Chambray Wenona - Named Clothing

The shirtdress. Big Fan. And the sleeves on this Wenona shirtdress immediately sold me on the pattern.

I once again used Robert Kaufman's chambray fabric but in two colour-ways: olive & blue

I don't think the two colours go together perfectly but I do appreciate that they are the exact same fabrics - same weight, same pattern, same feel.  

Since the fabric is an olive green I opted to use a green tinted marble buttons and I think they go really well against the fabric, they are more muted than a whiter shade.

The back has a button the collar and a pleat on the back bodice - both are really cute details.

The button plackets on this pattern a teeny tiny so if I make it again I'd change those up because I don't like that they are simple turn and stitch because as you can see in the photo if I bend my wrist at all the inside shows and you can see the serged seams.

From the back yoke up the pattern is drafted beautifully. From the boob area down - it's a sack. There are no darts and from the arm scyth to hem line the pattern angles out progressively into a trapeze. NOT flattering at all. To fix the parachute feel of this dress I added elastic to the back waistline only, it helped with the shape, but I don't like the look of it so I only wear it with a belt to hide the elasticated back.

The next version I make will be blended with the Deer&Doe Bruyere shirt from the arm scythe down. This will enable me to keep the details I love about the Wenone: Sleeves, pointed collar, back yoke but merge it with the things I love about the Bruyere: fitted bust and waist, and appropriately shaped skirt/hem circumference. 

Details

Pattern: Named Clothing Wenona Shirt Dress

Size: 38

Fabric: Robert Kaufman Chambray

Alterations: 

• Added elastic to the back bodice waistline to take in the gazillion extra inches of ease this pattern includes in the design.

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Let There Be Ships! New Look 6067

One day while browsing on Fabric.com I fell in love with a sweet little fabric covered in ships. The background was white and the tiny boats were blue, the stretch factor was just right, and a click click click later for $7/yd I owned three yards of it.

The bodice is the beautiful New Look 6067. with three bust pleats up the centre front. 

I must say - New Look patterns are wonderful - they all fit perfectly out of the package - which clearly I'm a big fan of - and many of the patterns have very cute bodices.

The fabric is a cotton poplin - slightly see through so I lined the entire dress with another plain white cotton poplin. 

Since I didn't really like the skirt pattern too much as pencil skirts aren't really my cup of tea, I swapped it out for my preferred skirt pattern from Sewaholic's belladone skirt and using three box pleats instead of two knife pleats. 

Nothing like a little breeze to emphasize your derriere....thanks wind.

Pockets. I LOVE pockets. The Belladone pockets are perfect too. Nice and deep - aint nothing falling out of these babies when I sit down!

I worked hard to line the rows of boats up across the bodice front. They are straight across the front which is great but I should have worked harder so the print matched down the centre seam - I kind of shrunk the boats in half.



Gathered sleeves add a nice shape in poplin fabric. I also fully lined the bodice and sleeves so I have a nice clean finish.



My handsome boyfriend took all these photos for me while we were in New York City. These are from the Coney Island Aquarium - we rode the subway for 45 minutes one way just to say we tried a Coney Island Hotdog (it was a let down but hey my pretzel was amazing!

Details
Pattern: New Look 6067 + Sewaholic's Belladone Skirt
Size: 8
Fabric: Cotton Poplin
Alterations: Added darts to the back neckline to reduce gaping.

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Me Made May Week 4 + Round Up 2015

All done May and heres the final week and a round up 

Day 31

Pattern: Simplicity 2444

Fabric: Cotton Sateen

Occasion: Work

Thoughts: Easy to wear 

Day 30

Pattern: McCall's 6696

Fabric: Robert Kaufman Caroline Gingham

Occasion: Work

Thoughts: yay almost done May!!

 Day 29

Pattern: Vogue 1102

Fabric: Chiffon

Occasion: Work (worn with a sweater and belt to tone down the fancy)

Thoughts; Need to take out 2" under each arm because its way too big now.

Day 27

Pattern: New Look 6067 Bodice + Deer and doe Belladone Skirt

Fabric: Cotton Poplin with Ships

Occasion: Work

Thoughts: Love this dress but may need to make it a tad smaller as well.

Day 26

Pattern: Sewaholic Saltspring

Fabric: Owl Rayon

Occasion: Work

Thoughts: Perfect fit and adorable fabric!!

Day 25

Pattern: By Hand London Anna dress

Fabric: Cotton&Steel 

Occasion: Work

Thoughts: Wearing the same dress in the same week? You betcha! Love it!

Lets do some statistics:

Dresses: 23 (two repeats)

Shirts: 2

Skirts: 2

Pants: 2

Clearly I'm a dress girl

All of May in one photo :)

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