A New Blouse Silhouette with Simplicity S3103

Another new pattern to review.  This is a recent release:  Simplicity S3103.  I paired it with Vogue V1294.  These slacks were made last winter.  I just never posted pictures of them.  They look good with this top.

Pattern Description:  Simplicity vague description - blouse with sleeve variations

Pattern Sizing:  4 - 24; I used size 16 with modifications View B

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?

Pretty much.  I think the top pictured on the envelope looks longer than mine.  I thought about making it again adding a few inches to the hem. 

Were the instructions easy to follow?  Yes.  They were pretty easy to follow. 

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? Looking at the pattern, I initially liked the funnel neck and the sleeves of view C.  I was concerned about how my upper body would look in this silhouette.    Additionally, I didn't care too much for how the armhole facing looked once it was finished.  

Fabric Used: This is a silky polyester print that I purchased from Mood Fabrics several years ago.  I was drawn to it because of the print and colors in the fabric.  I only purchased one yard hoping I would be able to make a simple top.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:  I made my usual adjustments:  FBA, swayback, and prominent shoulder blades.  The FBA produced an additional waist dart plus and bust dart.  I made the bust dart slightly on an angle.  It almost disappears in the fabric.  One other change needed for me is the width of the funnel.  It stands out too far from my neck.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? Yes, I will make it again.  I want to make view C with a few more inches added to the hem.  And yes, I do recommend it to others.  One word of caution, pay close mention with finishing the armhole with the facing.


Conclusion:  This is a easy top to sew.  If you need a FBA, it may produce an additional waist dart.  You can also consider making the original waist dart deeper if you do not want to add another one.

P.S.  -  I'm hoping my DD will be able to take some pictures soon of me wearing my newly made outfits.

Stay Tuned!

C

The Brocade Makes The Jacket - Butterick B6915

A little over a year ago, I briefly mentioned my work on the muslin for the jacket of this pattern.  Since that time, I did more tweaking of the pattern and decided to use a beautiful brocade that I purchased from Mood Fabrics several years ago during a visit to New York.  

I thought the style of the jacket was the perfect match for the brocade.  Granted I did want to reduce any chance of something going wrong or turning out wonky before I cut into my fabric.  I really love the fabric and wanted to make something special with it.   

We are now in the hot, muggy days of summer.  It was 94 degrees when I took the photos of me wearing my outfit.  Though the coloration of my new suit is bright and cheery, it is perfect for the fall/winter season.  

Pattern Description:  Classic two-piece suit with a twist.  Lined jacket draws asymmetrically across the body and fastens with three buttons.  Jacket features flap detail at front.  Pants come in ankle length and includes invisible zipper on the side.  View C are wide leg pants.  I made view A and B.

Pattern Sizing:  It comes in two size groups (8 - 16) and (18 - 26) I used size 16 with modifications.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?  Yes, my outfit does look like the drawing and the suit that the model is wearing.  

Were the instructions easy to follow?  The instructions were typical and easy to follow.  There was nothing confusing about them.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?  

Likes -

• The asymmetrical style line of the jacket.
• The pleats at the neckline of the jacket
• The princess seam.

Dislikes -

• The one piece sleeve.  I prefer a two piece sleeve for a suit jacket.  These sleeves were snug and there was too much in the sleeve cap for my fabric.  When I made the muslin the amount of ease in the sleeve cap was easy to work into the armhole.  But in the brocade it was slightly difficult.  I had to set the sleeve three times.

Fabric Used:  My fabrics were purchased at Mood Fabrics during a trip to met up with several sewing friends (Carolyn, Andrea, Gaylen)  in New York.  My jacket fabric is a silk brocade and the pants is a medium weight polyester satin.  

 
Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:  I made several pattern adjustments beginning with the full bust adjustment and my usual back adjustments.  I also lengthen the sleeves and added an inch width to the upper arm area.  For the pants I had to lengthen the leg and crotch.  Sorry no photo of that adjustment.

After making the adjustments and a muslin, I still needed to make a few tweaks as I sewed.  Below is a photo of me fitting the lower half of the jacket along side of photo of the finished outfit.  See the difference in the flare of the peplum.  I ripped it all out and reduced the peplum along the sides. 

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?  I think once is enough.  But, I do recommend this pattern to others.  You should make a muslin before cutting into your fashion fabric.

Conclusion: I'm pleased with how this suit turned out.  I'll probably wear it the first chance I get when cooler weather returns.  This pattern is not difficult to sew. It's time consuming and you should take your time and enjoy the process.

Easy, Breezy Summer Dress - Simplicity S8735 and Simplicity S8637

There is nothing like a floaty, breezy summer dress.  This one has been in the making for two years.  Last week I finally finished it, and I am glad I did. 

 

Here again, I decided to use two different patterns to come up with the style that I wanted.  I used Simplicity S8735 for the bodice and Simplicity S8637 for the skirt and the flounce sleeve.  

I decided to use S8735 because it included different patterns for the cup sizes.  So all I needed to do was select my cup size and tweak it a little bit.  For the skirt, it was very easy.  No serious fit adjustments; just a little tweaking.  I used size 16 for both.  Both patterns are over six years old.  But they may be still in print. 

 

Because the bodice of S8735 is above the waist, my dress also sits above the waist.  That's something that you need to pay attention to if you're splicing patterns together.  

What I like about my new dress is:

• The wrap - I love a wrap dress.  Perfect for my body shape.
• Princess seam - easy to make fit adjustments.  In this case, having the different cup sizes made it even easier.
• The flounce on the skirt - Who doesn't love a full skirt dress. 
• The flounce of the sleeve - I wanted to try something a little different.  This is a cute style design.

No dislikes.

The fabric is from Mood Fabrics.  They may not have it in stock.  It's been in my collection for at least 4 years.  But I’m sure they have similar cottons that would look great in a summer dress.

 

I'll wear this fit and flare beauty as soon as an opportunity presents itself.

 

More sewing projects to come.  So stay tuned!

 

Happy Sewing,

C

Faux Shaved Lamb Fall Coat - Burda Style 7028

I finished this months ago, and it was just in time for the midwestern mild winter.  

I've wanted to make View A for quite some time, and I knew I would make some changes.  Starting with, adding a collar.  And in this case I did just that.  Anyway, here is a quick pattern review of this coat project. 

Pattern Description:  Coat and jacket.  That's all Burda Style indicates on the envelope.  Their descriptions are just as vague as their sewing instructions.  But I must admit, they always have interesting styles.  So, I will add that view A is a cocoon style coat with waist darts and in-seam pockets.  Both views are lined and have drop sleeves.

Pattern Sizing:  The pattern comes in  sizes 10 to 22.  I used a size 16. 

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?  Pretty much.  I made a few minor changes.  Instead of one button, my coat has three. 

Were the instructions easy to follow? The instructions were typical Burda.  Nothing difficult or confusing.  I did make a few changes in how I constructed my coat.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?  

 

Likes:

• The cocoon silhouette of the coat.  I've never made or had a coat styled like this.
• The front in-seam pockets. 

Dislikes:

• Construction of the lining and how it is sewn to the coat.  I followed this step.  After I completed it, I tried it on to see how the coat would lay/hang on my body.  The hem was all wonky.  There needs to be at least an inch hem in the coat to help it hang better, which I did around the curve from one side to the other.  That improve the hang of the coat. 

Fabric Used: This coat is made with Theory black faux shaved lamb (#313222) from Mood Fabrics.  It has been in my stash for at least four years.  So Mood may not have it in stock anymore.  It is soft to the touch and has a knit backing.  It was easy to sew.  For the lining, I used a crepe back satin that I purchased at JoAnn's.  The weight of it adds a bit more thickness to the medium weight coat. 

 

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:  I really didn't do much in the area of fit alterations.  I used size 16.  But I think size 14 would have been better.  The sleeves were extremely long (Cut them to appropriate length) and the neckline is a little too roomy.  I did take in the sides about one inch for a slightly closer fit. I added buttons.  One button isn't enough.  Lol  And, I used the crepe satin to make the button loops.  No other changes other than the hem construction that I mention above.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?  I really think that I may sew it again.  Maybe next time with a detachable collar.  Just for fun.  I do recommend it to others.  You may want to make a muslin before cutting into your fashion fabric. Wink, wink.

Conclusion:   I like how this coat turned out.  It is quite different from any other coat that I've made.  So that’s it for now.

 

Happy Sewing!

C

 

 

Romantic Floral Dress - Birthday Dress 2022 B6320 and M8090

Hi There!
 
It's seems like forever since I last blog anything! I've been so occupied with other things.  I took a break from my usual sewing and blogging to complete a major goal, which I’ll share at a later date. 
 
Anyway, I'm happy to post a pattern review on my last birthday dress that I finished in September 2022.  A long time ago, right?  There are a few things that encouraged me to write a post.  (1) I was nominated (by two people on Facebook) to post things I've made for a certain number of days.  (2) Lately, I've been thinking a lot about sewing and blogging, and how much I've missed sharing and interacting with fellow sewists.
 
So today I want to review my birthday dress that I made for 2022.  I designed it using the bodice of Butterick B6320 and the skirt of McCall's M8090.  I really enjoy splicing two or three patterns together to come up with an entirely new design.  The bodice of B6320 is really cute, but for this dress I wanted a fuller skirt.  So I chose the tiers from M8090 to complement the bodice.
 
Pattern Description:
 

Butterick B6320 - Misses dress and jumpsuit:  Dress and straight-legged jumpsuit (semi-fitted through hips) have semi-fitted bodice and midriff, raised waist, tie ends, side pockets, armhole bands, and back zipper.  A:  self-lined sleeves B: bias sleeve band. B & C: front pleated pants. Separate pattern pieces for cup sizes.
 
McCall's M8090 - Misses' loose fitting dress has skirt tiers and sleeve variations.  B:  Lace trim.
 
I used B6320 view B bodice.  The bias binding on the sleeve is a really nice detail.  For the skirt of the dress I used the three tiers of M8090, no pockets.
 
Pattern Sizing:

Both patterns come in sizes from 6 to 22.  I used size 16 with modifications.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?

The dress bodice looks like B6320 (View B) and the skirt has the gathered tiered look of M8090.  Together the look is different from either pattern.

Were the instructions easy to follow? What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?

The instructions of both patterns are easy to follow.  Nothing difficult to understand or follow.   

Likes:

• Midriff of the bodice
• Bias binding on the sleeve
• Design of the bodice in general
• Tiered skirt
• Fullness of the skirt

Dislikes:

• As the dress is, I have no dislikes.  This style/design works for me.

Fabric Used:

I purchased the beautiful floral gauze from Mood Fabrics last summer.  It is still available if anyone cares to purchase  it.  Here is the link for the fabric,  This fabric is lovely.  It's perfect for spring/summer.  The fiber content is 100% viscose.  Easy pressing and handling.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:

My design change was to splice the two patterns together to come up with a new design for the dress.

I did do some tweaking of the bodice.  But it wasn't my usual intense slashing to make it fit.  I used the cup D for starters and made my adjustments from there. Other than that, I really didn't make huge adjustments to get a good fit.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?

I will probably use B6320 bodice again.  My plan is to make the dress of M8090.  And I recommend both patterns to others if this is a style that you like.

Conclusion:

I like how my dress turned out.  Each year I make it a point to make myself a birthday dress.  This addition was more like a summer dress, but it was a perfect choice for last September.  It was a very bright and sunny day. More summer like than fall.  

As for the patterns, both are great choices to begin your spring/summer wardrobe.  

Happy Sewing!  It's good to be back blogging and sharing.

Purple Flower Power Dress Revealed - Vogue V1858

 

It has been almost a whole month since I last posted about this dress.  I had mentioned that I wanted to do something extra.  My "extra" was to add some silk flowers and petals to the dress.  It took me a while to decide how to place the flowers and the petals on it.  I knew I wanted to make a corsage like flower, not detachable.  Also, I thought of putting one flower at the hem.  I still wasn't sold on the placement.  

After talking with Rhonda about my idea, she helped me rearrange the flowers and the petals.  So today, finally, I'm sharing how I finished the purple flower power dress.  First, I added three flowers at the top shoulder area.  The one directly on top is a detachable corsage.  I was afraid that it would get mangled if I sewed it onto the dress.  The leaves were the biggest concern.  The remaining two were placed on the back shoulder, kind of in a cluster like a bouquet.  Then I sewed on petals falling down the back of the dress with the majority of them at the hem.  To complement the beaded zipper, I added a few beads to each petal and flower. 

I changed the length of the dress as well.  Initially, I added several inches to it.  After taking a few pictures, I decided to shorten it a bit.  Above are a few photos taken prior to the floral additions and the length adjustment.  So, that's it for now.  

I haven't made anything new since March.  I've been busy with other things.  We will see what the coming warmer season brings.

BTW- This was my Easter dress.  

Happy Sewing!

C

Birthday Dress Reveal! - Vogue V1672

 

I'm so happy to finally reveal my birthday dress!

Vogue V1672 is a great pattern design.  I love so many things about it.  This is another one I'm going to make again.  ;-)

My Notes on a Pattern post gave you some information about my initial fit adjustments.  And for the most part they were spot on.  For the actual dress, I still needed to make a few little tweaks.  Nothing major though.  And that is why it is so important to make a muslin.  

Today, it feels like summer all over again.  It's 88 degrees and very sunny.  So we took advantage of this beautiful day and decided to do the photo shoot outside.  I have to hand it to my photographer, my DD.  She is always so willing to help me with the picture taking of me actually wearing the things that I make for myself. I am so grateful to have her help me.

Anyway, here is the rest of my review of this lovely dress.

Pattern Description:  This dress is described as: Lined dress with fitted bodice, side seam pockets, back zipper, and sleeve variations.  It is available in two size groupings (4-14 and 14-22).

NOTE:  The pattern envelope indicates that there are side seam pockets and the back view drawings show pockets.  But there is no pocket pattern included.  This is no biggie, you can used a pocket pattern from another design.  Vogue should update this error.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?  Yes, my dress does look like the pictures on the envelope.  I didn't to the top stitching as shown in view A, and my sleeves are shorter.  I was aiming for more of a 3/4 length sleeve.

Were the instructions easy to follow?  The instructions were typical.  Nothing in them was confusing or difficult to follow.  I omitted several steps based on how I wanted my dress finished.  I will discuss that in the design changes and alterations.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?  There is so much I like about this pattern.  It has great bones.  My likes:

• I love the full skirt.  It is very lady like.  I didn't have to make adjustments to the side on the dress.  Often with this type of skirt, I sometimes need to shorten along the sides of the dress.
• mock wrap dress.  This is one of my favorite necklines.  And the design/fit of it was perfect, even after my FBA.  No small tuck needed.
• Lined dress.  One of my usual preference.  

My dislike:

• I didn't like not being able to easily try on the bodice during the construction process.  I had to base the center back seam (zipper) to see how the fit was coming along.  Nothing else.

Fabric Used:  As stated before, my fabric is from Mood Fabrics.  I purchased it awhile ago and it is no longer available.  It is a cotton/rayon blend I do believe.  Easy to work with, easy to press and soft to the touch.  I tested a piece in the wash.  Just to see if it washes well.  It did.  But I will be sending this dress to the dry cleaners.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:  My usual fit adjustments.  See Notes on a Pattern.  Additionally, for the FBA I shortened the Dior dart by half the length.  It looks better.  My design and construction changes:

• I only lined the bodice.
• I added hem tape to the hem of the sleeves and skirt.
• To eliminate the fear of the center front gap or opening, I tacked at the intersection of the front.
• Shorten the sleeve length
• Positioned the back shoulder dart on a angle.  It also looks better.  See back bodice adjustments.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?  Yes, and yes.  I will probably make a summer version. Also, I may use the bodice and/or the skirt with other designs.  I love this pattern, and recommend it to others.

Conclusion: Love, love making this dress and how it turned out.  The design is classic and I think it looks good on me. ;-)  

Happy Sewing!

C