Vogue 9311: Playing Dress-up

My every-day wardrobe consists of easy-to-wear layers. But once I year, I have the opportunity to really dress-up. The choir that I sing with, Oregon Repertory Singers has an annual fundraiser where formal attire is required. I always look forward to the opportunity to sew and wear something special.

In past years, I’ve sewn cocktail length dresses, but this year, I wanted something different, so I decided to go ‘long’. Honestly, in all my years of sewing, I’ve only sewn a couple of long dresses. What?? I know!! If it isn’t time now, when will it be?  

For the pattern, I chose Vogue 9311, a long dress with optional sleeves and ruffle. I love the v-neck line and think that it gives the dress a look of elegance. I made the long sleeve version, but shortened them to 3/4 length. Instead of cuffs, I used elastic to gather the base of the sleeves. I wanted to be able to push them up and away from my dinner:). 

The biggest challenge with this make was the fabric. I love the look of this burnout velvet, but it really was tough to work with. The shimmer comes from shiny gold fibres that are woven into the spaces between the sections of velvet ‘burnout’ and they tended to snag. Also, the fabric frayed like crazy so I finished all the edges with my serger before sewing the seams. I purchased microtex needles which really worked nicely! 

Even though the pattern doesn’t call for a lining, I chose to line the bodice and skirt with solid black silk. This really helped give the skirt more body and structure. The lining was easy to create and gave the entire dress a nice finished feel. It’s so lovely to wear! The ties are meant to be worn in the back, but they were so long, I was able to play around with the look, and decided I liked them better in front. 

I’m pretty pleased with my new frock and absolutely love this Vogue pattern. It’s been in my stash for awhile, and I’m so glad I finally decided to make it. I can imagine a version for Spring, maybe in linen. I really enjoyed wearing this dress last weekend. It felt so elegant. The good news is that I’ll have another chance to wear it when we sing with the Oregon Symphony in April.

This project really marks the end of winter sewing for me. I’m really ready to sew up some of my lovely woven fabrics for Spring and Summer. How about you?

Happy sewing and thanks for stopping by!

A New Look Knit Dress from Neglected Fabric

Do you follow #magamsewalong on Instagram? I find the monthly sew alongs created by @suestoney and @sewinginspain to be so inspirational. This month’s theme is Neglected. The idea is to create a project using somethng you’ve ignored for too long. This fabric has languished in my stash for years. I have no idea where I bought it or why!  Now, finally, the neglected has become a dress.

You can see my friend Mitchell had to participate in this photo shoot. If I want some attention from him, I just put on a pair of black tights, LOL.

Knit dresses are really my wardrobe go-to at this time of year. (see others here and here). You can throw them on them over a pair of cozy leggings and still manage to look polished. 

Speaking of neglected…I’ve been using so many Indie sewing patterns, I’ve neglected the new offerings from the Big 4 pattern companies. A few weeks ago I took the time to peruse their Fall offerings. New Look 6632 caught my eye because of the princess seams and empire waist, details you can’t always find in a knit pattern. Also, it has in-seam front pockets…perfection!

Of course, I couldn’t resist using a bit of contrasting fabric on the side panels. It always feels good to use a remnant I’ve saved from an old project!

Construction of this dress was pretty easy. There isn’t a zipper. Instead, the dress slips over your head. I modified the pattern and finished the neck with a contrasting knit band instead of the suggested bias binding. I cut a size ten based on the pattern envelope measurements, and the pattern fit welll without adjustment. 

Of course, I had to make the optional cowl neck that’s removable…so cozy! I love my new dress made from neglected fabric. Thanks to #magamsewalong for inspiring me!

Happy sewing and thanks for stopping by!

Italy: My Favorite Linen Travel Dress

Hi All! I had a wonderful trip to Italy and am now easing back into real life. I’m still battling the effects of the 9 hour time difference, but last night I slept through the night so things are looking up!

Although the weather here in Portland is a bit on the cool side, I wanted to share the dress I wore the most in Italy – – a linen dress that I finished the day we left, LOL!!! As usual, I decided at the last minute to add a dress to my travel wardrobe.

These photos were taken in the Villa Cimbrone Garden in Ravello Italy, a breath taking town perched on a cliff high above the Amalfi coast.

This linen dress was my go-to garment on the trip because the weather was warmer than expected. I thought I’d wear this dress with a tee shirt under it to protect my upper arms from the sun, but it was hot so the tee shirt stayed in the suitcase. I chose to stand in the shade often and managed to avoid a sunburn.

Dress Construction – To sew this dress, I modified my favorite loose fitting top pattern, the Grainline Hadley. The cut of this top is so flattering on everyone I think, with two neck options to choose from.

For the dress bodice, I used the sleeveless Hadley without the back pleat and lengthened the Hadley bodice by 6 inches. This became the A-line shaped bodice of the dress, complete with high – low hem.

The back button placket is a non-functional add on, just for looks. To make it, I sewed together two long strips of fabric then added buttons. After the placket was in place, I focussed on drafting the skirt. I cut two huge rectangles, that were 1 and a half times the bottom width of the Hadley. These I sewed together, then gathered and attached them to the bottom of the bodice. That’s all there was to it.

Fabric – Linen was the perfect fabric for Italy. It made me comfortable no matter what the weather. Personally, I could care less about the wrinkles. For this dress, I used a solid blue linen from my stash, purchased last season at the Mill End Store. The striped linen is from Joann’s.

This dress is so fun to wear!

Swinging wasn’t in my vacation plans, but when you’re on the Amalfi coast, why not? I enjoyed wearing linen so much on my trip, I’m determined to find ways to sew with it year round! Any thoughts on this idea?

Sewing plans – As the travel fog lifts and I put away my summer clothes, I know I’ll be inspired to sew a few fall things. I hope there will be a new trench coat, maybe a short wool coat too so watch for those posts.

Happy sewing and thanks for stopping by!

An Easy Burda Dress You Can Sew in Two Hours

IMG_1018This dress was a spur of the moment project. I decided the morning of an event that I wanted a new dress to wear that afternoon. There’s nothing like waiting  until the last minute, eh?! It’s too bad that #Jiffyjune is over because, honestly, this project has jiffy written all over it. It took less than two hours from start to finish.

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Fortunately, I had the perfect pattern for a last minute sew waiting in my stash.

This Burda pattern (6345) is a real keeper. I understand from the Burda Style website that it was featured in the magazine in 2016 (6/2016/101). I didn’t subscribe back then, so missed it, but it was instant love when I saw it in the Burda pattern book this summer.

This dress is so easy, yet the design is so visually interesting. The sleeves are part of the yoke, which makes sewing so simple.

IMG_1026I used a medium weight jersey that I had in my stash (yeah, a stash buster).  The pattern suggests using stripes because the design is such a perfect canvas for ‘stripe play’. I love how changing the direction of the stripes on the yoke really makes this dress pop! There isn’t a zipper to install…the dress just slips over your head. The neck is simply finished with a gand cut on the bias – so easy!

Because this pattern is made for knits, fit issues for me were next to none. I cut my usual size, and it fit without adjustments. I finsihed the seams with my serger, so even though this was a quick sew,  the inside of the dress looks great.

IMG_1020I’m so pleased with my spur of the moment dress! It will likely be my garment of choice tomorrow for the Fourth of July; Independence Day here in the states, since red, white and blue are the colors of the day.

 

I do love a quick, jiffy sew (am I the only one who sews a garment 2 hours before a party?). I have a bin in my pattern stash that’s marked ‘jiffy and some of my favorite patterns live there (hmmm, might be a future post?). It’s so nice to add this lovely new pattern to my  bin.  Thanks, Burda!!

Happy sewing and thanks for stopping by!      

Burda 6330 in Striped Linen

IMG_0552I’m really in love with the Summer catalog for Burda patterns. There are so many great styles this season. This make and my last make are both from this collection and I know, there will be a few more.

I have to say – – this dress was so fun to sew!

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Sometimes, I don’t know why I enjoy one project more than another, but in this instance, the reason is clear. It’s all about this striped linen (Joann’s). The weight is perfect for a dress, and I loved playing with the placement of the stripes.  As you all know, sometimes, stripe placement can be a headache that takes the joy out of a project. This time, it was a blast.

My pattern, Burda 6339, is unique in several ways.

The waistband has a slight curve (hard to see in the line drawings) which makes it fit so well. Also, that piece is cut on the cross grain as are the sleeve bands. So, those pieces are designed as contrast pieces which works nicely with my stripes.

The trickiest bit here was to get the sleeves and sleeve bands to match perfectly.

IMG_0510Since the pattern on this linen repeats, I had to cut the critical pieces one at a time from a single layer of fabric to insure that the placement of the would be right. Repeating patterns always make me crazy (!!) but I love the challenge they present too. I’m always amazed/surprised when it actually works out. I was able to get a good match on the sleeves, the sleeve band, the bodice and the skirt too.

The construction method for finishing the neckline of this dress is really nice. There’s a wide facing that doesn’t just face the neck, but it wraps around the armsyce too.IMG_0720

This means that after the sleeve is inserted, the facing is really secure. It won’t pop up no matter what. It provides a nice finished look to the insides of the dress to, which makes this sewist so happy!

IMG_0548I also have to give a shout out to Joann’s for carrying this lovely linen. Good linen is always such a pleasure to sew and wear, it’s the fabric I look for first when I shop. I’m fussy about the quality, and am really pleased with this particular linen from Joann’s. A few years ago, I wouldn’t have even bothered to look at their linen, but this year, their inventory is expanded and really interesting. I hope this trend continues!

Speaking of trends, my pattern stash of Burda catalog patterns is really limited. Now that I’ve made two patterns from the summer collection, I’m sure I’ll peruse their catalog next Fall and Winter rather carefully.  It’s so strange that I’ve ignored that catalog before….Hmmmm. Is it the catalog photos that don’t inspire or the fact that there are fewer sales….? Or maybe I’m the only clueless one?

As you can see, I wore my only pair of red shoes with this dress. Which do you think came first…the shoes, or the fabric?  🙂 Happy sewing and thanks for stopping by!

 

 

 

A Burda ‘Back Interest’ Dress for Summer

The term ‘back interest’ on a pattern always makes me chuckle, but when I’m done, I give it a long second look! That’s what happened with this Burda make. The photo on the envelope made me yawn, but then I flipped the envelope over and saw the line diagram of the V- back…Sold!

The weather has been promising here this week. We hit 100 degrees two days ago, a bit much for me, but so inspiring. Hot weather is perfect for my newest make, Burda 6439.

Usually, my Burda makes are laboriously traced from the pattern sheets included in the magazine, a task I sometimes resent. I’m so thrilled that this particular Burda pattern required no tracing at all, just a purchase at Joann’s. I made view B, because, well…the V! I made it from a lovely crinkle rayon, purchased at Joann’s as well. I love the drape of this fabric. There was a slight breeze the day I took these photos, and the fabric fluttered in such a lovely way!

For this dress, I cut the smallest size (according to my measurements) and it was still a bit big. I had to adjust the side seams and the back seam before inserting the invisible zipper. I’d recommend sizing down if you’re in the mood to give this one a try. Also, my crinkle rayon may have been a factor as the weave is loose. A fabric with a tighter weave (linen, cotton) would likely behave differently. The pattern goes together quickly ( no sleeves to set in) and the fit of the bodice is forgiving, so there isn’t anything tricky here. The instructions were very complete too, which made it such a pleasurable sew!

Love the side slit!

As I recently shared here, I had a few aha moments about what I like to wear during Me Made May. I was surprised to discover that if I have an option, I choose pants over dresses. Upon further reflection, I think my wardrobe choices during May are often weather driven. It’s never as warm as one would like in Oregon. Now though, the weather situation has shifted dramatically. Yesterday, it was so hot, I wore a dress and was so happy I did. So, I see no immediate reason to abandon my passion for sewing dresses…I’ll continue to do so but with more intention. This dress has already attended a barbecue and will likely go on a summer vacation as well.

This is my second make with crinkle rayon and I love wearing it! My fabric stash is loaded with linens and cottons, but this make renewed my love of rayon. It breathes and feels like silk against your skin. It’s always nice to remember there are lots of lovely fabric options. I also love wearing longer lengths in the summer. Mid length is such a nice option in rayon because the fabric breathes!

My fabric stash is huge right now, so I’m back to enforcing my rule that I must sew 3 stash projects before a fabric purchase can be made. I’m going to Italy and London this fall and must have my stash under control before I visit those lovely fabric stores:).

Happy sewing and thanks for stopping by!

Sew Over It Meredith Wrap Dress

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I was so pleased to be invited to be a Pattern Insider for Sew Over It patterns. I’ve been in love with their designs (especially the awesome Cocoon Coat here) so I’m excited to have the opportunity to show your their new release patterns here.

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The Meredith Wrap Dress was love at first sight for me. I do love a good wrap dress and this one did not disappoint. It comes in a short and love version with sleeve length variations.

I made the longer version, probably because the weather has been so cool here lately. As summer heat rolls in though, I might be inclined to shorten this hem a bit.

IMG_6130I’m so impressed with the fit of this dress! There isn’t a gap at the front and the neckline is just right, not too low like some patterns. I cut the size my measurements indicated and it fit perfectly, without any adjustments, always a win if you ask me:). Assembling the dress is pretty straightforward. Unlike some other wrap dresses I’ve tried, this pattern has one long front facing which makes it easy to stitch this dress together quickly. The two front bodices are mirror images of each other (rather than one bodice cut wide and one narrow to make the wrap), so the wrap closure is secure and comfortable to wear. The sleeves set in beautifully.  The tie is attached to the front facings before they’re stitched together.

 

IMG_6085I made my dress out of a soft jersey that I found at Modern Domestic here in Portland (also on-line). It’s the loveliest fabric to wear and sew with – – if only I could wear this dress all the time. It has just the right amount of two way stretch for the Meredith Dress. Really, any stretchy knit will do! I could imagine this in a silky rayon knit, or in a scuba knit too.

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The Meredith gets a big thumbs up from me, and there will likely be more of these in my future. I love my print jersey version, but could see this working well in a solid color. It would make a very elegant little black dress don’t you think?  Hmmm… The Meredith was just released, and it should be up on the Sew Over It website now.

Happy sewing and thanks for stopping by.

Disclaimer: As a Sew Over It Pattern Insider, I receive a free pdf copy of the pattern in return for my review, but the opinion expressed here is mine:)

Perth dress: #So50Visible

IMG_4344 2This new linen dress was inspired by the challenge on Instagram, the #So50Visible, created by the #SewOver50 gang.  The idea of the challenge is to find a pattern where the photo features a model who is over 50. Sounds easy, Right? If only…. In my search for a pattern, I couldn’t find any over 50 models in McCalls, Butterick, Vogue or Burda. Simplicity had only two. I was shocked.

When I turned to the Indie patterns, I found a few more, and I’m so pleased that my search led me to this fabulous pattern, the Perth Dress and Top by Carolyn and Cassie (Carolyn is from the blog Handmade by Carolyn). The photos of the pattern include Carolyn herself as a model…fabulous!!  I haven’t made a pattern by Carolyn and Cassie before (Cassie is her daughter), so this qualifies this make for the #BGchallenge (Breaking Ground Challenge) too!

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The Perth dress is a shirtdress that includes some classic menswear details like a traditional collar stand and generously shaped collar. It has all the trimmings of a shirt dress, but without all of the buttons (yay) so if you’ve postponed making a shirt dress because of the buttons, this option is clearly for you!

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Details: My favorite detail on this dress is the button and the front pleat. It’s so cleverly designed because, by buttoning the collar, you create the lovely pleated front of the dress.  There’s also a back yoke, a black pleat and lovely in seam pockets. The style looks structured but it has the ease and flow of a flouncy, fun dress. Because the dress is loose fitting, you choose the size by your bust measurement.

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The pattern is expertly crafted with some great constructions details that are carefully explained by Carolyn. The back yoke is constructed burrito style. If you haven’t tried it, it’s a fabulous way to get a clean finish on the inside. The front pleat and collar and stand look much harder than they are. There’s one button, but two buttonholes, and it was fun to see how, by buttoning the dress, you suddenly have this wonderful pleat in the front. The only modification I made was to the dress was to shorten the collar points by about a half of an inch, just because I like a smaller collar.

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The success of this dress depends in large part on the fabric. In order for the dress to have some lovely movement, you need a fabric with the right amount of drape, but also with enough body to support the precise construction required for a collar and stand. Linen is perfect for all of these tasks, so I chose a lovely mustard linen from the Mill End Store here in Portland as well as a contrasting white linen for the collar. This fabric was amazing to work with – – it has a slight texture to it, a rare find that I wish I had more of.

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I love my new poufy dress and am so happy that this challenge led me to a new, fun pattern. Thanks to Carolyn and Cassie for bringIMG_4344ing this pattern to life with a real life model who is over 50. And I’m so grateful to everyone involved in the #So50Visible challenge. It’s fun, and informative and it made me much more aware. Let’s hope pattern companies take notice…

Happy Sewing and thanks for stopping by.

Sew Twists and Ties: the Ruska Knot Dress

 

When Named Clothing released their book, Breaking the Pattern, I could hardly wait to get my hands on it! I’m not a big fan of sewing books, but the Named Clothing designs really appeal to me (here, here, and here, ). Their modern, pared-down vibe is so contemporary and elegant. So, I asked Santa for a copy and he delivered.

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The book was even better than I expected. Breaking the Pattern is all about taking their basic patterns, and ‘breaking’ them apart with variations and hacks. The book comes with ten patterns with two variations each and instructions on how to do more. In fact, the ten patterns in the book can generate fifty variations (!!) which makes this book and its patterns an economical choice. The ‘easy’ patterns are at the beginning of the book..the hard ones at the end. All the patterns are included  – – you trace the ones you like.

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The Ruska knit dress caught my eye right away which isn’t a big surprise. These days, I’m really drawn to knit dresses. After watching a few episodes of Marie Kondo ‘tidying up’, I’ve been ‘Kondoing’ my wardrobe. Guess what! Knit dresses and tops consistently bring me joy (secret pajamas!!). They make great layering pieces too over tights, leggings, even jeans.

 

 

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The Ruska can be made as a basic dress, a tee or with a knotted tie in the front. It’s probably no surprise to anyone that I immediately went for the version with the knot in the front, LOL! Admittedly, I do have a ‘thing’ for ties, knots and twists (proof available here, here and here.) And, there’s a challenge on Instagram this month, hosted by Meg from Cookin and Craftin, Sew Twists and Ties, which I just can’t resist!

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For the dress, a firm knit with good recovery is recommended. For my first version (the aubergine version above), I used stretch velor (Britex.com) with medium stretch, but not great recovery. Yes, this fabric is a bit thick for this dress, but I have been trying for years to re-create a stretchy velor dress I had in high school! The dress turned out well, especially when you consider the fabric wasn’t perfect. The fit was good without fuss, and it felt stylish and comfortable So, I couldn’t resist trying the Ruska again with a another knit fabric.

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This knit from Joann’s is fabulous; a wool blend with great recovery. There’s such a difference in the look and feel of this dress. I made this version long (midi length) for fun. We’ll see if I leave it that long, LOL. I tend to favor shorter dresses because I feel more energetic in them for some reason. Maybe it’s the fabric against my legs that makes the difference? Obviously, the drape of this knit is better for the dress, and the fit is sleeker too.

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This dress went together quickly, and the instructions in the book were easy to follow. I was so pleased with the fit. I found my measurements on the size chart in the book and found it accurate. There really weren’t any construction challenges. The knot and tie look trickier to sew than they really are. The tie is part of an overlay piece that just fits over the basic dress and is attached at the shoulder and side seams.  The edges of the tie are finished with a narrow machine hem. Easy!

I’m giving this pattern a big thumbs up! The fit of the Ruska is such a winner for me, I’m going to use the basic tee option to sew to fill some gaps in my basic wardrobe. I’ll make the Ruska this summer with a colorful jersey, maybe even a stripe.

Yay!! A couple of new dresses that will ‘bring me joy’. (Are any of you as focussed as I am on ‘Kondoing’ my wardrobe, my house, my life???) This pattern was a great way to ease into using this book. I can’t wait to try a some of other patterns this Spring.

If you’ve been on the fence about buying it, give it a look. Yes, you have to trace the patterns, but the sheets aren’t nearly as crazy as they could be (Burda Style, anyone?).

Thanks to Meg at Cookin and Craftin for hosting this fun challenge! Happy sewing and thanks for stopping by.

Burda Style Cocoon Dress

I have to admit it…There was very little forethought behind these two new ‘makes’. I made these cocoon dresses on a whim….merely because I thought they would look pretty good with my new Cocoon coat (here)! Shallow…but true. Now that the 2018 RTW fast is over, I’m feeling quite free. I can sew anything I want without a single thought about whether I ‘need’ it to fill a hole in my wardrobe or not.  Frivilous sewing is the life for me!!

I’m such a sucker for a good knit dress in the winter, so if anyone waves a pattern in front of my face that gives me an excuse to make yet another one, I’m all in. And this one has pockets, which makes it perfect!

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I absolutely love a dress with side seams that wrap around to the front. I’m a big fan of stand up collars too….so Audrey Hepburn!

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Burda Style patterns have never been on the top of my list because they come in a magazine insert, so they all have to be traced onto pattern paper before they’re cut and sewn, and, well, I hate tracing patterns. I’d much rather buy a paper pattern, thank you very much. But the design of this dress was too good to pass up. So, I put on a binge worthy show just did it. This Burda Style pattern (1/2019/111) was worth the effort.

 

I loved the pattern so much I made two versions – – one from a soft, ‘poppy’ colored sweater knit I bought at the Mill End Store, and one from a textured sweat shirt jersey that I found at Joann’s (on sale!).

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It’s always interesting to see how different a dress/pattern looks with a two different knits. The gray textured jersey is a heavier moderate stretch knit so the dress and collar look more structured in that fabric. The poppy knit is so soft with a bit more stretch so the fit is loose and easy.

The dress went together easily. The collar is cut as part of the bodice so that makes things simple. The shape of the dress is created by the forward placement of the side seams. The hardest detail is the zipper at the back. Fitting is pretty straightforward…you can modify at the side or center back seam. I used a double needle for the sleeve hem and dress hem.

I love the neckline and the cocoon shape of this pattern – obviously, I’ll likely make it again. And the best part? Both dresses work under my new coat:)

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It’s always fun to follow an intense project like a coat with a less involved project, a palate cleanser! To be honest, the tracing of the pattern wasn’t as bad as I expected…really went pretty quickly and I’m getting better at figuring out all of those crazy lines on the magazine insert. So, there will definitely be more Burda Style makes in my future.

I  hope your New Year has had a strong start. I’m excited about all of the sewing happenings this month – – the Pattern Review Sewing Bee started this week. I’m not participating this year, but I love watching the fun. There should be lots of inspiration there. I’m hoping to make something for Sew Japanese In January, and there’s the Day/Night Dress Challenge coming up next month, hosted by Elizabeth Made This! Lots to look forward to…

Happy sewing and thanks for stopping by!