This is another garment that was sewn and photographed a few weeks ago. It’s the In House Patterns Kimono Tee, made pretty much exactly the same as the last one – but obviously in different fabrics.

The back yoke is laser cut neoprene from Darn Cheap Fabrics. The mustard knit is very soft and semi-sheer, and was in stash. From somewhere. Can’t remember.

The two fabrics were vastly different in weight, but still attached without much trouble. Construction was shared between the sewing machine and the overlocker. The final top looks bigger than the last one, and the neckline is definitely lower despite cutting the same size. One of those examples of the fabric type making a difference to the fit!

The new True Bias Sutton Blouse looks like an extremely similar shape to this, but is designed for wovens rather than knits. It will be interesting to see it pop up on blogs.

I recently made the Style Arc Tia knit wrap dress in a stripe.  Now I’ve made it in a print.

The construction was pretty much identical to my last one. The fabric was a remnant from Darn Cheap Fabrics, and appears to be a viscose/spandex blend. This means that it has a bit more give and drape than my striped version. Fabric limitations meant that the front crossover panel for the skirt is on the opposite side to the pattern illustration, so I did need to be careful when I wrapped my bodice pieces over one another to make sure that it would line up properly. And it does!

I had absolutely no control over print placement with the amount of fabric I had available, but it’s all worked out okay. The neckline isn’t lying as flat as it did with my striped version, due to interplay between fabric and elastic. It would have worked better if I’d stretched the elastic a little during application. The viscose/spandex stretches out very easily and doesn’t have the sort of recovery that cotton/spandex has.

Overall this dress fits a little more loosely than the last make. Not a great deal, but enough for it to feel different. And I love that print and colour! Spots!  Floral!  Animal print!  Lace print!  All tossed into the blender together!  I got loads of compliments on this when I wore it on the weekend. Lots of fun and perfect for the warmer weather. And for those of you who like an idea on cutting/sewing time, this one was probably one and a half hours all up. Construction on the overlocker, twin needle on the machine for hemlines (pink thread in one needle and teal in the other – why not)!

All other details on this pattern are in my previous post.

More Style Arc!  At the moment I am rather partial to a raglan sleeve.  You have probably worked that out already!  And Style Arc recently released the Meg raglan tee pattern.  The description is as follows: This gorgeous elbow length raglan sleeve Tee has a relaxed fit that is designed to flow with the body. It features a high low hemline and a high scoop neck. This style is beautiful made in a soft flowing silk.  It is also worth noting that this pattern is for wovens, not for knits.

I felt that this pattern really lent itself to using a combination of fabrics.  I had a very small remnant of printed cotton sateen from Tessuti, just enough to cut the front and back body pieces.  And in deep stash I found some beautifully quality black woven jacquard, originally from June’s stash so possibly from the 70s or 80s.  And together, they became the Meg tee!

I really wish that I could get a photograph that showed the subtle pattern woven into the black fabric, but as you know black is hard to photograph at the best of times. This is a lovely light weight fabric and has combined nicely with the print. The neckline binding is cut on the bias, and the darts at the shoulder of the raglan sleeves provide the opportunity for shaping the top to your body nicely.

Once again I made my usual Style Arc size 12. I need to pull out the pattern pieces and check if I shortened them through the body to petite it (I possibly did). As with the last Style Arc top I posted, the drafting for the mitred corners at the side splits of the top was particulary nice. The hems are wide, which makes the whole top sit better, and everything went together perfectly.

And by now you’ve already figured out that I also sewed a pair of Lola pants to coordinate, in the same black woven as the sleeves of the top. I didn’t own any summerweight black pants, and they do come in handy. I think that I’ve made about four pairs of pants from this pattern now, and can sew one up very quickly. They are size 12, shortened both above and below the knee. I’m sure that they will be worn quite a lot.

The loose fit is cool and comfortable to wear, but the elastic in the back hem edge bringing them in at the bottom gives them a more modern look than if they were wide and loose. Although I do like wide and loose as well…another sewing plan perhaps. The pockets also come in handy.

I’m really enjoying my Style Arc sewing at the moment! I think that by now most of you know that their instructions are sometimes lacking, but their drafting is always fantastic and styles are definitely up to the minute. I can always find a style that I like, and they design for a broad variety of shapes. I really enjoy their patterns, and have actually grown to like the one-size-only aspect. I know what basic changes I need to make, and it’s actually less confusing than if there are lots of other lines on the pattern pages.

As has often been the case over recent weeks/months, I am well behind with blogging finished makes. I’ve got a few very busy weeks ahead with work commitments, kids’ school commitments, school council commitments, and extended family commitments, and am hoping that since I won’t have the time (or possibly the energy) to get any sewing done, I might actually get some more blogging done and get up to date! So if there are a plethora of posts don’t think that I’ve been sewing like a maniac at the same time as juggling everything else – the projects will actually date back weeks and weeks.

Some months ago Anna set a chambray challenge.  She provided Leith, Rachel and myself with a few metres of beautiful quality chambray from GJs, and challenged us all to make something gorgeous from it.  I believe that Rachel finished hers ages ago, with more than one item from her length of fabric.  After spending a great deal of time to-ing and fro-ing with pattern choice, I have finished mine.

This is the Kate & Rose Roza dress. A few things drew me to this pattern. The description is as follows:

The Roza blouse & dress was inspired by easy, flowing, and sweet peasant blouses but modernized for today’s makers.

The pattern includes three styles: View A has a cropped hemline, gathered front inset and bracelet-length sleeves. View B has a curved high-low hemline, short sleeves and flat front inset. View C is a knee-length A-line dress with flat front and short sleeves. Mix and match hemlines, sleeves and front inset styles to create your own version.

This pattern is suitable for beginners, with detailed instructions and illustrations for every step of construction. The Róza’s front panel inset is also great for embroidering on (one of our favorite things here at Kate & Rose).

Suggested fabrics: light to medium-light-weight fabrics like cotton voile, gauze or lawn, lightweight silk, rayon challis, lightweight linen.

As you know, I rather like a loose sack dress during summer – and summer is coming!  The raglan sleeves also appealed, as did the chance to use a beautiful piece of ribbon that was languishing in stash.  But I have to say that I am not thrilled with my finished dress – which is not the fault of the pattern, by the way. The pattern was well drafted and the instructions were also nice and clear. There were no issues there at all.

I cut this out at a size Large, as per my measurements, but I really should have down sized. It’s too big, especially around the neckline. I often make garments with a smaller shoulder/armhole/neckline size than bust size, and this would have paid off here as well. It stays nicely on my shoulders, but the neck opening just looks too big, especially from the back. It’s better from the front.

The short gathered sleeves are quite sweet, and the ribbon is lovely. The neckline is faced with a strip of bias binding, a technique that I always quite like. This is a fairly easy dress to make and I don’t have any particular construction issues or tips to report.  In fact, I did a lovely job of construction.

I’m not quite sure what to do with my dress. I adore it on the hanger. It’s just not quite “me”. I really do need to improve my visualisations of “Lara in this dress” before I make things, rather than just visualising the dress but not necessarily with me in it! I am toying with the idea of making it a bit smaller, or just wearing it as it is, or passing it on to a friend. What to do? I will probably use the pattern again, maybe for the longer sleeved blouse with the high/low hemline, as I really do like the design! Fortunately I still have some chambray left and the challenge isn’t yet over….Vogue 8805, I’m probably looking at you!

This top was a bit of an experiment.  I’ve sewn McCalls 6841 before, but in view C.  This is view A.

MISSES’ TOPS: Loose-fitting, pullover tops have draped front, and back collar. Wrong side may show. A: self-lined back and very narrow hem for front hemline. B and C: front pleated drape and narrow hem.
Designed for Medium Weight Wovens and Knits.

This was made from scraps of a Spolight polyester knit that were left over from an earlier failed dress project. Great colours and interesting print. There was very little fabric to work with, so I pieced the back pieces with a centre back seam that also enabled me to get a fantastic print effect.  I sewed up the size Medium. This fabric has tremendous drape, which is perfect for the front cowl neckline. There are only two main pattern pieces, plus strips of fabric for armhole bindings.  It is worth making just to figure out the drafting and construction, although I struggled a LOT to get the inside facing seams looking half decent.  But when I sewed it up and put it on Ada, I knew that I would never wear it.

But I did know who would wear it and look fantastic in it – my friend Jen, who loves to layer and loves colour. So I gave it to her, and she wore it to work the next day layered over a long-sleeved tee and straight skirt. It’s a wonderful vest – that neckline is super low and could never be worn without a top underneath – and I’m so pleased that it worked for someone! Now to get photos of her wearing it….

As regular readers of my blog know, I love a knit.  I love a dress.  I love a wrap.  And I especially love a knit wrap dress – even better when it is not REALLY a wrap dress and will fly open exposing leg whenever a breeze passes by, but is a “faux” wrap that has a full skirt piece underneath.

This is the Style Arc Tia. The description says: This is a designer wrap dress that is easy to make and easy to wear. Make it in stripe jersey for an eye popping look or choose a plain jersey for a more understated feel. The all in one sleeve and shaped front overlay gives this wrap dress a point of difference to this timeless style.  

How could I NOT make this in a stripe, when the illustration showed how effectively a stripe could be used and when the pattern pieces had placement markings on them to make it even easier?  This stripe cotton/spandex from Darn Cheap Fabrics was just the ticket for this dress.  Substantial without being heavy, and not super-drapey or super-clingly.  Just right for something fitted.  The rusty orange/red of the stripes really appealed to me too.

I made size 12, my usual Style Arc top/dress size. However, it’s a bit too tight through the mid-section for my apple shape, which is particularly evident when I look at these photos of the back. I am currently in the process of losing some weight, so by the time that summer really hits I think it will be fine. Otherwise I need to remember to cut it a bit larger through the middle if I make it again. I shortened it a few inches at the hemline, but otherwise didn’t alter anything. Half an inch out of the back bodice length would probably have been a good idea, however.  The shoulder curve keeps the extended sleeve sitting in the right place, and the neckline also sits smoothly and doesn’t gape. I actually followed the instructions and stabilised the neckline with elastic before turning it to the inside and twin needling. It’s worked rather well.

But check out that stripe matching! High fives to me! I took much more time cutting this dress out than I did in sewing it, in fact. There are only four pattern pieces – the back, the front (cut twice), the skirt (cut twice) and the front skirt overlay. Each piece had to be cut separately with a great deal of care taken to match the stripes and keep them all running from thinner stripes at the top to thicker stripes below. The fabric isn’t symmetrically striped – take another look at it – so there was a definite “top” to it.

I left off the belt – why would I want to cover up those perfect stripe intersections? I used loads of pins to hold everything where I wanted it before basting on the sewing machine then whizzing the seam through the overlocker. Hems were stabilised then turned to the inside and stitched with a twin needle.

I’m fairly sure that I’ll sew this pattern again, maybe in a print (which would be super fast to cut as well as to sew). It will be a great pattern for the warmer days when I don’t want to wear one of my usual sack style dresses.