Ruska: Mock Turtleneck Dress

I recently discovered an excellent sewing hack: have absolutely no expectations about a project and then if it turns out, even remotely, you’ll be a happy camper!

Such was the case here! I’ve had a long standing aversion to both tight fitting clothes and turtlenecks, faux or otherwise, so my expectation sat squarely at zero, maybe below that! I knew full well that I was spending time and money on a dress that very possibly could end up at the thrift store, but I decided to take a chance and go for it anyway. Eh? Pretty brave of me, right? Anyway, I’m very happy with the results! The dress is slightly outside of my comfort zone but I’ve been loving it regardless!

The pattern is the Ruska Dress from the Breaking the Pattern book by Named Patterns. It’s a pretty popular dress but it seems like the knotted tie version is the most popular. This faux turtleneck is harder to find out in the wild. The pattern can also be a top and it has a regular, banded neckline, as well as a short sleeve option, so it’s definitely versatile.

The fabric is a Ponte Di Roma from Nature’s Fabrics that I bought in “off-white” and dyed using dye from Dharma Trading. Because of the spandex content, the dye didn’t adhere completely, which is why the coloring is light and variegated. I don’t remember the color I used to dye it, but it was some sort of green. The end result is kind of a greenish/gray depending on the light, but in any case, I like it. It’s subtle.

Technically, the dress took me months, but just because I dyed the fabric here, cut it out there and then let it sit for awhile while I worked on other projects. Then one day, I had a bit of spare time where everyone was occupied and I had nothing else to do. So I pulled this out and started sewing. In less than 40 minutes, I had something I was able to try on.

I had cut out a size 5 and had tweaked the pattern by making a 3/8ths inch forward shoulder adjustment. I also cut 6 inches from the bottom of the dress for height (I checked other points-bust and waist-and felt like they landed in the right place, so I let them be and just took height from the bottom). As I pulled the dress on, I geared myself up for the worst, knowing full well that no matter what, I was surely going to have to make some adjustments. So imagine my surprise when I got it on and realized that it fit! I didn’t need to take it in or out for it to be totally wearable. I could hardly believe it!

The rest of the sewing, which was just hemming sleeves and skirt, took maybe another 45 minutes, so all in all a pretty quick sew, once I sat down to actually do it!

I didn’t really read the pattern instructions for this dress. Aside from the mockneck, the pattern is very much like a t-shirt and I’ve made plenty of those! I did read how to do the neck. It’s 2 pieces that are sewn together, so they offer a bit more structure than just a single layer of fabric. Other than sewing those pieces together and understitching, the mockneck is inserted the same way you’d insert a regular neckband. Overall, it was a very easy sew.

Let’s talk for a minute about fit and the inhibitions I had before starting this project. Is this dress a perfect fit? Yes and also no. Yes, meaning I’m happy with it and it works for me. No, meaning there are absolutely things I could fix if I was more committed. The sway back is real and there is bunching below my waist and above my tummy that could probably be drafted away somehow. For some garments, I would put in the time and effort to eliminate these issues, but for something like this, I feel a-ok keeping it as is.

The turtleneck aversion has been a part of my life for more than a decade, but last summer I had the realization that I’m a gal who needs a forward shoulder adjustment. And when I realized that I realized that might be my whole problem with turtlenecks. If my shoulder seam was sitting at the proper place on my shoulder, instead of a few millimeters back, maybe, just maybe, a turtleneck wouldn’t be so darn annoying and restricting. And guess what? I was right! At least in this iteration, though perhaps more testing is needed!

I will say, though, that the mockneck of this pattern is drafted very well. See how much room my neck has in the picture? It’s not tight or restricting at all and I’m very grateful for that!

Overall, I’m really happy with how this dress turned out! It’s not totally perfect and I did treat myself to some shapewear to wear under it before I actually wore it out and about (ha!), but it’s a good dress and I’m glad I tried out this pattern!

Pattern: the Ruska Dress from Breaking the Pattern
Size: 5
Adjustments: 3/8″ FSA; removed 6 inches from bottom of dress for height
Fabric: Ponte Di Roma from Nature’s Fabric
Cost: fabric $14 (I think I bought 2 yards on sale, but I’m not completely confident in the yardage!); dye from my mom (free); thread from stash
Would I make this pattern again?: I would! I kind of want a mockneck shirt next time!