Giraffe V1247

I've never been one for novelty prints. I think they are cute to look at, but would never wear them. I don't know if this is considered full blown novelty as it's pretty subtle but....GIRAFFES! I squealed with glee when I saw this fabric, my heart beat faster and my smile grew bigger. I was so happy at the look of it, then I reached out to touch it and it is a stretch denim! I knew it was meant to be.

I had this pattern in my stash from when it was first released, had it cut and ready, but it wasn't until I saw it on other bloggers that I knew I needed this skirt in my life.

Just by looking at the pattern pieces I knew this would be a mini mini no bending over skirt. And that says a lot because I'm a short person with super short legs. So I decided to lengthen the bottom pattern piece by 3". I also knew that I would be wearing this skirt high-waisted so the length was necessary to keep it wearable for me. I like to keep things modest because there is little I hate more than having to tug at my hemline all day in an attempt to keep everything covered up.

The kangaroo pouch front pockets are the cutest feature. I couldn't resist their charm. And the construction of this skirt is really great. The pattern is really easy to follow, but I did opt to simply serge all my seams instead of going through the hassle of bias binding everything. But, after completing my skirt, I can see why bias binding would make the insides so beautiful. The waist band is beautifully enclosed and I stitched in the ditch to make it that way. 

The only hand sewing I did (Bleh - I hate hand stitching) was to attach the skirt closure at the back. I didn't want to see the stitches on the outside. Next version I make I'll add the skirt clasp on prior to attaching the waist band so it will look neater and I'll feel it's more secure than my sketchy hand sewing.

I really love this skirt. I was worried I would look 6 months pregnant, but I feel it hugs where it needs to and is roomy where I need it to be. Excellent features in a skirt for me!

Here's to a happy moment when fabric and pattern join and are successful.

Details:

Pattern: Vogue 1247 a Rachel Comey top and skirt pattern

Size: 16

Fabric: Giraffe Stretch Denim

Alterations:

• Lengthen the skirt by 3 inches.

Read More »

Chambray Dot Bruyere

Sometimes you fall in love and you fall in love instantly. The new Bruyere pattern by Deer&Doe was love at first site. The moment I opened my inbox email and saw this new pattern I had to have it. Not only do I adore the style of this shirt but I know that the Deer&Doe patterns fit me with extremely few if any alterations. I ordered it that first say and waited anxiously for it to arrive in the mail!

The bottom half of this shirt with it's pleats and dipped hem takes a basic button up and makes it spectacular. It's casual yet looks so put together. The perfect shirt really.

I am not a button-up shirt kind of girl. I've always struggled to find one that fits comfortable across my bust without the buttons spreading and my boobs saying peek-a-boo. Takes the professional out of button up very quickly.

The construction of the placket and the collar was really ingenious. It all came together so easily and with such CLEAN finishes! No exposed edges. Pretty amazing! 

Like I said, this was my first button up. I was worried about how well I could follow the instructions. I will admit that the instructions are fine, but not exactly thorough. I had to read through them once or twice to understand what I was intended to do, but the pictures helped and I was able to successfully make everything come together. So thankful because I didn't make a muslin and trusted in my faith in the sizing and fit of Deer&Doe's patterns.

This fabric - Gorgeous right? It is Robert Kaufman's Dot Chambray from is Nautique line. I ordered it online from Fabric.com and this was my first official online fabric purchase. I bought it along with two other Robert Kaufman Chambray fabrics. I raced to the border when the arrival notification came in to pick it up. I pulled over once I crossed back in to Canada to take a look at my new prized possessions and to my absolute delight I realized that they had sent me 3 yards extra of this Chambray dot fabric! It was two separate pieces of the fabric so I think they accidentally sent another others order along with mine. But I don't mind one bit - This fabric is incredible to sew. 

Not perfect top stitching but my absolutely adorable baby Scotia distracts from those not so even lines! 

I have not been any happier with a make. I learned so much during this shirt! There were so many firsts for me: a collar, button placket, top stitching extensively. 

I always tell people that sewing in a straight line is the most difficult thing to do. I always have the urge to pull my fabric through the machine instead of trusting my feed dogs. Well, I set my machine on a slow setting to keep my speed manageable to help with all the top stitching. I used my edge foot to help with spacing but it isn't perfect - but neither am I and I'm ok with that. 

I spent an hour fiddling with my sewing machines button hole making to get every setting perfect. I finally found just the right amount for everything and went to town. I bought both these silver dot buttons and some lovely wooden buttons. In the end I felt these silver dots helps keep this shirt slightly above full casual which means I can still wear it to work!

When I make this again The only change I'll make is to shave a 1/2 inch off the shoulder as it sits off my natural shoulder. I could simply reset the sleeves but why alter something as beautiful as this shirt. I'm so happy with the result and without ANY alterations!

And no post is complete without an awkward action shot. 

Details:

Pattern: Bruyere shirt by Deer&Doe

Size: 14

Fabric: Robert Kaufman Dot Chambray

Alterations: ABSOLUTELY NONE!!

Read More »

Purple Chiffon V1102

I love this PATTERN! I have officially found the pattern that I feel is me. Everything about it makes me so utterly happy: the open back, the back ties, the high neck, boat neck, empire waist, flowy skirt. I made this dress for a wedding I was attending and it is my first time sewing with a chiffon fabric. Maybe sewing on a deadline isn't a great time to pick a new-to-me fabric that is notoriously slippy and difficult to sew with? Maybe? Nahhhh....

The chiffon is 100% polyester. I didn't splurge on it. But I adored the pattern and bought it as soon as it went on sale. Since the fabric was sheer and the pattern has a full lining, I didn't want the seams to show through to the front so I decided to underline all the chiffon with a white cotton I had in my stash as well as fully line it with a light grey rayon lining.

Look at that bow - LOOK AT IT!!! I'm in love! So much in love. I left the bow unlined as I felt it would be nicer with just the chiffon.

And since the fabric had more droop to it than my last version in 100% cotton I added elastic to the waist seam to keep things more accentuated. Basically I wanted a little added boost for the ladies and to give myself some definition around the middle instead of blob shaped.

I decided to use a simple gathered skirt once again over a circle skirt but cut a high-low hem line because they are my favourite. I cut the lining to mid-thigh length to showcase the chiffon on top and its see-through qualities. Gotta show a little leg amiright ladies? In a classy way of course! (ps - look at that skirt...it has some serious flow!)

To showcase how well the bodice fits across my chest and a little of the arm scythe. So much more comfortable to wear a well fitted garment.

The fabric has a slight crepe texture to it but look at those beautiful colours! All seams are completed on the serger and this fabric is cheap cheap cheap so it frayed something fierce. Ugh. It won't last too long which is sad but it fulfilled its purpose of dancing its heart out at my friends wedding (She made her own wedding dress - it was stunning!)

Details

Pattern: Vogue 1102

Size: 14

Fabric: Polyester Chiffon

Alterations:

• Twisted a Wedge from the arm scythe into the waist darts
• Gathered skirt with hi-low hem
• Removed an inch from the centre back bodice for better lower back coverage
• Added elastic to the waist seam
• Omitted the facings and only used a full lining
• Invisible zipper and no hook and eye (too lazy to put one in)

Read More »

White&Grey Easy Summer M6955

Summer lovin - happens so fast! Too bad I'm too lazy to bust out the GOOD camera. So you're welcome to peruse these lovely iphone photos. Great quality eh? Good ol self timer app!

Fabricland had a sale on all of the cotton sateen fabrics and at $4/metre I couldn't go wrong. Lovely prints too! I bought 4 different cotton sateen's and immediately started scheming what I wanted to make. During a recent $1.99 sale on the McCall's website I ordered 10 or so patterns, one of which was M6955: a Laura Ashley Easy project. 

I adored the racer back of the dress and figured the cotton sateen would be perfect for the silhouette of the dress. The fabric would also help the dress to feel snug against my body but still provide me with lots of breathing room with the stretch content. Yay!

I made a fair few adjustments to the pattern. I cut out a size 10 because I wanted to accommodate for the stretch of the fabric and opted to finish my dress with binding instead of bias tape to reduce bulk and make my life 100% easier. This type of finish is the quickest for me while using my serger. the more projects I can complete using only my serger the better! I busted out this dress in >3 hours total from cutting to wearing. 

Back to those alterations I was talking about. After completing my Flora bodice, Belladone Bodice, and V1102 Bodice I began to notice how the flat pattern bodice needed to look for it to fit my body shape better. As soon as I cut out this flat pattern, it looked nothing like I knew it should to fit me. It would fit terribly straight from the envelope. So I starting slicing into the neckline and taking out wedges as I knew the neckline would gape - I then evened out the curve of the neckline. I did this to both the front and back necklines. I also took wedges out from the shoulder strap and turned the straps inwards to fit my narrow shoulders better (bodice shoulders always fall off my shoulders - they never will again!). Next I twisted out a dart from the arm scythe in to the waist darts. By the end my tissue pattern pieces were covered in tape missing all sorts of chunks and pieces. And finally, no dress is complete without the addition of in-seam pockets! I really should have used a lining fabric for those instead of the cotton sateen as they are quite bulky and make the circle skirt stick out across my hips.

The only changes I'll make for my next version of this would be to lengthen the bodice by 1/2" so the waist seam sits a little more comfortable when I move and lengthen the skirt by 1" and opt for 3/4 or 1/2 circle skirt instead of the full circle (which really likes to catch that breeze). Other than that, I put an invisible (or not so invisible) zipper in the centre back, finished my binding edges at the back neck above the zipper (and refused to put a hook and eye out of sheer laziness), and turned and stitched my hemline. The entire dress (besides the darts and zipper insertion) is finished on my serger - Yay for quick dresses! And YAY for easy summer cotton dresses!

Details

Pattern: M6955
Size: 10
Fabric: Cotton Sateen
Adjustments:

• Removed a wedge out of the front neckline to reduce gaping
• Removed 1" from the shoulder length
• Took out a dart from the arm scythe and turned it into the bust darts
• Removed a wedge out of the back neckline to reduce gaping
• Finished the edges with binding instead of a facing to reduce thickness.
• Added in-seam pockets to the circle skirt.

Read More »

Painted Ponte - Manequim Oct 2013 #393

Sometimes you see a pattern and you just have to make it. This pattern from the October 2013 Manequim magazine pattern was one of them. The pieced bodice was interesting, and I adored their sample dress with the leather piping along the seams. I wish I could replicate that dress exactly.

When I decided to make the dress I knew I would have to make some changes. One major change was using a Ponte knit fabric instead of a woven. The pattern came in size 38 only, I topically make a size 42, and sans drafting skills I didn't know how to grade the pattern so took the easy route and make it up in a stretchy fabric. 

The only thing I forgot when switching to a knit was that could have cut the back pieces on the fold. But with the front bodice piecing, extra seam lines don't detract from the design of the dress. 

The second change I decided on was opting for an A-line skirt instead of the figure hugging option in the magazine. I knew if I made that exact dress I would never wear it as everybody would ask me when my due date was (....I'm not pregnant). I like to avoid setting myself up for those types of scenarios folks! I used the skirt from the Belladone dress which is my new favourite!

The bodice has a one piece facing which I lengthened to below my bust line as there is little I hate more than seeing the line of facing showing through across the top of my bust. simple modification and adds extra "hold" for the ladies. I like the snug feel when wearing Ponte knits but also the comfort that the Ponte isn't showing every lump and bump. That ain't pretty folks!  

I actually sewed this bodice up around Christmas time. Christmas in canada is freezing, so go figure I'd try sewing a sleeveless bodiced dress right? I make great decisions. But once I'd pieced the bodice together I put it in my unfinished project basket and it got lost in the vortex. I only refound it while moving my sewing space all downstairs. I fell instantly back in love with the painted Ponte fabric and the pieces bodice and decided to finish it. 1 hour later it was done. 

Isn't it funny how you gain and lose motivation? This bodice sat alone for 6 months unloved and one whimsical day I pick it up and finish it all in an hour?? Funny how things work. But it's all good because now that we're finally seeing some summer here It's all suns out guns out!

And finally let's talk about this stunning fabric shall we? I found it at fabricland, it most certainly is a polyester Ponte Roma fabric, but it has the most lovely painted flowers on it. Not just appear to be painted on, actually painted on. If you pick really really hard the paint can come off! it's such a cool fabric! I'm glad I buy fabric in 3m chunks as I now have some extra I might use for shoulders or sleeves of tshirt a. It's so lovely I want to use every scrap! I find of wish is purchased more as it's comfortable to wear. 

Read More »

Flocked Flower Belladone

Finally, after a long time, I am a part of the Belladone lovers club! And I'm infatuated. This dress is just adorable. I always loved the pattern, especially that green fabric the sample dress is made of. And OH I love this dress!

The fabric is a grey cotton with black flocked flowers. It has the slightest amount of stretch, just enough to make a tighter dress still breathable. I found the fabric at the value village in town and I'm fairly certain it is supposed to be curtain or pillow fabric. It's a very nice fabric that I found absolutely perfect for dress-making.

Fitting wise I took the advice of many many many other bloggers that I follow online and adjusted the back pieces to reduce gaping. I took out 1/2" out of the neckline pieces as well as another 1/2" out of the front bodice. About 2 inches up the V from the centre of the lower piece of the back bodice I removed a 1/2" to accommodate my rounded back. And finally, one last adjustment, I took a 1/4" dart out of the front arm scythe and twisted it into the bust dart.

After attaching the waist band, I realized the bodice was a little short so I sewed it on at 3/8" instead of 5/8" to add some length to the bodice so the skirt would sit more naturally. And let's talk about this skirt. I LOVE this skirt. It is by far my favourite skirt pattern I've used. The slash pockets are beautiful and the front pleats sit beautifully. The only skirt adjustment I made was turning the back skirt darts in to pleats for added bum space.

I decided to use black bias tape to finish the dress as I like the way it accentuates the back cut out and the beautiful lines of the pockets. My bias binding it's perfect and you can see the ripples in some spots - I don't mind that, it isn't horrendous. I opted against black piping at the waist seam as I felt it would make me look wider. Also, since I could slip into the dress, I sewed the centre back together at the bias tape and started the invisible zipper just below. I like the clean finish this adds to the back instead of a hook and eye.

All and all this one of my favourites. It fits nice and snug and all the cute details make me so happy. I feel adorable when I wear this dress in public and isn't that what we all want when wearing our me-mades? This one is a success - There will be many more Belladone dresses in my future.

Details

Pattern: Deer & Doe Belladone
Size: 12
Fabric: Cotton?
Alteration: 

• 1/4" dart from arm scythe twisted into the bust dart
• 1/2" removed from front bodice neckline to reduce gaping
• 1/2" wedge removed from upper back piece
• 1/2" wedge removed from lower back piece near centre back.

Read More »

Ahoy hoy V1102

Ahoy hoy friends of summer! Long time no bloggy blog.

So, I've been sewing.....just not blogging. The weather has been terrible for the past month until recently. And the sun is now shining so bright you hear me protest loudly every time I step indoors. I want to relish this weather. And how does one do that? In a beautiful sun dress of course!

This is V1102. The first paper pattern I ever purchased. And, it took be over a year to make it. But my love for this pattern persisted and I found this luscious anchor 100% cotton fabric that I just knew would keep this dress style in a playful mood for me.

I cut the size 16 and did a 1 inch full bust adjustment. Through flat pattern measuring I knew that both the neckline and the armholes would gap. To mend these, I took 1/2" wedge out of the neckline as well as 1/4" wedge out of the armhole and twisted both of those into the dart. I made a muslin of only the bodice and realized that the back was gaping so I removed two sets of 1/4" wedges, one of each opposite curve, on the back piece and removed 1 inch from the centre back as there was lots of overlap there.

Phew, adjustments right?

Well, they were all worth it. I went ahead and cut my anchors fabric, making sure that the grainline was straight as could be, and put my faith in my body molding to this new pattern cause I did everything I could to make the pattern mold to me! And it worked!

The get a crisp edge to my bodice, I lined did a full lining out of Bemberg Rayon. (Ps, Fabricland was switching lining distributors and sold their entire lining selection for $1/m. I bought 40 metres of lining. Black, Navy, light Grey, and a very soft yellow. Yay for cheap!)  I also tried really hard to avoid anchor nipples, but I only partially succeeded  with one anchor not getting FULLY hidden into the dart. Whatcha gonna do right?

Now, the instructions for this pattern are a little wonky because there are too many pattern pieces. They have you do both a full lining AND facings. What? WHY. That's ridiculous. So I opted to only do a full lining. I actually didn't follow the instructions because after one read through I was thoroughly confused and didn't need them. My preferred lining method is to sew the shoulder seams, sew the lining to the neckline and armholes, and finally pull the pieces through the shoulder seam, then finally stitching the side seams together.

The only difference with V1120, is the back ties, this made the full lining slightly more difficult. I simply sewed the back ties to the bodice, and sewed the lining really carefully, being careful to not sew the ties to the lining. It got a bit snug, while attaching the lining with the ties tucked underneath, so I sewed really slowly.

After I made the bodice, I decided against the recommended circle skirt. I have a lot of circle skirts, wanted it to be a little more casual. I opted for a simple gathered skirt with in seam pockets. I used the entire 60" width of the fabric for the front and back pieces. Gathered with my sewing machine with the tension on 9, and serged all seams, including the waist seam.

I finished this dress in a day. The only problem with sewing a dress in a day, on a Sunday at that, is having to work with what you have on hand, and I sadly only had a purple invisible zipper on hand. I worked with is, but I do regret it as the back tab is very visible in the back, but I don't care enough, because CUTE DRESS FOR WORK ON MONDAY!

I feel like a cupcake in this dress and it makes me SO happy!

Details

Pattern: Vogue 1102
Size: 16
Fabric: 100% Cotton
Alteration: 

• 1" Full bust adjustment
• 1/2" reduction to neckline twisted into dart
• 1/2" reduction to arm scythe twisted into dart
• 1" taken out of back middle seam
• 1/4" wedges removed from back pattern piece to reduce gaping
• Used a gathered skirt 

Read More »