A dress inspired by Madmen and Flowers

 Finally, a sewing post!
Yes, I am alive, and I have not been sewing--well, I haven't even really been crafting either. School is out, and I have been sleeping and resting and cleaning.  I had an injury in May, and until today I haven't been near much of anything, except my spinning wheel.  I can spin without my hands hurting, which is nice, but it doesn't finish my husband's anniversary present or anything else on my list, which is huge.

However, today I finally woke up feeling better, so, inspired by the Headmistress Challenge for the House Cup, I have dug into my deep stash, and made something for a portkey--a dress, that can go formal or less depending on my day.  

Fabric:
1.2 m of printed French terry, overdyed with navy blue.  I could have used less, but cut the whole piece for length, and then shortened it after this picture.


Pattern: 
Silhouette 109 Hoodie and top
Pattern Description:
Pattern contains v neck hoodie and sleeveless top, both for knits, with multiple dart front pieces B, C and D (French dart style).

Pattern Sizing:
8 sizes, chosen based on finished measurements of favourite clothing. I choose to make a top in size 4, in a D cup with no changes except to lengthen the top into a dress. I was a little afraid it would be small, based on the measurements, but it was fabulous!

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?
I will be honest--I hate the drawings this company uses on their patterns. The drawings don't reflect what the clothing actually looks like, and most people will not take a chance on the patterns because of the drawings.

This top is not a cap sleeve top (which is what I originally got from the drawings), but a jewel neck sleeveless shell with French darts and a bit of flare to the hips. It makes up true to size, and without adjustments, it fits perfectly around. The shoulders are at the shoulder seams, not extended like in the line drawings.

Were the instructions easy to follow?
Haha, instructions are for sissies...Really, I didn't even look at them. I sewed the darts, the shoulders and side seams, serged around the openings and turned and top stitched.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
Besides the line drawings? Nothing. This is a great pattern, easy and quick.

Fabric Used:
Printed French terry that I over-dyed using RIT navy in the washing machine to get it an awesome colour.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:
I scooped out the neck (1" at the shoulders and back, an inch and a half at the center front) to make this a more boat necked style, which is more flattering to me than the jewel neckline. I lengthened the side seam about 21" with an a-line look, and then cut it off to knee length, which means I should have only lengthened it about 17" total. I have a totally comfortable sleeveless dress that pops over the head and looks classic.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
I took a chance, and just sewed up some languishing stash using the pattern without any real changes except to lengthen it into a dress, and I will say that Peggy rules.

Before making any adjustments, I recommend that others do what Peggy suggests--pick your size based on your favourite finished measurement, trace and go. Based on this first garment, I would agree with Peggy's fir suggestions in her webcases--don't mess around. Start with the bust needed and go from there.

My next one I will actually do petite shortening (1" at the armhole, and one inch between armhole and waist) because the dart actually ends at my high hip which is a little low on me, and the armhole is just that little bit too low. Still, even without the changes, this is a totally wearable garment. I also think this will make a great summer shell that isn't too tight or too loose, which will be nice. My clothes from last summer all need to be taken in.

Conclusion:
This is seriously a sleeper pattern. I can't believe no one has ever reviewed the top before. 

And a few more variations of this dress:

Plum double knit, knee length

Printed Rayon Polyester Lycra, with scoop neck and black lingerie elastic trim for contrast

 

Swap once more

Swap fever has begun again.  For those who don't know, swap is Sewing with a plan (in other words, making a wardrobe that works together).  Not as easy as it sounds, or looks, in my opinion, since I usually end up making two or three pieces that just don't go somehow, and so usually sew 14 or more pieces to get the final eleven.

I completed the very last swap that Julie ever ran, and I've managed to complete two since then, but somehow, last year swap fell by the wayside.  I don't know why, except that I didn't really have an inspiration piece, and it was too....?  I think I just got too busy, and school was extremely stressful towards the end.  Sewing was definitely the last thing on my mind after I was surplused from my position.   I did find a new, and way better, position at a brand new school, but I didn't complete the swap.   And, then I started costuming a play--but that is for another blog post, I think.

The contest this year is here, on Stitcher's Guild.   This year, the options for organizing the eleven garments of the swap are as follows: 

Option #1:
6 tops  - t-shirts, shirts, blouses, or camisoles
4 bottoms - jeans, pants, shorts, skirts or kilts.
1 your choice (not an accesory)

Option #2:
2 dresses -single pieces consisting of top and bottom that can be worn alone.
6 tops  - t-shirts, shirts, blouses, or camisoles
2 bottoms - jeans, pants, shorts, skirts or kilts.
1 your choice (not an accesory)

Option #3:
5 dresses -single pieces consisting of top and bottom that can be worn alone.
4 tops  - t-shirts, shirts, blouses, or camisoles
1 bottom  - jeans, pants, shorts, skirt or kilt.
1 your choice (not an accesory)

3 garments may be purchased or previously sewn.
1 may be knitted or crocheted.

And, every year there is a twist.  This year--Every garment should be made with a technique or feature that you haven't tried, or haven't mastered. 

And here, my friends, is my challenge.  How do I include techniques that I haven't tried or mastered in a wardrobe that isn't full of single amazing inspiration pieces? Those who have done less sewing have a lot more options with this twist, because, let's face it--if you are new to sewing, you haven't mastered a lot.  But, I've been sewing for a long time, and I teach other people to sew for fun.  The things that I haven't mastered or worked at are things like sewing with leather, or traditional tailoring, that don't fit into my casual wash and wear school teacher lifestyle, or a really for garments that are inspiration pieces that you make a wardrobe around.  I'm finding this part of the swap challenge more....challenging....than I expected. 

I think it probably goes without saying that I will be using option 1.  I wear separates, and I don't really wear dresses.  Well, maybe I wear one or two about once every two months.  And, we are going into cold season, so dressing in layers is the norm.  There is snow falling outside as I speak, and I love my wool sweater collection, and pants.  My new room at school also has a wall of windows, which means that the wind cools the room quite effectively, even when the heat is on in the school.  Those sweaters are getting a workout this year.  If I do make dresses, they will be the 'plus' part of the swap--you know, the eleven final pieces, plus all the other stuff that got sewn and works with the wardrobe but didn't make the cut for the photographs LOL. 

My colours are also easy.  Since I started sewing with endless collections, where everything has to go with something else in the closet, I've limited myself to colours that work together well.  So, black (deep grey), blue, red/cranberry, plum, and deep cinnamon brown are the backbone of my clothes colours.  I can't see that changing any time soon.  It makes getting dressed in the morning really easy.

So, enough of the complaining--time to do some problem solving about this swap thing.  There has to be a way of making this work (literally). 

The great Wardrobe Challenge

In my spare time, I do things like sew, costume, play music, write, sing and all those other creative type things. This month's fun is brought to you by the great Wardrobe challenge (sewing with a plan). This concept has been featured in Australian Stitches for many years, and has fascinated me. One night, in the middle of writing report cards when everyone else was actually elsewhere, I spent about four hours searching the interent about sewing a wardrobe. I found this article, about sewing a wardrobe:

http://www.timmelfabrics.com/wardrobe.htm

Of course, I missed the contest by more than a month, but such is life. Since I didn't know it existed, it was hard to join it. But, since I had just finished a bias cut tank top and a prarie style skirt of a rayon print from my extensive stash, I thought I should come up with something to go with it.

Then I found a similar contest, on Sewing Pattern Review. I liked two things about it: I didn't have to buy anything to join (this is an issue for me, since I have a pattern and fabric stash that resembles a small store, and have no need to purchase something just to join a constest!), and the bottom line was that we were all winners, since we ended up with a great wardrobe. So, I joined Patternreview.com, and took the plunge and started a wardrobe. (Did I mention that I love to sew?). Since I had just finished the blue skirt and bias cut top to match out of the scraps, I thought I should try and coordinate a comfortable summer wardrobe to go.

The rules are pretty simple:

At least 3 bottoms; more tops than bottoms; at least one accessory, and it all has to work together.

The tops:

Simplicity 4076, view F and E (the Knot top), with sleeves from view B.

White cotton lycra, trimmed with lingerie lace

Lilac cotton single knit (with no stretch!)

and navy cotton lycra.

The pants:

Burda jeans pattern: 8085, done in over embroidered black stretch denim, and in a mid weight navy stretch denim. (I had to lengthen the top with lace, because it looked too short. )

The tank top is one I drafted from my moulage, and I made 3 tank tops, and a white t-shirt from the pattern (so far...).

Last, but not least, I sewed a couple of pairs of knit capri pants (navy and aqua). I think my wardrobe is pretty close to done (although, I do believe that this is beyond my limit...everything still goes together, and is mix and match. Of course, to prove it, I have to actually not be wearing it, or having it in the laundry.....