February 2020 – THORNBERRY

adult's clothing, Pattern Fantastique, sewing

Pattern Fantastique Calyx smock

The more I sew from Pattern Fantastique, the more I like their patterns. You possibly remember that I have already sewn a number of Aeolian tees and Celestial dresses, and my Falda jacket is worn frequently. Guess what – numerous Calyx smocks are now on my agenda!

This is a pattern that I’ve been eyeing off for some time – Anna has a particularly lovely version. When a proportion of sales were being donated to bushfire relief last month I finally invested in the pattern. From the pattern website: The Calyx Smock (Pattern #104) is named after a part of the flower where petals and fruit form. Balanced between the decorative and utilitarian the idea stems from a memory of my Mother’s hairdressing apron she wore in the late 70s combined with the handmade gathered smock she dressed me in at the same time. Fabric: The Calyx Smock is suitable for many woven fabrics. From fine sheer light-weight silks for some full floaty romance to mid-weight Denim paired with a Glacial Skivvy when winter layering is needed. The limit is to fabrics too thick to bind after gathering: Thick denim and jumbo cord, coat weight fabrics. Calyx_site_drawing_e2b385ab-f60c-42aa-bdd7-c62692318379_1024x1024 There are five lovely examples of this smock on the Pattern Fantastique website, with both the dress and the top version shown. Each version can be sewn with a shorter, almost cap length sleeve, or an elbow length sleeve with a wide hem that can easily be turned up to make a cuff if preferred.

The hem is finished with a wide, shaped facing, although you can just turn a simple narrow hem if that suits the fabric better – or just if you want to! I like a wide faced hem, so chose that finish. Wide hems just add that bit more substance and shape.

The neck binding extends into ties at the back. I often skip these types of closures and just cut pieces on the fold – I have a small head and rarely have to undo them to make dressing easier – but this time I did as I was told and included it. I’m glad that I did – there is a centre back seam, also widely self-faced, that adds a nice bit of detail and also makes the opening easy to do and fairly hardy.

The neckline gathering and binding was the most time-consuming part of sewing this top. The instructions included exact measurements for how much to gather up each section, which was really useful. Then it just took lots of pinning and patience to get it all right! If you sew this just make sure that you don’t rush it, especially the part when you turn the binding to enclose the seam allowances and stitch it in place. I did this by machine after using a million pins; some people might find it just as easy to hand-sew the binding in place.

Isn’t this fabric lovely? When you look at it close up it has a jacquard woven through it, with the colourful print over the top. It’s lightweight and floaty and was perfect for this top. I think it was originally from Joy’s in Geelong, who are no longer in operation. I sewed size 12, without any alterations.

Now I need to decide which fabric to make my next Calyx from! I do have some hand-woven printed silk that I bought in Thailand that needs to become a garment – maybe that will be it. Although I’d also like to sew the dress version. So many things to sew, so little time to do it all in!

Tuesday, 18 February, 2020Saturday, 11 February, 2023 by thornberry

adult's clothing, sewing

True Bias Lodo dress success

Third time’s the charm!

I have attempted the True Bias Lodo dress twice before, but neither has been successful for me. The first one I sewed was in a wool jacquard, in tunic length, and I promptly shrunk it in the wash. The second one wasn’t even photographed, worn or blogged – I chose a fabric that was too lightweight and not drapey enough and it was just a big NO. This time? Just right!

I now suspect that the key to making this dress work is in the fabric choice. You need something that is soft and drapey, but still substantial. This printed ponte from Super Cheap Fabrics was perfect for it.

The fabric is still available on their website here. It’s described as coming in a dark navy colour. There’s nothing navy about this fabric – it’s black. I held it against all the navy and black fabrics in my extensive stash, and believe me, it’s black! I probably wouldn’t have bought it if I’d known it was black (I find it a pretty harsh colour against my extremely pale skin tone) but the goldish geometric print lifts it enough to still be workable for me.

The neckline and armholes on the Lodo dress are faced with a woven. The entire dress was sewn on the sewing machine, with no overlocker involvement. I really like the finish that the woven facings provide, and made sure to understitch the facings before turning them to the inside, pressing and topstitching.

I chose to sew the longer version of the dress this time, view A. I sewed size 12, did a half inch forward shoulder alteration on the dress and the neck facing, and did a half inch sway back alteration to account for my short back waist length. I also took a one and a half inch hem rather than a one inch hem – I’d meant to shorten the pattern at the lengthen/shorten line before cutting out, but forgot. I was concerned that the finished dress would be too long, but it turns out that it’s quite okay.

The centre back split is extremely easy – it’s an extension of the back pattern piece, so the centre back seam is simply sewn down to where the extension begins, then it’s pressed open and topstitched. I used double sided fusible tape to hold the extension in place before topstitching it down, and used the tape again to secure the hem before stitching.

From the True Bias pattern page: The Lodo pattern is an elevated take on a basic t-shirt dress. It has a straight fit through the waist and hips and a slightly tapered hem to create a subtle cocoon shape. It has a flattering deep V neck at center front and an extended cap sleeve. Both the neckline and armholes are finished with a woven facing for stability and structure. View A has a hem that hits at mid calf with a slit at center back for moveability. View B’s hem hits a couple of inches above the knee. Suggested Dress Fabrics: Medium weight stable knit fabric with an approximate 25% stretch such as ponte, cotton interlock, and lightweight scuba.

Lodo dress line drawing

The Lodo dress was originally launched in April 2017. It has recently been re-released in two different size ranges, and now comes in 0-18 (C cup draft) and 14-30 (D cup draft). The 14-30 size range includes bust darts. Now that I’ve made the right pattern adjustments for my shape and have worked out the best fabric type for me I will be sewing more of these! I reckon they’d be great for winter layered over a long-sleeved tee, with colourful tights and boots. And of course, I’d like to give the just-above-the-knee option a try.

I have some of the fabric over, hopefully just enough to eke out a Blackwood cardigan. I’m going to be on a constant lookout now for just the right type of fabric! I have noticed that one of Style Arc’s freebies for this month is also a simple V-neck knit dress. I think there are still enough style and fabric differences between the Lodo and the Kitt for me to sew both of them. A slightly cocoon shaped dress in a knit (with a V neckline!) is really my jam.

Sunday, 9 February, 2020 by thornberry

adult's clothing, sewing

Sencha Kimono

I do like a drapey jacket. And I like a Japanese aesthetic. Combine the two, and you get the Sencha Kimono by Pearl Red Moon.

This was a bit of an impulse sew for me last week, although I’d bought, taped and cut the pattern out months and months ago. I was standing in front of the cupboard that holds my woven prints when this vintage John Kaldor print jumped out at me. I wondered if there would be enough of it for the Sencha Kimono, and there was! It was meant to be.

This beautiful print is on a polyester substrate, but it’s that GOOD polyester that quality prints were often found in ‘back in the day’ – especially those by John Kaldor. I suspect that this dates back to the 1980s, actually. It was really hard to tell the right and wrong sides apart, so I hope that I got it right when I sewed all the pieces together! The navy bands were sewn from scraps that were too small for a garment but large enough for exactly this purpose.

The neckbands are interfaced, but not the sleeve bands. The sleeves have a beautiful shape. I have blogged about Pearl Red Moon’s patterns before, when I sewed the Aurana top. This pattern proved itself to be equally well drafted, and straightforward to assemble. I chose to attach the doubled bands by overlocking, pressing the seam allowances toward the garment, then topstitching. Pearl does however suggest that you could attach them so that the seam allowances are completely enclosed. That’s a nice construction choice reminder. We have choices when we sew things!

From the pattern page on Etsy: The Sencha Kimono is an unlined kimono style robe with 2 length options as a jacket or coat length version. Tulip flared sleeves are 3/4 length with hem bands. Front edges and back neck have bands. The front has no closures but drapes freely.

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This pattern was actually released during a time when there was online controversary over the naming of garments as ‘kimonos’, with claims that this was cultural appropriation. Pearl wrote a number of interesting blog posts on this issue last year – they’re worth reading; I think that they are very thoughtful and well researched. She’s also written extensively on the recent proliferation of fake online stores that steal photos from blogs and instagram and use them to advertise and sell garments that can never be delivered (especially Pearl’s, as they’re all hand-made and one-off designs).

I won’t actually be wearing this jacket; it’s probably going to go to Mum as it’s a size too large for me, especially across the shoulders. The perils of using a previously taped and cut pattern from last year; I’m now smaller than I was then! However I really enjoyed sewing it, and I know that it will be enjoyed by the end wearer.

Saturday, 8 February, 2020 by thornberry

adult's clothing, sewing, teen, tween

Kami skirt for Clare

Short tiered skirts are in all the teen shops at the moment. Every time Clare points them out, I say ‘I could sew that’. Then I procrastinate, because I know I’ll need to figure out lengths and proportions and sometimes thinking is hard. But as it turned out, I didn’t have to do any mental gymnastics, because (unsurprisingly) there is a tutorial for exactly the sort of skirt that Clare wanted.

The tutorial is called the Kami Skirt, and it’s from a blog called The Hemming. She provides the measurements for Australian sizes 6 (60cm waist) to 16 (85cm waist). I used the size 8 measurements as a guide for Clare.

This is another Borneo souvenir garment! Clare chose this printed cotton (actually, it feels as though it has some viscose content as it’s quite soft) at Fabriko in Kuching. Once again I took advantage of the border print by cutting the lower tier on the crossgrain. I used the full length of the fabric we’d bought, which was less than the pattern suggestion, but it still worked out okay. It just means that the lower tier in Clare’s skirt is less full than that in the tutorial. Still seems to have an adequate level of twirl and swish!

Rather than roll hemming the skirt, I chose to do folded and stitched hems. It’s always slightly awkward to attach the lower tier on the outside of the top tier to create the little frill – you need to make sure that it’s overlapped evenly right along. I’d turned a hem, so that also formed a ‘line’ that I could feel so that I could line it up evenly.

It’s one piece wide elastic in the waist, sewn through to give the appearance of three channels. The tie is just for decoration – it’s non-functional. It took me four episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer to cut out and sew this skirt, and I think it would be even faster to sew a second time. But how many of these skirts does a teen need in her wardrobe? I’m not sure.

The top that she’s wearing with the skirt was bought in Kota Kinabalu, at E-teen (like Supre). I can’t claim credit for sewing the top, just the skirt.

Friday, 7 February, 2020 by thornberry

adult's clothing, sewing, tessuti patterns

Tessuti Hilary top with full sleeves

This top got an awful lot of love when I posted it on Instagram a few days ago. I first sewed the Tessuti Hilary top last year in printed silk, and it was one of the favourite things I’d sewn last year. Then Tessuti posted a tutorial for a sleeve ‘hack’ (I still don’t like the term as applied to pattern alterations and modifications – they’re done carefully!) of a shorter, fuller sleeve. Looked great! Maybe I could do something similar?

This is one of those times when I got the fabric and pattern combination just right for me. The fabric is printed rayon from Spotlight – I found it on the clearance table, so given that I’ve already used this pattern before, this garment is a very low cost garment (in terms of materials – my time is not factored in to the cost). This type of delicate and detailed print is not one that I usually wear, but the colour was just perfect and I figured that I’d still feel like ‘me’ in it. I knew that because I’d chosen to sew it in rayon I wouldn’t get the same ‘boofy’ sleeve as the top in Tessuti’s tutorial, but that was the look I was after. Fullness but not excessive volume.

I thought that many of you might find it helpful to see the modifications that I made to the pattern pieces. Here’s the sleeve:

I traced the sleeve pattern that I already had, then slashed and spread it according to the tutorial. I think that I made the measurement from the armhole to the hem a bit longer than they’d suggested. The top in the tutorial has the sleeve ending above the elbow; mine is obviously below but part of that is related to the fabric type, elastic length and where the sleeve ‘cuff’ is pushed up to (or not) on the arm.

I also made some modifications to the body, and I’ll show you those pattern pieces too. I added length, added width at the hemline, and lowered the front neckline (and the corresponding facing) by an inch. My previous version was just too ‘chokey’.

I wasn’t terribly scientific about the added width – I just measured out 5cm at the hemline, then another 5cm, and drew two lines that angled up to the armhole. Which line was used was likely to depend on what fitted on the fabric width. As it turned out I was able to use the 10cm line. This means that there was an additional 40cm added to the hemline width in total. I really like the way that it hangs and drapes at the sides.

This top could do with some bra keepers being added right beside that wide neckline. I have fairly narrow and rounded shoulders, and prefer not to expose my bra straps. I sewed size Large, because that’s the pattern size I’d used before and was suggested by my bust measurement, but I really could have sewn this in a Medium. However, it doesn’t feel too big when I’m wearing it.

The elastic at the top of the shoulders does stand up a little from the body – I may have made the casing a smidgen too tight and/or used elastic that was a smidgen too stiff. But it’s not a deal breaker. For the sleeve hem elastic I measured around my upper arm to get a guide, then inserted it, then adjusted until the measurement felt right on me. I didn’t really want the elastic to be tight around my arm; rather, I wanted it to act as more as a cuff.

I am extremely happy with these pattern modifications. I’ve now seen a few tops like this in the shops, and the recently released Friday Pattern Company Adrianna dress also has this type of sleeve treatment and a similar silhouette to my modified Hilary. It’s not difficult to sew, yet looks a bit out of the ordinary. I’d like to give this pattern one more go in something crisper to really get the boofy sleeve effect, but that will probably wait until next summer. There is already a to sew pile developing in my sewing room in anticipation of autumn and winter!

Thursday, 6 February, 2020 by thornberry

adult's clothing, sewing

Style Arc Courtney top

Sewing with fabric bought in Borneo got me thinking about other fabric souvenirs I have purchased in the past. I especially like the handwoven cottons that I bought in Chiang Mai, and cherish the garments that I have sewn from them. Suddenly I remembered that I had recently bought a few more Thai fabrics from Notionally Better – including a 1.8 metre length of handwoven striped cotton. It didn’t take me long to pull it out of my stash.

As with my previous sewing project, I wanted a pattern that would allow me to really utilise the woven stripe. A pattern that immediately came to mine was the Style Arc Courtney – and it was one of the freebies for January! This pattern has been around for a while; I’m not sure why it hadn’t entered my collection earlier, especially considering that it can be sewn in wovens or knits or a combination.

From the pattern website: Along with the sleeve cuff, the design lines on this top give it a point of difference that is very on trend. The back yoke creates a flattering silhouette that is easy to wear. Combine woven with knit or two different textures or colours to give you your own individual style. FABRIC SUGGESTION & DESCRIPTION: Jersey Knit, slinky knit, linen, crepe, silk.

courtney-top

The stripes ran down the centre of the fabric, with fairly wide solid blue borders running along both selvages. I consulted with Clare and we decided on running the stripes horizontally along the back yoke and the centre front panels, and vertically elsewhere. I’d use the solid blue for the sleeve bands and neckline trim.

The neckband is cut on the bias, and is pretty much applied in the same way as you’d attach a neckband to a t-shirt. The bias has enough give, and handwoven cotton fabrics like this one press and shape beautifully with a bit of steam, so the neckband sits really well on this top. I also topstitched down the seam allowances for maximum neckband flatness and to add stability.

Those little gathers at the centre back yoke are really pretty and add some more ease for movement. Size-wise this is size 12 without alteration. I sewed it all on the machine then finished seam allowances together on the overlocker, pressed them to one side, then topstitched. Except for the side seams – they were finished separately and pressed open.

This top is another win for me, and the pattern will definitely be used again. Hooray!

Wednesday, 5 February, 2020 by thornberry

adult's clothing, sewing

Style Arc Tessa top

So, to my first garment of 2020! I bought a few different fabrics when we were away on holiday in Borneo.

The one on the left is printed polyester in a modernised version of traditional motifs by Kain Chanteek. Beside it is Indian block printed cotton that I bought from a shop I found in Kuching that was full of beautiful quality Indian textiles – not Malaysian in design, but worth adding to my fabric stash! Then we have some cotton lengths in traditonal motifs but non-traditional colours from Sabah (bought at Fabriko in Kuching). I decided to start with a sarong length of fairly crisp cotton.

Because this fabric had been printed to be used as a sarong (it was actually already sewn into a tube) there were interesting border and feature elements to the print that I wanted to take advantage of. I needed a pattern with plenty of seamlines, both to make the most of the print and to be able to eke a garment out of the fabric length.

I decided to use the Style Arc Tessa top, which I’ve had in stash for ages but hadn’t yet sewn. From the pattern website: This designer over top has a fabulous yoke seam that continues into the sleeve, the body has a slight cocoon shape along with a shaped hem line, the side seam pockets are optional. Use your design skills to splice the panels into your favourite colour combination or use a plain coloured Linen with a contrast top stitching. FABRIC SUGGESTION: Linen, crepe or silk.

teesa-top

Now I wish I’d taken a photo of this fabric laid out flat, before I cut into it! In the end, much of it was cut on the cross grain. I cut the front yoke on the fold rather than in two pieces, with a section of the print running along it. Then I placed the front piece in an attempt to mirror another section of the print along the yoke seam and the centre front seam. I added some topstitching for stability and for effect.

I was able to cut the back yoke so that it contrasted with the lower back pieces, that still had a border running below the yoke seamline.

I had enough fabric left to cut the neckline, armhole and hem facings, but I left off the pockets. This is straight size 12, without any alterations. I really like the finished top; it’s a fabulous souvenir. I will definitely be using this pattern again.

Tuesday, 4 February, 2020 by thornberry

crochet, teen

Pineapple Lace crochet halter top

I think that this is the last of the 2019 makes to get onto my blog. I strongly suspect that there are a couple of others that somehow have missed being photographed and reviewed, but I have to draw a line in the sand somewhere, and we’re now well into 2020!

I crocheted this little top for Clare while we were away on a long weekend holiday last June. I am not sure whether she initiated this project or whether I did! I do remember that I wanted something to crochet that wouldn’t take long – this fit the bill.

The pattern is the Pineapple Lace summer halter neck top by Melissa Bjerregaard, and it’s a free Ravelry download. It’s designed for 8 ply yarn, and can be customised to fit. We did add elastic to the underbust, as suggested, and really did need it in order to have the top fit snugly around Clare. I simply zig-zagged it in place on the sewing machine.

Clare has a very small underbust measurement – just 65cm – so we set the bra cups directly beside one another. She’s also around my height, with a short torso, so the finished top on Clare covers more skin than some of the other examples I’ve seen. We found a fancy button in my stash that has worked well as a closure on the back.

We found the yarn at a stall at the Preston Market (I don’t think that it’s there now). It’s a cotton/acrylic blend. I avoid wool when sewing or crocheting for Clare as she finds it irritating when in direct contact with her skin. This yarn was pleasant to work with and it blocked nicely, using steam from the iron.

I found the instructions quite clear, and it was fast to work up – maybe because there are components, so you can easily measure your progress. Pineapple lace is one of my favourite motifs – I crocheted an entire shawl in it once – because it’s so enjoyable to watch it come together row by row.

Clare has put in an order for some other little crocheted tops, but at the rate I haven’t been crocheting in recent years she could be waiting for a while! This should keep her happy in the meantime if she has a music festival to attend….

Monday, 3 February, 2020 by thornberry

family, sewing, teen, tween

Style Arc Bonnie top and Clare pants

As well as sewing Clare pants for Clare, I sewed a pair for Stella, and paired it with a Style Arc Bonnie top in the same fabric for the look of a jumpsuit without the impractability.

I reviewed the pants extensively in my previous blog post. For Stella I reprinted the pattern and sewed size 4, the smallest size. Once again I shortened the leg length about two inches before cutting out.

This pattern works equally well on Stella as it did on Clare. It’s interesting sewing for the two of them at the moment. Genetics are strong! They’re pretty much the same shape, with Stella a couple of inches shorter and just one size smaller all over. Stella did her growing at a much earlier age than Clare did, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the two are pretty much the same height and sizes in about another year or two.

The fabric is from Darn Cheap Fabrics. It’s a textured rayon, in a blue-green (teal?) colour that really suits Stella. Unfortunately the textured, more open-weave areas do catch very easily and tear, as we discovered the first time she wore the pants when she climbed a tree (she is still twelve)! I had enough scraps to patch it, but have spotted quite a few pulls in various places after subsequent wears.

So, on to the top! It’s a modification of view B of the Style Arc Bonnie woven top. This is another pattern that I bought in the multi-sized version, because I reckon that I am likely to sew it multiple times for multiple people.

From the pattern website: This wonderful new pattern comes with two options; A & B. Pattern “A” Features a slightly cropped body length, relaxed fit with bust darts. With a round neck and a functional back opening that can be buttoned this sleeveless top is the up to the moment look. For those that prefer a more covered garment there’s option “B”. Featuring a square shaped body and dropped shoulder line with an optional buttoned tab. The body length is longer and has a buttoned back, round neck as option “A”. FABRIC SUGGESTION: Linen, crepe, cotton, rayon.

bonnie-woven-tops

Stella didn’t want the buttons down the back, or on the shoulder tabs. This was an easy change – I just folded the back pattern piece to the centre back (where the buttonholes were marked) and cut the back piece on the fold. I made a corresponding modification to the back neckline facing. This style decision also made it an extremely fast garment to sew. No buttonholes or buttons – the shoulder tabs are just stitched in place.

I sewed size 4 for Stella, so you can see that this is a very roomy style.

Stella wore this outfit to our Christmas Day celebrations. She seemed cool and comfy in it, plus the pants have the all important pockets in which to stash her Christmas present – her first iPhone.

As it turned out, we all wore something sewn by me on Christmas Day – and so did Mum!

I thought that some of you might like to see this next photo of my parents (Dad is ninety-two), my brother and I, and the two granddaughters. We’re a small family (in numbers as well as in height), and we really span the ages. Dad was eighty when Stella was born! After this photo was taken we headed to an extended family lunch, where there were forty of us – Mum’s siblings and their partners, all the children of the next generation (my cousins) and their partners, then all of the generation below who range in age from two to twenty-two. Quite an achievement to get us all together from three different states and many different cities. My daughters each have a second cousin very close to them in age and it was beautiful to watch them interacting with one another and finding common interests.

Sunday, 2 February, 2020 by thornberry

adult's clothing, sewing, tessuti patterns

Tessuti Yuki dress

Sometimes you see a fabric that you just HAVE to sew with. That’s how I felt when I spotted this linen/viscose blend at The Cloth Shop, Ivanhoe shortly before Christmas. And if the comments on Instagram when I posted this photo were anything to go by, I wasn’t the only one that loved it!

Yes, it’s the fabric on the top of the pile in the photo. I’ve already blogged what the other three fabrics became – a tunic for Mum from the printed viscose, and Infinity scarves (with secret pocket) from the two spotted flannels. When I bought the linen/viscose, I was pretty sure what I wanted to sew from it – a Tessuti Yuki dress. And in the end, I wore it for Christmas day celebrations.

The Yuki dress pattern was released in March 2017 (the introductory blog post is here) and I pretty much dismissed it at the time, mainly because I saw it as a ‘winter’ pattern, and already owned a Vogue pattern with a cowl neckline with similar lines. However, I reconsidered it when browsing for a ‘sack’ dress pattern that I hadn’t used before. I liked the angled side seams, and the collar isn’t a regular cowl. So into my shopping cart it went, and was promptly printed, taped and cut out. I chose to sew size Medium, one size smaller than the Large my bust measurement would have put me in.

In retrospect, I have no idea why I had thought this was a ‘winter’ pattern – maybe because Tessuti had shown their sample in black, layered over a long-sleeved top! The fabric recommendations are for the main dress in drapey fabrics with great body eg. wool crepe, rayon/triacetate crepe, crepe blends, viscose, acetate, heavy silk satin, linen etc, with the collar and tie done in a contrast such as viscose georgette, silk crepe de chine, double georgette etc. Clearly I was way off base in my original thoughts about the pattern! It’s perfect for summer!

Now, I have to say that this is not your average ‘sack’ dress. The pattern website describes it as follows: This loose fitting, knee length, pull-over tunic dress features extended shoulders, tapered hemline, side pockets and a funnel style collar with drawstring tie. The contrast collar drapes around the neck like a soft cowl. The Yuki Dress can be worn on its own or layered over a fitted top, make it the perfect trans-seasonal wardrobe piece.

Tessuti Yuki dress line drawing

The line drawings really do say it all. The side seams (which have in-seam pockets) angle toward the tapered hem (a style that always works well on my shape), and take note of the neckline shape with it’s rounded V at the centre front and centre back. Very nice, a bit of a departure from the usual, yet easy to sew.

I topstitched around the seam where the cowl-like collar is attached to the main dress to provide a bit more support and structure. The collar is a single layer, which means that the wrong side of the fabric can show when it’s being worn, so take that into consideration. The tie and the casing for the tie are very easily sewn.

I shortened the pattern pieces at the shorten/lengthen here lines, removing the entire shaded area (about two inches) from the length. I am 158cm tall, and the finished dress now hits me pretty much right on the knee. You need to make length alterations before cutting out, as the dress silhouette is tapered.

I was incredibly comfortable wearing this dress on a hot summer day. It felt celebratory and fun, while being easy to wear. My eyes are now open to the many possibilities of this pattern; you’ll definitely see it used again at some stage.

Saturday, 1 February, 2020 by thornberry

Month: February 2020