It's no secret that I'm on the petite side. My clothes being too long is a common problem for me. This doesn't stop my love for maxi dresses. If there's any dress I'm going to wear on a regular, day to day basis, I'm going to pick the maxi dress. Fortunately, the best part about making your own clothes is that you get total control over the length and this is especially important in a long dress, such as the one I made for this tutorial.

I was excited to make McCall's 6697, but I was even more excited when I had a new, finished dress that fit me perfectly. There's so many things that I love about this dress. First, it's made out of knit fabric, so it's extremely comfortable to wear and very easy to assemble. McCall's 6697 is definitely a pattern that can be completed by a beginner sewer. There are no fasteners to worry about, as this is just a pullover dress. So, if you're afraid of doing zippers or buttonholes, then this is the dress for you.

The other thing great about this dress is the style. This easily could be a single color, knit dress, but those diagonal stripes really turn this dress from simple to wow. I love how this dress can be either casual or dressed up. I was amazed that by adding a few accessories, McCall's 6697 completely transforms into something elegant. My shortness was also changed into something tall and, I dare say, statuesque. I know it's all an illusion, but I'll take it.

Please note: In my copy of the pattern, there was a misprint. On pattern piece 6 there is a notch towards the bottom, which was mistakenly printed on the wrong side. Please don't be alarmed if this matches a non-notch side. For now, just ignore this notch. Also, in this demonstration we focus on making view D, the long dress, but you can also follow along with us if you want to make View B or C.

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