Sew Liberated Metamorphic dress review

I found this pattern recently though it's been out for awhile. I think when it came out I just wasn't interested, but recently I've been All About layering my clothes.  Seems like I accidentally happened upon a trend...

So in my head I made up about 12 different versions.
In reality I got this fantastic flowered poplin from Drygood Design in Seattle. I had eyed it up in person and now was really pleased to have an excuse to buy it.  I got the last 2 meters.  I paired it with black silk noil.

And this time...I didn't make a practice version, or even a quick muslin.  Oh nope I did not.  I cut a size 4, and I shortened the bodice by 1 inch based on my recent success shortening everything.  And despite the pattern pieces lying on my floor for two hours, I had the outer skirt with the wrong edge against the fold of the fabric and I didn't notice my error.  The shape of the skirt makes this tempting to do, for some reason.

And here, I have a complaint.  Yes, every Indie pattern company is unique and special.  But that does NOT mean each company needs to reinvent the wheel.  Standard drafting marks on patterns mean that it's easy to switch from one pattern to another without confusion.  This pattern didn't use standard marks but used about fifty words to tell you to put one edge on the fold - easy to overlook, unlike a nice double arrow.  This is my second pattern by Sew Liberated - seems I am really liking her aesthetic, but I find the patterns and instructions just a bit difficult, though eventually the results are worth it.

I had to do some juggling of the instruction order to accommodate my skirt having no side seams.  

Anyway.  You know it.  The fit at the armscye is perfect - on everyone else maybe it's low but on me it is just right.  And the gathered ruffles hit just about 1 cm below my nipple line.  Oops.  It's totally unwearable.  When I first tried it on I thought I would need to lengthen the bodice but upon closer inspection I guess 1 inch is about right.  I didn't iron my gathers so they are even puffier than necessary, and I think that doing the skirt properly gives you a chance to control the gathers better than I did - I had to apply the outer skirt in the round instead of doing the front and back separately and topstitching the gathers down. 

I discovered while taking these photos that two layers, with the silk noil underneath, makes it feel like I'm wearing a bathrobe and I just fell in love with the feeling a little bit.  Not enough to make me love the dress but I stopped hating on it, and I think my next version will also use a silk noil base.

Not hemmed.  I stopped there.

I will not be thwarted!  In two ways.  First, after considering sending the offending dress straight to the Goodwill basket, I realised all that fabric could be salvaged into a different dress.  AND I'm still going to try this one again.  I'll focus on lighter weight fabrics to ensure that it doesn't feel so puffy, and I'll get the skirt right...and I won't make unnecessary adjustments.

Elbe Textiles Botany top x 2

When I discovered this top on Kylie and the Machine's Instagram I was in love, both with the top and with the new pattern company Elbe Textiles.

BUT it took awhile to get my act together to sew it.  I was moving and travelling for awhile. That made this simple project seem like a huge deal.

I looked over the instructions and didn't follow them at all. I used a scrap of leftover silk noil and size XS. I sewed front and back together - I had to cut the back in two pieces - and then added my bindings.  This reminded me at that point of the Emmeline top by the Little Tailoress. I think she has since rebranded and come out with other patterns but the concept was the same - a very simple top - though in the case of the Emmeline it had terrible instructions and bad drafting on versions a and b.

Seems like I might revisit that top now as the Botany showed me how you could get a good finish on these kimono sleeves - by leaving the side seams open, finishing the sleeve with binding, and then sewing the side seam, you get a clean finish on all edges.  I was totally unable to figure this out myself but despite the messy finish, I loved my version of the Emmeline, view C, which I lengthened with the hem of the Polly top. (here)

Here's my first Botany!  I love it, it goes over a tank top for some style or alone for some air.  It's the perfect fabric.  Do note that I'm 5'4" and can never repeat often enough - I have NO torso.  My ribs practically hit my hips.  So if you don't want this to be very cropped you might want to lengthen it.

I climbed to the top of a mountain for these pictures!  It was very cold and windy...

So I decided to do a second one in stretch silk but I didn't have enough fabric to double the see-through front, giving me the excuse to use this ugly piece of lace I picked up and want to be rid of.  Of course having two layers both front and back meant this took a bit more attention, and this time I did leave the side seams to apply the bias tape flat, though I did the neckline last instead of also doing it flat.  I added on the ruffle to see what I thought of it.  I promised this top to one of my nurses right away as I thought I'd hate the lace.  I do really like the ruffle though, and I think I might make more of these once I see what fabrics my stash can provide.

I have a new tripod! I'm rather more inspired when I'm outdoors, apparently.

Patterns for Pirates linen loungers in silk wool houndstooth

I made a bunch of major changes from version 1 (here) to this version.


I went from S to XXS.  I lengthened the legs by 2 inches, and I used the yoga waistband.  I also switched up the pocket options.

This pattern went pretty smoothly the second time around. The fabric is a silk-wool blend which tends to be slippery and shreds.  I went for as many french seams as possible though I did not enclose the waistband.  I realised my mistake and went back over it with FOE (not sure this was the best option.)  It looks a bit ridiculous inside but holds everything in.

I still used the shaped hem, I had to cut the straight edges off it since my lengthened leg pieces continued to narrow, but they still matched up at the important curved bits.  

I could definitely have gone with the XS instead of exaggerating!  These are a snug fit.  The pockets are useless because my thighs need that space.  And this drapey light fabric also creates really a different kind of fit.  Once I made these the weather changed and I didn't get a chance to wear them.  They were sitting around waiting for me to take photos and decide what to do next, when my housemate saw them and fell in love.  She is slimmer than I am and they look great on her - the slightly shiny fabric suits her aesthetic perfectly so I donated them right away and I think she has been wearing them for 2 days straight : )  I'm pretty happy with that result.  If I can get her to take pictures I'll add them!

Next time I will go with the XS.  I could imagine playing with the yoga waistband again, but I would wait until I could serge it (no overlocker was available when I made these.)  For now as the weather cools I have no intention of making more shorts. 

Halfmoon Atelier Anegada

I've had this pattern for awhile -it's one that I didn't get to test because I was living in Nepal at the time - once I got it I had to wait for just the right fabric.  Which came while I was in Switzerland recently!  I picked up this very stretchy, sparkly rainbow from the sale bin, and definitely didn't have enough to make the cardigan I was envisioning.  As I was tetris-ing pattern pieces I realised the drape would make this a perfect Anegada, and the stripes meant I could get some fantastic diagonal bindings.

I do recommend, no matter how much you think you know everything about making tshirts...to not only read the instructions but to understand them.  Oops.  I read through what to do on the front neckline tucks, but didn't understand at all.  I made some halfhearted pintucks, the sewing machine gobbled up all the fabric, and in the end I ripped everything out except two tucks on the sides that I couldn't undo without damaging my light fabric.  The binding is long enough that the excess didn't even gather and I would just skip doing those tucks in the future.

It felt weird to be cutting huge bindings on the bias!  But so worth it.  The rest of this top went together without a hitch on my amazing new overlocker and I wore it the next day (and many since.)

Size: 3, consistent with everything for me by Halfmoon Atelier.
Sleeves: I removed 1" before adding the binding, because they were too long otherwise
Length: I removed just under 2" at the lengthen lines: the amount from the line itself to the edge of that piece of paper on the pdf pattern.  If I wanted this to hang at my waist without pooling I could remove another 2 inches!  

I recommend drapey fabrics to get the best out of this pattern.  Because I didn't tuck, my front probably drapes a bit more than it's supposed to.  I really like using stripes on the bias!  I think it gives the pattern something really unique.  Also I was pleased to see it goes well with these shapeless green pants of mine - I don't really like tucking things in and was struggling to find good matches with them.

I rushed out of my house to get sunset photos on the mesa with huge thunderclouds in the background!  It was a weird spot to take pictures and I'm really looking forward to owning my first tripod instead of making rock structures to put my camera on.

Grainline Portside Dopp kit and toiletry bag: Review

I didn't make the actual Portside bag.  That is for another time. It gets really good reviews.
I know that Carolyn made a huge number of these dopp kits, but mostly that side of the pattern goes under the radar - and the small bag is apparently just an afterthought.  I mean, you wouldn't buy the pattern for it.

More on that: this small bag is literally three pieces of fabric, a zip and two instructions.  After you have gone to the trouble to line the duffel and the kit bag, you are just making a little fabric sack?  It seems like the level of attention in this pattern was focused on the big target item - the duffel.  And each step down from there had a decrease in quality pattern instructions, and in results.

I was extremely disappointed by the Dopp kit pattern.  I was hoping to make something I could take with me travelling as my toiletry bag has basically disintegrated.  I had this ridiculous pineapple fabric and a shower curtain to use as lining.  The pieces make sense, but the instructions basically have you finish all the seams on the inside of the bag, despite the fact that it's in two layers.  So I rethought it and with my recent Ida Clutch experience, attached the zipper first, made each layer, and then painstakingly sewed the sides up to the zipper through a hole in the lining.  Then I turned it right side out and closed the hole.

Also - there's no lining for that outside pocket, which I also really didn't like.  

I used a zipper that is a little bit too weak.  But mainly I thought this bag was huge, way too big for my needs, and I was too busy being pissed off at it to want to use it.  I gave it to my sewing friend's daughter who is apparently really pleased.  (She's 6).

So I decided to salvage things with the small bag.  I cut out everything in my original plus lining fabric and basically followed the same method, of attaching everything to the zip, then I created tubes of each fabric and sewed up the sides one quadrant at a time through a little hole that I left.  I paid attention not to leave any gaps in the lining so no piece of jewelry (etc) could slip through.  I added a little grab strap on one end.  I also used an invisible zip here and that's the weak point in my system.   This fit all my toiletries, though it's not really a great shape, it worked for the trip to Nepal and I can store stuff in it til it falls apart.  

Grainline Uniform tunic in double gauze

This double gauze travelled a long way with me!  It's from Nancy's in Seattle, before it closed.  I was going to use it for an Archer...and then a dress...and then...stashbusting time!

I cut this tunic in a size 4.  Grainline is usually consistent (a recent experience with the Farrow is the exception, more on that later.)  I was worried that it would pool in my back and not fit over my hips in the pockets version, so I did v. 2 with the overlapping sides.  I'm 33-27-37.

I french seamed, and unfortunately got a hairy seam at the waist from making my seam too small.  No one else can see it.

It has facings than can be sewn down.  I mean, I suppose you don't have to sew them down.  But I did.

The fit is good.  The pattern is straightforward.  I had no moments of irritation or panic.  I don't think gauze suits this pattern very well.  Linen would be good and drapey fabrics would be good.  The gauze just sort of sits there.  I wore this to work and realised I Need Pockets (if only to have somewhere to hang my ID badge) so I might do up the other version in a different fabric and just preventatively widen the back or grade out to a 6 to ensure it doesn't hang up on my swayback and hips. 

I'm not sure it's very flattering, but I think that is more a feature of the fabric.  I don't think I had realised the absolute drapelessness of double gauze!

Ready to sew Jimmy sweatshirt in scuba

This pattern is for yet another variation on a knit tshirt, by French company Ready to Sew.  The exciting features include raglan, 2 part sleeves, detail pintucks on the front sleeves, and two hem options both including godets.

The instructions are in English and are pretty decent as far as translation goes.   For some reason their theme for patterns is to use men's names starting with the letter J.  Though I see now they've expanded to a few female names too.

I made this in red merino last year, in version 2 with the hem band.  I made the size 36.  That seemed like a small size to me but it was way too big.  I gave it to a friend.   In a heavier weight material the size might have been ok but in the merino it was just very long and drapey. Seems like the sleeves were pretty long too.  I didn't take very good notes before I gave it away!

So I had few notes, no photos to inspect, and decided to take the leap and go for a size 34.
The pattern pieces are interesting.  You have the option to not cut off edges, but to abut them.  This is great.  I don't much like the cutting.  However the result is that there are wide margins without any lines on them - you have to extrapolate the lines there.

The first time I printed the 36 with all the layers, it was impossible to tell which were the pintuck lines and the marks for my size because they are only differentiated by colour not by the shape of the line.  For the 34 I only printed the layer for my size and although the pattern looked a bit naked, it seemed to have all the marks...except 1 of the 4 pintuck lines, which was lost in between pages!!  So these pdfs are not as straightforward as average and make me hesitate to consider this company for more complex patterns (I was in love with the Joseph coat when I discovered this company, but I've hesitated to make it.)

I was also really jumping in the deep end - I cut straight into this gorgeous scuba that I bought sometime last year.  It was a ridiculous purchase; I think I bought it while I was in Nepal because I saw it on somebody on Instagram.  It shipped to my parents and then I just petted it for awhile and thought of all the things I could make.  So now it's here, and soon I won't be sewing much, so now seemed like a good time!

I barely followed the instructions because anyway, it's like a tshirt.  My borrowed sewing machine seems to be generally miserable.  One entire bobbin was catching and not stitching well even after changing needles - magically fixed with the next bobbin of thread, but means that I flipped it over and redid every seam.  And I made this right before dinner and was both desperate to make a work of art, and desperate to hurry on to dinner!

So:
sleeves are a tiny bit short.  But ok
and otherwise I love it!!!
I top stitched the sleeves and the raglans.  I left the hem for now as I thought anything I did would mess it up - I was thinking of leaving it raw but after wearing it I think it would be better to have the weight of a hem.  I might still shorten it an additional inch or two.

The light weight fabric means that the godets kind of flow.  It would have a lot of volume in a heavier weight fabric and I can see why sweater knits are recommended.  I can actually see this being nice in a pretty heavy sweater knit.  I didn't like it in merino, though I think now that I have the correct size it would work better.  I think in sweatshirting or other fabric with a lot of body, I would find annoying how much it would stick out and create a bell shape. 

Of note, it has a high low hem, and if you want to shorten it, because of the godets, you have to use the lengthen-shorten lines (which are provided).  Version A is fine the way it is but I recall the version with the hem band was really really long - because you have the full length plus a band.  I would probably shorten it 3 inches.  I'd be tempted to do that above the godets.  I don't remember where the shorten lines are in the pattern, seems like they might be through the godets, which seems like too much work.

While I was obsessively trying it on I thought another very cool variation would be to not use the godets at all, but to add about 2" to the front and back at the sides and overlap them.  It would be a tunic with high cut sides - almost like a sari top....