Summer fling dress by Sew This Pattern, take 2

When I made my first version of the pattern I left it short because I ran out of fabric.  I knew I wanted a second one both to try out the full length and to see if I could get the bodice to sit perfectly.  My changes were hard to track in terms of how long the straps should be, and the direction of force on them. 

I noticed that the bust darts were way (2") below my bust, and in fact if I pulled the entire bodice up by 2" it sat better under my arms too.

The armscye bias binding made a kind of 90 degree turn where it hit the top edge of the bodice front, going out over the shoulders. 

I could lower the back a tiny bit more.

The pockets are great but could be higher - I used the bardon dress pockets (Elbe Textiles) and they are MASSIVE - hah, almost as long as the first dress.

With these thoughts in mind and actually much deep reflection, I decided this needed to be the first dress this year because I had been thinking about it so long.  I bought the fabric last year, it's Liberty Poplin, and because I actually bought it for this project, I did buy enough.  I used the same bias for the front neck, over the shoulders, and the back.  I did shorter bias strips under the armscye.  That meant I had to keep a centre back seam.  I took about 1" off the width, raised the darts 1" and just removed a smidge more off the back while adding about 1" to the armpit coverage.  I decided not to shorten the straps to raise the front to where it probably should be, because the location of the front neckline suits me and I didn't want to change too much at once.  I used the Bardon pockets but put them higher.

 

 

 

The bodice seems long, but it should be standard length, maybe the weight of the dress pulls it longer.

 

 

This feels like a lot more dress compared to my first version, but that's always the problem with multiple versions of a thing.  They won't be the same, nor should they be!  Since spring is now flowering I will hopefully start to wear this and we will see if I love it as much as I loved my very short version 1. 

Landgate by Merchant and Mills, a review

This was a huge effort.  I'm really glad I made the Arare jacket first, which was similar in many ways and which helped me to understand the process.  

Interestingly I had made a muslin of this a few years ago.  I noted from my muslin to either shorten it or raise the pockets by 2".  I did want the length so I opted to just raise the pockets.  Other than that, it's a size XS without changes.  I added a front pocket and was debating where it should go - above or below the drawstring? There's not really a natural place for it, which is probably why these pullover jackets either have a drawstring or they have a front kangaroo pocket! 

The instructions are oddly sparse and then even more oddly sufficient.  It's one of those patterns where you read all the instructions and half of them seem to be missing, but once you are there in that step, it's all quite clear.  I really like the way the drawstring for the hood comes out of a nice tunnel rather than out of grommets.  

I lined the back of the little zipper protector with fleece to make it cozy against a chin.

I had way too much drama with this fabric.  It's called Millerain waxed cotton (Sahara) and I got it from Guthrie and Ghani.  It's a colourway called peacock.  The peacock side feels like a heavy canvas or twill.  The other side is a bit darker in colour and feels rubbery and kind of grips to your fingers a bit.  So, which of these sides is the outside?  Overall the fabric is solid and firm and there was much wrangling of it around the sewing machine (it was heavier than my machine so it could lift up my machine when I was moving it around, annoying!)  I looked everywhere online and then kind of bowed to the name and assumed the prettier, and slippier Peacock side should be out, but that meant I had this kind of stiff, sticky side on the inside.  AND I get claustrophobic pulling things on over my head.  So after all the work to make this amazing and beautiful I really hated putting it on.  Bad decision...

I added a pocket on one sleeve and then a patch, initially on the pocket but I had not aligned it in a pretty way so I moved the patch to the other side for some character.  

Because of raising the front pockets I no longer had helpful topstitching lines to follow from the outside, and my kangaroo pocket was kind of in the way.  I topstitched the pocket top and bottom, and those side pockets are made out of wool plaid which is very nice and cozy feeling.  

Stitching down the channel for the drawstring was the hardest, and it's not really straight, though you can't tell.  Basically this jacket was a study in things not being straight or even, but I am actually super proud of the result.  Merchant and Mills manage to create beautifully finished items - whether they fit is another issue, but the quality of each thing I've made by them is undeniable.

The XS is a good size for me, the pockets being higher is comfortable - overall I worked really hard to create a jacket I would be happy to wear, but I was foiled by my fabric.  I have just discovered the wonders of oilskin and must say, this would be SO AMAZING in oilskin.  So you know.  

Petite Stitchery Adult Drew joggers review

I really didn't need more lounge pants, but I was so taken in by the slender fit of these and the cool lower leg gathers that I bought the pattern without much debate.  

I went with size small. 

The debate came about when it was time to choose fabric. How heavy? The instructions don't really give you much help.  I perused the tester photos for help.  I suspected in a sweatshirt fabric the gathers might be too thick, but I didn't really want my pants to be tshirt weight.  I had a perfect drapey midweight cupro knit, but for some reason it felt too special to use on this, since I don't know much about this pattern company.  Also, the gathered legs take a lot of fabric!  This is not your 1-meter loungewear special.  I finally compromised on a midweight jersey without much stretch - it was a remnant at Nick's Fabrics in Auckland and was 1.6m.

The instructions are a bit sparse and can be confusing as the different views are intermixed - but really you don't need too many instructions for these pants.  The pattern pieces come together fine.  I found it irritating that there's no top ribbing pocket piece - you have to make it yourself.  This is the kind of small thing that bothers me.  I noticed that it was hard to tell where to stop gathering on the lower leg.  I lined up my pieces and marked the spot, and I've adjusted my pattern pieces now so that I make a notch at that spot.  It would speed up the process a lot to do that in the beginning.  

In the end I like the pants.  I made my waistband too tight.  The cuffs are a bit tight.  This is due to my fabric not really stretching enough.  The fit was great but loungewear is not really very flattering so here are my scruffy hallway-loitering photographs:

The feature of the gathered lower legs does mean the grain goes a bit strange, but really I noticed that when pulling these on, and never again.  I think in stretchy fabric you can size down for a more legging-like look and that weird pull would be even less of an issue.

I think these pants deserve a second go in something cuddly and very stretchy.  I have lightweight sweatshirting with a bit of cashmere in it so I'm debating using that.  I'm happy with the size chart, and pretty happy with this pattern.  It has a lot of options - include a version sans gathers, and a version that rips all the way up the side like those Adidas trackies from the 90s.  (I wanted those so bad. In the 90s.)  However the set up reminds me of Patterns for Pirates and the cousin company Made for Mermaids - in that I would be hesitant to make anything complicated from them.  Simple things like this, fine, because you can really do anything with knits.  However now I'm contradicting myself because I'm in love with the Elliot romper pattern, so watch this space... 

Anna Allen Philippa pants, take 2

So although the idea of making more Philippa pants has been on my radar for a few months, it felt like an afterthought project.  Like, I have some fabric that would suit, and I should quickly just pop these out one day!  I like the corduroy of my first pair but I really was dissatisfied with the way the waistband was too short and I had to ease it like mad, and along with that the pants are super snug at my waist. My real waist.  And that's after removing 1" of the rise.  So I decided I should try to remove 1" from the top of the waist, which felt like a rebel thing to do.  I reckoned I would have a wider waist and it would be a bit lower.  To ensure I didn't have to ease the waistband I cut it much longer than I needed as well.

Here was version 1. 

Version 2 is lightweight slubby wool blend, Japanese in origin, from The Fabric Store, with some stretch.  Suiting weight.  I started sewing and wondered if it might be too light for this pattern.  It was ok.  But.

I made size 4 again, cut off the top of the pattern, didn't change the dart, and cut about 1 cm off the back pockets all the way around because they had looked excessive in version 1. I used a zip fly. This time around, possibly as I have actually sewn heaps of flies in the past year, I did not find the instructions annoying.  They were fine.  All the instructions were fine.  I was using a slightly contrasting caramel coloured thread and topstitched everything with that.  And somewhere in this project I realised it was not really an afterthought project, it was a Big Deal!  These are amazing!  I added front pockets last so that I could put them in the right spot, suffering the indignity of poking myself in the thighs with a bunch of pins and then pinning the pants to my undies...and I even put a special little tag on the pocket too - from the artist collection from Kylie and the Machine.  

 

I have noticed a tendency not to check that my front waistbands line up, and that was a problem here (they don't quite) but oh well.  Note for next time.  

 

And...these pants are not at all snug.  It seems almost like I overdid the fix, I have lots of room in the waist now.  However they are totally the most comfortable pants ever so I think I don't care, and really it kind of suits the slouchy look I go for...and now I think I need a pair in firm velvet too!  Basically my love for these pants has been revitalised!  And Anna Allen has the best instructions.  I lose a bit of the nice butt fit since these are loose, but I'm still really happy.

Criswood sews Parasol dress review

 I was inspired to make this dress by Instagram and by a week of warm weather, suggesting that winter might someday end and I might actually not cover my entire body when going out.  (That weather didn't last.  Winter is not over.)  

It's a novel process as you measure yourself and then build pattern pieces based directly on your measurements.  Thus, everyone has a one-size dress.  I'm seeing so many benefits from my foray into quilting, and one of them is that I've gotten over my fear of measuring things.  I would have found putting together a pattern of rectangles to be traumatic a few years ago.  Now the main problem was taping together sheets of paper to fit.  You end up with a bodice piece, a skirt piece, the pocket, and a facing/tie piece.  I duly noted that the gathering would probably be better in a lightweight fabric.  Then of course my stash failed me, because I couldn't get this dress to fit on 1.5m of fabric and I have a very bad habit of never buying more.  This toucan print rayon has been in my stash for so long I no longer love it - my eyes have kind of gotten bored of looking at it.  And so it was time!  

The dress comes together very neatly and is a fun, satisfying sew.  I popped it on and was sort of fascinated.  This dress also is probably much better suited to a taller, wider and more full-figured person.  I don't think it's flattering on a small body.  I don't have any bra visibility at the front or back, though the sleeves are low they don't show much.  The drape makes it quite fun to wear.  I think for summer when a muumuu is just the thing - this is a good classy muumuu.  It is going to my friend R in Tucson since she lives in the land of permanent summer.  When I saw my pictures I did think harder about this dress as I feel good moving in it and I think it has a subtle grace to it with an almost cocoon look at full length.  I'm not rushing to make another one of a drapey fabric, but it's in my head. 

I decided to move on directly to the vision I had had.  I knew perfectly well that this might look like a toddler's dress.  I shortened the dress 8" and managed to stripe match only because it's so easy I would have had to work to not match them.  My striped fabric is heavyweight linen from The Fabric Store and I bought the end of the bolt when a lady walked in the shop wearing a dress made of it and made me totally covet my own.  I also shortened the width of the skirt piece a little bit, about 2", so the gathering would be less. 

 

It does match my vision and it's wearable, and I suspect once summer comes I will wear it a lot.  But it does kind of look like I'm a toddler.  The dress is not actually as short as it seems, or at least when I wear it I don't feel uncovered, maybe because of the volume.  The pictures make it seem super short!  

This was a really fun project even if not quite seasonally appropriate...