A few blog posts ago I showed you the Cielo top that I’d sewn and subsequently given to my mum.  This time I’ll show you the Cielo dress that I sewed two sizes smaller than the top.

This time around I sewed size 12 (my measurements put me in size 16) and I adore the resulting garment! This is another one of my hit sews for the year. This is essentially view C of the pattern, but without the pockets. I didn’t have enough fabric to do the view with the pockets, but don’t you worry, next time I sew this dress I’ll do it with both the pockets and the lantern sleeves.

A big part of my love of this dress is that I was working with the perfect fabric for it. It’s a soft cotton pique that moved from Anna‘s stash to mine, and I’m so glad that it did! Why is there not more pique in the world?  The added texture is so delightful!  And I could not get over how perfectly the colours in the print worked with my Bokyna sandals.  I wore this outfit on an incredibly hot day last week, and I stayed cool and comfortable throughout.

I did the construction and topstitching in matching aqua thread on my machine, and used my overlocker to finish seam allowances (but not to construct). I decided to leave the cuffs turned up but not topstitched down. I don’t think that they need it! I used plenty of pins to secure the neckline facing before topstitching it from the right side, using a guide attached to my sewing machine to ensure that the stitching was done at the same distance from the opening for the entire way around.

I really like those shoulder yoke pieces. Depending on your fabric choice you could play with the direction of print/pattern/weave or use a contrast, or pipe the seam. I went with simply cutting the pieces on a different angle, and topstitching beside the seam.

You possibly haven’t been able to spot the bust darts in the print. I sewed the C cup option. The darts come from the armhole seam, and help to ensure that the dress is loose through the body but not baggy overall.

From the pattern website: Part of our Rome Collection, the Cielo Dress & Top is an easy, breezy take on a boxy tee and shift dress. Loaded with interesting details and interchangeable features, it will fast become a wardrobe building favourite. Choose between a semi-cropped top with a cuffed short sleeve (View A) or dramatic gathered long sleeve (View B). Or, make an easy fitting dress with sleek inseam pockets (View C), or without pockets (View D). All views have a slightly dropped shoulder, angled shoulder yoke and roomy fit, with a choice between an elegant bias binding or faced neckline finish.

I think that this dress fills the spot in my wardrobe that used to be taken by the Inari dress, and I will definitly sew the Cielo again.

I have sewn quite a few garments this year that have proved to be a resounding success.  The Flynn jacket, by In The Folds, is one of them.  It’s only the second garment I have sewn from this pattern company, but it definitely won’t be the last.   You can find my blog post on the Rushcutter dress here.

I sewed my jacket from denim that I found at Clear It. I haven’t come across anything similar before – it’s brown on one side and black with a pattern of brown cracks on the other. Does anyone know how they do this?

And there’s a peek of the inside seam binding. I’ll talk more about that later. From the pattern website: The Flynn jacket is a loose-fitting jacket designed for woven fabrics. With two different styles, it is the perfect layering piece for autumn and winter. Flynn features a wrap around collar, a high-low hem and in-seam pockets. All seams are finished with bias binding, for a beautiful and high-end finish. The Flynn jacket can be worn open, or closed discreetly with a hook and eye. View A has a dropped shoulder and sleeve with a hem facing. It also features an inverted box-pleat in the back. The sleeves on View A are designed to be worn either straight or folded back, for a more casual look. View B is sleeveless and features armhole facings and a flat back piece (no pleat). It has been designed to be worn over long sleeve tops and dresses. It works equally well worn over sleeveless tops and t-shirts. View B has a closer fit to View A, due to its sleeveless design and flat back piece. SUGGESTED FABRICS: The Flynn jacket is compatible with bottom-weight fabrics such as: denim, cottons like canvas, duckcloth and drill, and heavyweight linens.

The pattern is available in ten sizes, from an Australian 6 to 24.  The key with this jacket is choosing for the right shoulder fit, and adjusting from there.  As you can see, it’s roomy.  I am having trouble remembering what size I sewed, but I suspect it was size F.  I didn’t make any adjustments for height.

There are so many lovely details in this one garment! The centre back inverted box pleat is really nice. I’ve seen others press this pleat but I decided to leave it unpressed and soft.  I also really love the collar/facing that goes right aroud the garment.

This is not a fast sew. However, the instructions are impeccable, and every single piece fitted together perfectly. Just take your time and enjoy the process.

Obviously it’s an unlined jacket. This actually works really well in our Melbourne climate. I have other heavier weight jackets for those especially bitter winter days, but let’s face it, even night time temperatures rarely get below zero in Melbourne winters. I have found that this jacket is easy to slip on over many outfits and the denim is fairly tightly woven and cuts lots of the wind. It successfully adds just the right extra layer of warmth. It would be a fabulous linen jacket too. Perfect for spring and autumn and even summer when you need to grab a lightweight jacket ‘just in case’ – which is often advisable when you live in Melbourne!

Because it’s unlined, Emily gives comprehensive instructions for finishing the seam allowances with bias binding. I made my own from quilting cotton – atually, past me made loads of bias binding from this print, and current me was very happy to find it in my stash when I started on the jacket. You could just overlock the edges instead but I think that it was worth the extra time taken to use the binding. The hem/collar facing is secured in place by ditch-stitching on the outside. I didn’t manage to perfectly catch it the entire way along the edge of the binding – more pins and some hand-stitching would have been needed for that – but it’s still pretty good.

There are also wonderful pockets set into the curved seam between the body of the jacket and the hem/collar. Once again, just take the time to follow the instructions carefully and you’ll end up with a beautiful result.

The sleeves have deep cuff facings, which can be worn turned back showing a bit of the bias binding edge finish if you wish. I have found that I wear them down at their full length. No particular reason why.

I highly recommend this pattern – it’s a wonderful relaxed jacket with that bit of extra style.  I’ll bring it out again to sew the vest version. That’s if I don’t succumb to the temptation of Emily’s new zip-fronted, hooded jacket/vest pattern.

The Olivia Oversize Tee, by Maria Denmark, is a pattern that I’ve used a number of times.  I reach for it when I want an oversized tee that still feels a bit more ‘dressy’.

As designed, the neckline, sleeves and bottom hem are all finished with self fabric bands. I somehow managed to cut the sleeve bands too long, then too short, so ended up just turning a simple hem. The fabric is viscose/lycra from Tessuti, left over from the Aeolian tee I sewed for Clare.

The most important thing to remember when sewing this top is that you really need to stretch the neck band a lot at the bottom of that centre front curve, or it won’t sit flat. I usually sew one shoulder seam, mark points either side of the centre front where I know that the curve is more extreme, then sew on the band while stretching it more through that curve than elsewhere. It’s a practice thing.

Size wise, it’s a blend – all waist shaping has been removed. At the bottom hem it’s pretty much my hip measurement. I suspect that there are many more of these tees in my future.

After showing you my Pattern Emporium Exhale dress, I thought I’d better show you my Exhale tee!

This time I sewed size 12, and I think that the fit is perfect.

This time around I sewed the hilo top option, with short sleeves and rounded high neck.  I’d been fortunate enough to try on a friend’s version at Sewjourn, and I loved the fit, so I basically just copied her!  The fabric was a gift from the same friend.  It’s a soft, stretchy knit with a matt finish.  I do like large scale floral prints!

All the pattern details are in my previous blog post. This fabric was pretty delicate to sew. I used 10mm wide double sided fusible tape to secure the sleeve and bottom hems, as I knew that this would stretch out without it, then a zig zag stitch to secure. I also used a zig zag to secure the neckband seam allowances.  Sometimes I find that a twin needle just tunnels the fabric or stretches it out too much, and a zig zag gives a much nicer finish.  Construction was all on the overlocker.

As you would expect, this is very fast to sew. The hilo top has two options for how ‘hi’ the front curve is – I chose the lower of the two options. Although I like a high low hemline, I didn’t want it to be too extreme – and I didn’t want belly exposure. This ticks all my boxes.

I really do like all the options included in this pattern. There’s something for every climate and almost every occasion depending on fabric choice. I definitely think it’s best in a drapier fabric than something more structured. Definitely a well named pattern!

I’ve changed size a fair bit over the past year, and consequently have been trying out different sizes in different patterns to see what works best on me.  I’m actually coming to the conclusion that my shoulders and upper chest really don’t vary much no matter what size I am, and I am best to choose the size that fits those areas nicely, and either grade for the rest or select styles where precise measurements don’t really matter.

I sewed this Pattern Emporium Exhale dress in size 14 – it’s actually too big. Wearable, but larger through the shoulders and upper bust than it needs to be.

The fabric is a slippery poly knit that I bought from a facebook destash seller. Tanya often has marvellous fabrics!  I adored this print when I saw it.  Although it wasn’t super easy to sew, a few extra pins made it quite successful.  Construction was on the overlocker, with the machine used to hem the sleeves and to set in the band around the V shaped neckline. I left the dress unhemmed – didn’t want to interfere with the drape and flow of the fabric. I’m always a bit nervy when I leave an item with raw edges, even knits like this one that don’t fray – it goes again my ‘neatness’ and sewing training!

The pattern website describes the Exhale as follows: Here at PE we love a relaxed look that you can wear and love every single day and the Exhale certainly has you covered. Whether you want to Netflix and chill in a long sleeve sweater knit top or beat the heat of summer in a sleeveless dress, there is a style option for everything.

• 4 Necklines: Rounded high, mid & low. V-neck.
• 4 Sleeve Options: Sleeveless, Short Sleeve, 1/2 & Long Sleeve.
• 2 Top Designs: Short & Long.
• 3 Hilo Top Designs : Top, Midi & Maxi. Dress: Knee Length Gorgeousness with Optional Tie Belt.

FABRIC SUGGESTIONS: ITY, Poly Jerseys, Viscose Elastane, Rayon Elastane, Modal Elastane, Bamboo Elastane, Double Brushed Poly, Single Brushed Poly, Merino Wool Knit, Stretch Lace, Sweater Knit, Hacci, Slub Knit, Scuba (avoid stiff), Liverpool, Cotton Elastane (avoid performance or stiff CL).

It’s pretty obvious from the photos that I chose to sew the dress with short sleeves and a V-neck.  This is a really simple dress to sew.  Pattern Emporium have very good instructions and an active facebook group if you need any help.

It’s incredibly easy to wear, especially on warmer days, and there is plenty of space and swish through the body. I happened upon some suggestions for styling this type of dress, so got out an elastic hairbands and had a go myself.

There are actually lots of ways to style stretchy dresses with the help of a coin/elastic band/bangle on the inside! There is a massive Pinterest rabbit hole for this. Knowing me, I’ll usually wear this as originally sewn, but it might be nice to alter the look occasionally.

Since sewing this dress I’ve used the pattern again to sew a top, in size 12. SO much better! It will get blogged eventually. I feel that I’m finally catching up on all the garments that were unblogged over my six month blog break. My plan is to get everything up here by Christmas. Because straight after Christmas we’re heading off on a family holiday to Borneo…

Do you have special pieces of fabric that you hoard, waiting for the perfect pattern?  I bought a few batik rayon sarongs when I was in Bali a few year ago.  I’ve sewn a couple of them, but this one was my favourite.  The perfect green, with spots.  A wonderful drape for a top.  I needed to choose something that was just right.  Then the Closet Case Patterns Cielo Top and Dress pattern appeared.

Although it was the lantern sleeves of the top on the right that initially drew me to this pattern, I knew that I would only have enough fabric for short.  Luckily, there are a few pattern options included.

The pattern website describes this pattern as follows: Part of our Rome Collection, the Cielo Dress & Top is an easy, breezy take on a boxy tee and shift dress. Loaded with interesting details and interchangeable features, it will fast become a wardrobe building favourite.  Choose between a semi-cropped top with a cuffed short sleeve (View A) or dramatic gathered long sleeve (View B). Or, make an easy fitting dress with sleek inseam pockets (View C), or without pockets (View D). All views have a slightly dropped shoulder, angled shoulder yoke and roomy fit, with a choice between an elegant bias binding or faced neckline finish.

So, there were lots of options that I liked.  Boxy, but with some bust darts.  Cuffed short sleeve.  Easy fitting, with a roomy fit.  Semi-cropped isn’t my style, but that’s easily fixed – just add length!  So I measured myself, checked out the sizing options on the back of the pattern envelope, and cut out size 16 with a C cup.  You know where this is heading, don’t you!

Well, I love the finished top. The neckline facing sits beautifully, the added length with wide hem is also terrific, and it is really well drafted. It’s just two sizes too large for me. And I used up every single scrap sewing this! But I’m lucky – there was a special person who wanted it. My mum!

And isn’t it just great on her! I also sewed her the linen pants that she’s wearing. It’s a lovely colour on mum, and on her you can see how it is meant to fit.

Boxy and easy fitting is not the same thing as ‘just too big’. Personal preference obviously plays into how you feel about this, but you can see that the neckline is well proportioned on Mum, the drop shoulders are in a better spot, and overall it just looks good! Now that’s what I call a great save – just give it to the right person.

And you haven’t seen the last of this pattern – I’ve just sewn up the short sleeved dress – in my size!  And I still plan to sew something with those wonderful lantern sleeves.  And maybe there will be another top for Mum at some stage!

Actually, I have more than one question.  How many Linden tops have you sewn?  How many have I sewn?  Will I keep sewing this pattern indefinitely?

The Grainline Linden Sweatshirt pattern has been around for what feels like years now. I first blogged about it back in 2015.  I have found four versions of it on my blog – this is number five.  And I reckon that I’ll continue to come back to it.

I’ve sewn this in fabrics of different weights, but prefer the ones that are more long sleeved tee than sweatshirt. This one is in a knit remnant from Super Cheap Fabrics – I just couldn’t resist those colours and the abstract print!

It’s easy fit and easy sew. The neckline is is a great depth, and finishing the sleeves and hemline with bands is always something I like to do. From the pattern website: The Linden Sweatshirt gives a modern update to the classic sweatshirt. Featuring a relaxed fit, raglan sleeves, and a graceful slightly scooped neckline, this sweatshirt is perfect for fall layering. View A features long sleeves with cuffs and falls to the mid hip with a lower ribbing band while View B hits at the high hip and has short sleeves. You can also mix and match sleeve and body lengths to create multiple versions of this sweatshirt. Techniques involved include sewing with knits, straight seams, and attaching ribbing.

As you can see, I sewed the long sleeved version with the longer body, and used self-fabric rather than ribbing as bands.  It still worked just fine in this knit, but I might do differently if I was sewing it in something of a sweater knit weight.  Assembly was all on the overlocker, with the machine only used to secure the seam allowance of the neckband.

Definitely a great pattern to have in your collection.