Wedding Guest Dress: Orchid Midi by Chalk and Notch

A woman in a navy Orchid Midi dress with blue flowers and flutter sleeves, on a brick patio by a black-framed glass door

With two family weddings to attend this past summer, I finally had special occasions to dress for and figured I’d pull something from my closet. But, per usual, I decided a week ahead of the first wedding that I didn’t love anything I already had.

I already had some rayon fabrics in my stash to pull from, and after browsing dress patterns, decided to make another Orchid Midi Dress. I love my first version so much and have worn it for a variety of occasions already (including another family wedding last year), so I knew I would love what I ended up with.

Close-up of the Orchid Midi Dress on a wooden hanger, showing the gathered shoulder yoke in a blue floral on black

I love the details of the Orchid Midi Dress pattern: the gathers on the bodice, the ruffle sleeves, the drawstring waist. The pics really don’t do it justice. This dress works so well for fluctuating body changes and is so comfortable to wear. The first one I made still fits me well and has held up through washes too.

A woman in a blue floral Orchid Midi Dress and tan sandals looking down, on a brick patio with large planters

I made a lot of modifications with my last one that I wasn’t sure were necessary and wanted to try it all over again now that I had more skills and a slightly different body. I used some of the same mods as last time, but switched it up with where I shortened it.

Side view of a woman smiling in a blue floral wrap midi dress with flutter sleeves, standing by a black glass door

Sizing + Mods

  • I graded from a size 4 bust to size 8 waist and size 0 hem length. I could’ve done less grading, but this is what I already had cut out. This is the a/b cup version.
  • Shortened the bodice 1″
  • Shortened another 4″ in the skirt
  • Shortened slit by 2″
Back view of a woman in a blue floral midi dress with flutter sleeves, facing a doorway on a brick patio

Fabric

Rayon is perfect for this pattern and looks great with the flutter sleeve. I only had 3 yards of this navy blue Cornflower Meadow Rifle Paper Co. rayon (44″ width) in my stash and miraculously made it work by piecing together several interior pieces.

I really pushed it by getting it all to work on 3 yards, but there was very little excess left so I think it was a success. If you don’t want to piece together any interior pieces, definitely make sure you double-check the fabric width when getting fabric. The pattern calls for 3 yards of 54″ width or 4 yards of 44″ width fabric for sizes 0-4.

Side close-up of a flutter sleeve on a black dress with blue flowers, worn by a woman with long wavy hair

Overall Thoughts

This is my go-to dress pattern, even though I’ve only made two versions. I haven’t been able to find another woven dress pattern that I love as much as this one. I like that it has some sleeve coverage and that it’s easily adjustable with the drawstring waist. The details make it incredibly versatile. I’ve worn an Orchid Midi for so many different occasions, and I get compliments every time.

A woman in a black Orchid Midi dress with blue flowers and flutter sleeves, standing on a brick patio by a glass door

I made a lot of different mods with this one, but I might still like my first version more. I also need to add a snap enclosure to this bodice. I wonder if I wouldn’t feel the need to if I made a straight bodice size without mods.

If you want to simplify mods, you can easily shorten at the bodice and at the skirt where there are shorten/lengthen lines on the pattern.

Making this pattern again reminded me that longer sews can be incredibly satisfying. For so long, I’ve been sticking to quick sews and I think it’s time to switch back to more technical patterns.

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