to practice gathers or make their first dress. Happy sewing!