The time between Christmas and New Year is one of my favourites.  Expectations have evaporated, there are leftovers in the fridge, most people are on leave, Melbourne has cleared out (which makes it great to be here) and I lose track of what day of the week it is.  I’ve pottered around the house, getting lots of chores done in a relaxed pace according to my own timetable and no-one else’s.  Actually, I’ve barely left the house!  The first few days of last week were baking hot which made me very grateful for air-conditioning; fortunately Melbourne has done what it usually does and the last few days have been delightful with cool nights and days in the mid twenties.

Anyway, this is what I wore on Christmas Day. We hosted lunch for 18 people, it was hot outside, and this dress kept me comfortable throughout. It’s the Style Arc Eme dress.

From the Style Arc website: Eme is our new summer cocoon shaped dress that is perfect for the beginner sewer, with no fastenings or trim details required. The loose-fitting shape allows for cool fitting during those hot summer days and the lovely darts at the hem complete the cocoon look. With its simple design lines Eme is the perfect pattern for colour blocking. FABRIC SUGGESTION Linen, rayon, silk, cotton, fine wool.

First things first – that line drawing is VERY deceiving regarding the length of this dress.  I know I’m short at 158cm, but in the illustration the dress ends above the knee.  Mine ends well below it.  Actually, most finished versions that I’ve seen definitely look longer rather than shorter.  You might want to take that into account.

It is a simple dress that is straightforward to sew. If you left out the side seam pockets (I included them) you really could ‘whip it up’ in very little time at all! Like all simple things, it needs to be well drafted in order to look good – and in my opinion, this dress is great. The neckline is a great shape, and finishing it with a wide topstitched facing adds a lovely bit of detail. The sleeves can be left longer, or turned back to form a cuff, which is my preference.

The darts at the hemline – two on the front and two on the back – really do give that lovely cocoon shape. I know that it’s not a silhouette for everyone, but it’s definitely one that I like a great deal. No fit and flare in my wardrobe! The hemline also has a wide facing, which gives it body and a little more detail with topstitching.

The fabric came from Darn Cheap Fabrics. It’s current stock, and I’m pretty sure that it is linen/viscose blend. The colour is wonderful! It was great to sew with and to wear as it combined the best properties of both fibre types. The Eme is a great alternative to that other Style Arc staple, the Adeline.

I first sewed the Iconic Patterns Yalta top in 2013.  Once again present me is thankful to past me for keeping a record of what I’ve made and when!

My blog also reminds me that this was the first iteration of this top by Iconic Patterns. It is still available on the Iconic Patterns website, now known as Top #1105 and I have a vague memory that it was reworked a little at some stage. My top is from the initial release, so if you purchase it now you may find some slight differences.

This is size 14. I deepened the neck facing a little in order for the drape to sit better. The pattern is cut on the bias, and I really like the way that it sits on my body. I cut strips along the stretch of the knit to bind the back neckband and the armholes, and to use to create a casing for the drawstring that gathers the side front.  The fabric is a crinkled wool blend knit that came from the Darn Cheap Fabrics $2 table aeons ago.

From the pattern website: This top will be your favourite all summer – a cowl neckline, covered shoulders and a relaxed drape. It is very easy to sew and a pleasure to wear. Sew it in a slinky knit for the best results.

Construction was shared between the sewing machine and the overlocker.  I used a simple zig-zag stitch to secure the hem.  I’m really glad that I’ve sewn this top again.

I liked every piece in the Como bundle when Style Arc released it, but my initial plan wasn’t necessarily to make a coordinating three piece set.  However, that’s exactly what I did!

This outfit actually looks better in real life than it does in these photos. Maybe I should start at the top, with the Como cardigan.

From the Style Arc website: This long-line fashionable cardi sewing pattern is a must have addition to your wardrobe. It has a cleverly designed all-in-one dropped shoulder line and a front band that hugs the neckline. This cardigan is finished off with two lovely large patch pockets. FABRIC SUGGESTION Wool jersey, baby wool, sweater knit.

I sewed this in a super soft knit that I picked up from Super Cheap Fabrics.  I have no real idea of the fibre composition, but suspect that there is plenty of synthetic in there.  I bought some green spools of thread from Spotlight to overlock it all together, but later discovered that my Juki overlocker really does not like cheap thread.  I had all sorts of problems with the tension, which has unfortunately made some of the seams too tight and pull a bit.  Once I went back to large cones of thread from Rathdowne Fabrics my overlocker became happy again.  But in the meantime I did have some construction issues, and I think that they affect the look of this cardi, especially the dropped shoulder seams.

There aren’t shoulder seams with this cardi, just some shoulder darts for shaping. The fronts extend around to the back and form the back yoke with a vertical seam. This changes the grain and stretch quite a bit across the shoulders and where the sleeves join, which is why my overlocker issues caused some problems. Since then I’ve done my best to pull out the tight sections and restitch them, but the resulting garment is far from perfect.

I found that the sleeves were very long, and since these photos were taken I’ve shortened them some more. I left off the pockets, doubting that I could attach them nicely in this very soft knit. I sewed size 12.  I’m keen to sew this again, but in a slightly more structured knit and using the threads that my overlocker prefers!

So, on to the Como pants! From the Style Arc website: This fabulous, on-trend knit pant sewing pattern features the new wide leg; not too wide, just perfect. The flat elastic waist and in-seam pockets look great and make the pant so comfortable to wear. Make them with a full-length leg or crop them to what length you prefer. FABRIC SUGGESTION Wool jersey, baby wool, sweater knit.

I sewed these in linen knit.  I know, slightly nuts – but it’s what I had in stash, so I figured it was worth a try.  I think that I originally bought it at Rathdowne Fabrics.  I sewed size 12 in the shorter length, without alteration.  I didn’t include the drawstring.

The fabric has a wonderful slubby texture, and these actually feel really good to wear! I used wide elastic in the waistband, trying the pants on before I determined the final elastic length. The legs have a wide hem, and I included the side inseam pockets. We’ll see how well linen jersey works in pants over time, I suppose.

So, we finally get to the Como top!

I picked up this patterned stretch mesh from Lincraft for $2 per metre. I figured that I couldn’t really go wrong. It was perfect for this pattern, because the front is double. I doubled the back as well for consistency.

And there we have my usual short back waist issue, which I once again have failed to rectify. Oh well, I can’t see it when I’m wearing it.

From the Style Arc website: You will love this versatile knit top sewing pattern. The flattering “V” neckline hugs the neck and is designed to stand at the back. The pattern was designed to have some shape over the body, but not too much, and the shoulder line is extended to cover the shoulders. FABRIC SUGGESTION Baby wool, jersey

This is a terrific,super simple pattern!  I had to alter the construction a little because I had two back pieces, but that wasn’t difficult.  The front V-neckline is essentially self faced because there are two front pieces.  Style Arc have a YouTube tutorial for this too.  It’s always worth remembering that there are lots of links to tutorials on their website and on their YouTube channel.

All three of these patterns will get another whirl at a later stage – maybe even in the recommended fabrics!

I have admired Pearl Red Moon‘s patterns for some time now.  She is an Australian textile and mixed media artist and in addition to selling jewellery, fabric (via Spoonflower) and finished garments, she has a line of patterns that encourage the maker and wearer to explore their creative side.  Pearl sells via her Etsy shop Boho Banjo art to wear.

I bought the Aurana top pattern a year or so ago. I don’t think I’ll ever fully understand why I sew some patterns immediately after purchase, but sit on others for a while! I pulled it out back in October when I was strongly feeling the need to ‘play’ a bit with fabric in a creative way. The Aurana top is perfect for mixing and matching.  From the pattern page: A boxy loose fitting womens top. Pulls on over head and has short sleeves. Round neckline with facing. The front of the top features patchworked sections. The back is plain. There are multiple ways the design could be interpreted and here are some of the designers suggestions:
1) make as a “bojagi” type patchwork, with the garment made in a sheer fabric like silk or organza and with either flat felled seams or french seams on the outside of the garment.
2) patchwork made in 2, 3 or more solid colours.
3) patchwork made in a combination of stripes in varying directions. Stripe fabrics of varying widths could be used and even different colours.
4) patchwork made in a combination of solid colours and prints.
5) Make the centre front V section in a sheer or lacy fabric and the remainder in solid.
6) To make the black and red version with textile art embellishment as shown on the Aurana Top cover page visit my blog at www.pearlredmoon.com and download the link given to the FREE TUTORIAL in the right side bar.  The tutorial is for a fabric embellishment technique that can be used as a surface applique on clothing. In it I outline how to apply the piece that is made to the Aurana Top. However, experienced sewists could easily use the technique to apply to any other item of clothing. The tutorial is available to anyone for free, without any obligation or need to purchase the Aurana Top PDF sewing pattern.

I love that Pearl gives many suggestions to spark the maker’s creativity and shows each pattern made up in a variety of ways.  For me making this top involved pulling out my many linen scraps, then getting to work with the scraps on the pattern pieces to figure out how they’d best work together. I pulled out a selection of colours then moved them around to get a sense of the most pleasing colour combinations and proportions.

Once I’d figured out which fabrics would go where I pinned the pattern pieces on and cut them all out, then carefully assembled them in the order of the pattern instructions. I decided to use different colours for the sleeves and to simply piece the back as well.

Rather than using the supplied facing pieces to finish the neckline, I cut bias strips from other scraps of linen and ran them through one of my handy Clover bias binding makers. The binding was then sewn to the right side of the top before being turned to the inside and machine stitched in place. The nice wide hems were overlocked then turned to the inside and machine stitched as well.

I’m very happy with the way that this top fits me. I sewed size Small, which is for bust sizes between 100-109 cm (39-43 inches). Side note – despite being Australian, and brought up entirely using the metric system, I tend to talk about sewing in a mixture of imperial and metric systems. I blame this on learning to sew from American patterns. I’ve been forced to think in both systems for body measurements and seam allowances!

The pdf printed and assembled well. I used the print at home version, but it also comes with a copy shop file. Instructions were thorough and comprehensive. I’ve recently bought the Zambeesie jacket pattern, which I also plan to sew from scraps, and I also own the End Point dress pattern. I rather fancy the Marama coat and the Pheenie dress. The pattern sizing starts with the Small that I made, and goes to Extra Large with a 49 to 52 inch bust. They’re designed to be roomy.

If you like ‘art-teacher chic’ (which I do) and want some encouragement to get a bit more creative and find patterns with unusual design lines I really encourage you to check out Boho Banjo art to wear.  They’re the type of designs that could look completely different sewn in a single fabric versus in a combination of fabrics.  You can sew them in ways that are really ‘out there’, and are truly pieces of art to wear, or you can sew them in ways that are more subtle and low key. It’s really just up to your own style and your imagination!  No-one has asked me to promote these patterns, by the way – I just reckon that they’re great.

I’m going to start by saying that I like both these pieces, but I don’t love them together.  I didn’t actually sew them with the plan of wearing them together, I just threw them on to get photos.  So don’t be distracted by the styling; focus on them as individual pieces rather than as the outfit (not that it’s all that bad).

I might start at the bottom, with the Tessa pant. Although this pattern has been in my collection for a while, it’s the first time that I’ve sewn it. From the Style Arc website: The pants have an elastic waist with little fullness to allow them to sit flat when on the body. Optional pockets are set into the side seam. The leg has a lovely new shape that is not too slim and not too wide just perfect!! FABRIC SUGGESTION Linen, crepe or silk.

I made my usual Style Arc pant pattern alteration before I cut into the fabric, shortening it in two places above and below the knee.  However, this wasn’t enough – I folded over and restitched the hem another inch before I took these photos.

They’re still a bit too long, and although I really like the leg width and shape, I’d like a higher rise. The pants currently sit right across one of my belly rolls at the front instead of encasing it. I like my belly to be covered – it’s more comfortable for me.

You can see that at the back as well – the rise just isn’t all that high. Now it might sit differently on someone else, because our shapes obviously interact with where things fall on our bodies. I need enough length to cover my tummy curve. If you have a flatter tummy, the waist would probably be higher on you.

I sewed them in linen, in size 12. The inseam pockets are straightforward, and overall they’re an easy pant to sew. The elastic is overlocked to the top of the waistband, then it’s turned to the inside and stitched to secure. I probably won’t make these again – I have other Style Arc pants that I prefer. So, on to the Martha overshirt.

First off – I really, really like this shirt! I think that I got the pattern as a freebie with a recent order. And it’s such a great pattern! From the Style Arc website: Instantly update your wardrobe with this designer swing shaped over shirt with an extended shoulder which creates a small sleeve. The back has a sharp angled design line and box pleat to create a fabulous full back. The neat little collar balances this shirt beautifully. FABRIC SUGGESTION Poplin, silk, rayon.

I paired this with fabric I’d bought on my first trip to Thailand.  I’m not sure what fibre it is – probably cotton.  It presses well and feels nice against the skin.  I sewed size 12 without alteration.

That back detail really is lovely! It’s not hard to sew, but gives beautiful swing and flare to the back. I topstitched it both as a detail and to give more stability as the fabric is a fairly open weave.  And I just realised – I folded the box pleat to the inside rather than to the outside as per the pattern illustration!  It still looks good, but it’s not how it’s intended to be!

I don’t often sew shirts with collars, but I do like this one. It’s a small collar that is well proportioned. The front button bands are cut on and just turned to the inside twice. I had no issues with sewing the collar – 6mm seam allowances make all the difference! I did hand-sew the stand facing to the inside of the shirt before topstitching around it. I sewed the buttons on by machine after using double sided tape to stick them in place. Why hadn’t I done that before! It made sewing on buttons twice as fast!

Because the sleeves are cut on, and are simply hemmed, this is a shirt that actually comes together rather quickly. I was surprised at how fast it was to sew – and believe me, I wasn’t rushing things. I have definitely slowed down the pace a bit this year! I need to try it on with a few other wardrobe items to really figure out the way that I best like to wear it, but overall it’s a win. Recommended!