Sew: StyleArc Hedy Designer Dress

I'm surprised there are not more Hedy dresses on the interwebs. It's such a great pattern for a dress that's a bit different. I couldn't work out in my head if it was going to work in a stripe so I decided to just go for it. It is only fabric. And I'm so pleased with how it worked out! There was no stripe matching at all for the top. The only thing I tried to match was the side seams in the skirt section.

I opted for the neckline facing and have only tacked it down at the seams. I may go back and topstitch it down all the way around at 1 cm. I'll see how much it annoys me. I chose not to include the pockets as I didn't want any extra bulk in that area.

Project Details
Pattern: Style Arc Hedy Designer Dress, size 18
Fabric: Tessuti Fabrics Dusty Liner Blue viscose jersey
Modifications: Lengthened short version by 10cm, omitted pockets
See Also: Thornberry | Sew Jean Margaret | Catherine Daze

There will be another of these. I'd like a plain colour one. Probably black or charcoal. Of course.

Sew: Floral Colette Patterns Moneta Dress

Amazing what you find in your blog draft posts! I made this dress long ago and I'm very pleased with it. The fabric may be a little lightweight for this pattern but it seems to be surviving.

This is my fourth Moneta dress. I have my beloved Jaywalk striped version, a red one that was gifted to my mum, a plain black one and this floral one. I find them the perfect work dress paired with some heals and a blazer in Winter.

Project Details
Pattern: Colette Patterns Moneta Dress, size XL
Fabric: Viscose printed jersey (Floreale Nero) from Tessuti Fabrics
Alterations: Omitted bodice lining and pockets, lengthened by 5cm
See Also: Sew Brunswick #1

Sew: Tessuti Gabby Dress

I sense a pattern emerging here. Late to join the party/bandwagon yet again...

This is of course the Tessuti Gabby dress pattern that was released many years ago and has been made by countless sewers around the world. It's a great pattern that is simple and stylish and a great way to use a feature fabric.

The fabric was purchased from Tessuti Fabrics in Melbourne over a year ago. I was hoping for a bit of Gorman style with this make. Not sure I pulled it off but I'm pretty happy with this dress. It will get a lot of wear when the Melbourne weather finally warms up.

Project Details
Pattern: Tessuti Gabby Dress, size XL
Fabric: Valeria Nero printed viscose from Tessuti Melbourne
Alterations: Lined with silk cotton
See also: Boo Dogg and Me | Thornberry | Sewn by Elizabeth | Up Sew Late

Sew: Tessuti Frankie Dress

Tessuti have done it again! They've created a simple yet stylish classic pattern. So many possibilities! 

Frankie and I got off to a bit of a rough start. My first version was in a stable ponte and the arms and upper chest were way too tight. The second was a muslin that I intend to wear as a nightie. Unfortunately, my test version was in a very stretchy jersey so I didn't pick up on the continuing fit issues. This version is made in a black viscose jersey from Tessuti that I've used before many times. This time I ordered 5 metres to keep me going for a while! It is completely wearable (and I will wear it often) but there are a few issues that I'll fix for the next version. 

The first main issue is that the arms are too tight. I will slash and spread the pattern piece, like I do the Mandy boat tee, and add about 2cm at the hem. I think this will fix a lot of the problem but I also think the shoulders and neckline aren't wide enough on me. I think I will try adding a centimetre or two to the centre front. I just want it to sit wider across the top. Not very technical but I think it will work.

Otherwise, it's a really great pattern. I omitted the elastic in neckline and it seems to be fine. The played around with the length of the sleeve and skirt. The sleeves were hemmed at just above elbow length and the skirt is half way between the two skirt pattern lengths. A good midi length.

Project Details
Pattern: Tessuti Fabrics Frankie Dress, size XL
Fabric: Hashtag black jersey from Tessuti
Alterations: Length is half way between the two dress lengths, sleeves hemmed to elbow length, omitted clear elastic in neckline
See also: Sew South London | Funk Bunny

So what do you think? Have you made the Frankie dress yet?

Sew: Vogue 1247 skirt

 

I finally jumped on the Vogue 1247 bandwagon. I like to make sure that it is thoroughly tested before I decide to join in! I made the skirt without all the bells and whistles (no pockets or binding). I also graded out from the hips down by 1cm each side and added 6cm length for a decent hem.

The fabric is a printed denim I found on the Tessuti remnant table when I popped in for some samples. It's nice and study and I love the print. Can't have enough animal print!

There's not much else to say about this skirt. It will fit in perfectly with my wardrobe of black and grey!

Project Details
Pattern: Vogue 1247, size 18
Fabric: Printed denim from Tessuti Fabrics Melbourne
Alterations: Added 6cm to length, used a 6cm hem, graded out 1cm from just above hip

Sew: Grey Tessuti Sydney Jacket (again!)

I love the look of my first grey Sydney jacket but the wool is not soft and not comfortable to wear. When I made my second Sydney jacket this year, I loved the softness of the boiled wool so much that I couldn't bring myself to wear the first grey one anymore. I always opted for the softer "grilled eggplant" one. So I decided to buy some grey boiled wool to make a jacket to replace my original Sydney jacket. And geez I love it so!

My father calls it my blanket jacket and it secretly is a blanket I suppose. But a stylish blanket!

The wool is a boiled wool from The Drapery online. I bought the one that had a machine fault every 30cm (now sold out). It is lovely and soft and the perfect grey colour.

I did extend the sleeves this time by 10cm but I'm not convinced about them. They seem to catch on my elbows when I bend my arms. I may go back and chop them off. At least it's easy with this pattern!

Project Details
Pattern: Tessuti Fabrics Sydney Jacket, size L
Fabric: Boiled wool from The Drapery
Alterations: Extended sleeves by 10cm
See also: Sew Brunswick #1 | Sew Brunswick #2 

Sew: Tessuti Mandy Boat Tee

I have no words to describe this simple but soon to be much loved striped Mandy Boat Tee. It is simple perfection. That is all.

Project Details
Pattern: Tessuti Mandy Boat Tee
Fabric: Yin & Yang Ebony viscose spandex knit from Tessuti (deep stash)
Alterations: Lengthened sleeves by 10cm, slashed and spread sleeve by 2.5cm
See Also: Sew Brunswick #1 | Made by Melanie | Funkbunny | Thornberry

Sew: Tessuti Sydney Jacket

After the raging success of my first Sydney Jacket, I went on the hunt for a camel coloured boiled wool to make another. I thought camel would go well with black. Not sure what happened but I came out of Rathdowne Fabrics with this maroon slightly brown coloured boiled wool. At Sewjourn, we decided to call it "Grilled Eggplant".

Whatever colour it is, I've certainly enjoyed wearing it. My first Sydney jacket was in a felted wool and although I love the colour, it is not very snuggly to wear. After wearing this boiled wool version a few times, I went and bought a grey boiled wool to replace my first version. It is like wearing a blanket. So warm and snuggly.

This was my first Sewjourn project. I got through quite a few projects this time but I then promptly got sick and so did Mr Sew Brunswick so it's been a quiet few weeks.

Project Details
Pattern: Tessuti Fabrics Sydney Jacket, size L
Fabric: Boiled wool from Rathdowne Fabrics
Alterations: None
See also: Sew Brunswick #1 | Made by Melanie | Closet Case Files | Funkbunny

I'm wearing it with my new striped Mandy Boat Tee which I'll blog about soon...

Sew: Tessuti Alice Dress

Is there a period of time after which you cannot post an item on your blog?? I believe I made this dress at the end of last Summer and then put it away, so it's about 11 months old. Better late than never!

This is of course the Tessuti Alice dress. I'm not sure I can add much value to the discussion on this pattern. It's simple, easy to put together and perfect for hot weather. Just make sure you go down two sizes. I'm still not sold on this style on me. It does look a bit shapeless on me but some days just call for a glorified sack.

I do love this linen. I had a tiny piece of the orange colourway a few years ago. I couldn't justify the expense of it for a full garment. Then one fateful day, I saw it online reduced or as a remnant, I can't remember which, and I snatched it up. I have a little bit left which I'm hoping to get a top out of. Thankfully, fabric doesn't go off.

Project Details
Pattern: Tessuti Alice dress, size M
Fabric: Printed linen from Tessuti online
See also: Boo Dogg & Me | Thornberry | The Little Miss Gee Story | Miss Pippilotta

Sew: Tessuti Kate top & By Hand London Flora skirt

My cousin got married last weekend on the beautiful Bellarine Peninsula. I picked up this amazing Max Mara cotton sateen from Tessuti Melbourne way back in October with good intentions to get cracking on this outfit. I knew I wanted to make a two piece outfit with a full A-line skirt and a cropped tank top. And that's as far as I got...

I finally bought the patterns on New Year's Eve. I also got the netting to underline the skirt. My plan was to crank it out while the boys were on holidays with my parents (hello, camping at the beach!). Instead I went out a few nights with my husband, as you do when you don't have the kids. I also spent a few nights stuck on the couch with Netflix, just because. I then got sick with some nasty virus which rendered me bed-ridden for a few days. And then the boys were back!

Once I did start, I encountered numerous problems with the skirt. I'd folded a good 20cm of width out of the skirt flare and didn't re-do the curve of the waistband. Rookie mistake. So when it came to attaching the waistband to the skirt, there were massive folds of fabric at the hip near the waistband. The fabric wanted to bunch up. I knew something was off in this area as the angle at the side seam - waistline corner was too sharp. So I unpicked the waistband, side seam invisible zip and re-drew the waistline curve. Removing 5cm off the top of the waist at the side seam and tapering it back to the existing centre front. I then re-inserted the zip and re-attached the waistband. Outfit saved!

I finished the outfit at 11am on the day of the wedding. We dropped the boys with friends at midday and drove to Geelong for the wedding. Close call! I'm pleased to report I wasn't hand stitching in the car on the way. My grandmother was famous for doing that!

The top was no trouble at all. I made quite a few alterations (see below) and hemmed it temporarily so I can unpick it to return it to a more everyday length.

I most likely won't wear this outfit again as a complete set but I really want to wear the individual pieces frequently. I've already worn the skirt to work this week, paired with a white t-shirt and black flats.

Project Details - Top
Pattern: Tessuti Kate Top, view B, size L
Fabric: Cotton sateen from Tessuti Melbourne
Alterations: Straightened and shortened hem by 12cm, removed 4cm from back neckline, omitted back opening and side splits, turned binding to the inside
See also: Boo Dogg & Me | Bombazine | Thornberry | Barbara Jane Made

Project Details - Skirt 
Pattern: By Hand London Flora Dress (skirt front pattern piece only), UK size 18
Fabric: Cotton sateen from Tessuti Melbourne
Alterations: Removed about 20cm from front and back width, reshaped waistline curve, added straight 4cm wide waistband, topstitched Mokuba ribbon to waistband
See also: Closet Case Files | By Hand London

Sew: S2215 skirt (again)

Happy new year friends! I'm really looking forward to 2016 and what it holds. I love turning over a new leaf.

I know it's been months since I last posted but I'm back with a new work skirt. Yes, another Simplicity 2215. Why change when you're a winner?

I used a crepe from Tessuti Melbourne instead of a cotton sateen this time. Complete game changer! The different fabric changes the whole look of the skirt. This fabric is soft and swishy but with a bit of weight.

I made this skirt exactly the same size as all the other versions and it turned out about 7cm too big on the waist. No I have definitely not lost weight (quite the opposite actually) and I'd only just made another version a few weeks earlier. I can only attribute this to the fabric, even though it has no stretch. All my other versions have been cotton sateen. This is a much lighter crepe. Once I'd completely finished it, I realised it was too big and that I wouldn't wear it as is. Rachel suggested I insert some elastic in to the back waist band to bring it in. It worked a treat and actually makes for a very comfortable skirt.

Project Details
Pattern: Cynthia Rowley Simplicity 2215, view C, size 20
Fabric: Crepe from Tessuti Melbourne
Alterations: Lengthened by 10cm, inserted elastic in to the back waist band

As always, there will be more of these skirts. They are a perfect work skirt for me.

What's your perfect work skirt? Please do share, because I can't wear the same skirt every day!

Sew: Simplicity 1366 top in Japanese Cotton

I'm back with another project that has sat 95% done for a few months, waiting for me to hem it. I accidentally scorched the fabric on the back while doing the neckline so it was sent to the naughty corner for a while. 

I made the same neckline alteration to this top as my stripey version. I lengthened the body by 10cm and left the sleeves as per the pattern. I prefer the sleeves slightly shorter like the stripe top so will shorten the sleeves in future makes. They sit right at the elbow which is a bit awkward.

The fabric was from Tessuti Melbourne way back in February. It is a beautiful soft waffle cotton that I couldn't go past.

Project Details
Pattern: Simplicity 1366, size 18
Fabric: Japanese waffle cotton from Tessuti Melbourne
Alterations: Removed 3 cm from both the front and back neckline, lengthened body by 10cm.
See Also: Sew Brunswick #1 | Ada Spragg | Lily Sage & Co | Bedlam + Bird

There's one more S1366 top hanging somewhere around waiting for a neckline binding.

L x

Sew: Style Arc Jessica Dress

I'd been planning to try the Style Arc Jessica Dress for some time but wasn't in a real rush. I then saw Marjorie was giving away her copy of the pattern and she kindly offered to send it to me. Thanks again Marjorie. The Jessica Dress suddenly jumped to the top of the queue!

The Jessica Dress is described as "Great easy to wear pull on knit jersey dress with up to the minute twist front feature that is flattering and eye catching." It is a relatively straight forward dress to sew with no major tricky bits. The pattern Marjorie had was a size 14, so I decided to keep it that size. I probably would have bought my usual Style Arc size 16, so it is worth going down a size or two. The neckline has quite a plunge on it and I'm happy to wear a singlet but it's worth considering.

The fabric is a viscose, polyester and spandex knit from Tessuti Fabrics online. My love for black and white is well documented so I bought a few metres of this knit as well as the small dot knit. Out of this print, I have this dress, a Mandy Boat tee and an Ali Knit skirt. What can I say, I'm not afraid of a coordinating wardrobe! This knit is probably not slinky enough for this pattern. It is also a bit too heavy. There is a lot of fabric in that front twist and the whole dress feels bulky. Also, the asymmetry of this dress bugs me. There are pleats on one side but not the other so the hem is crooked and the fabric pulls across the waist strangely. I will be interested to see how it works in a lighter, slinkier knit.

Project Details
Pattern: Style Arc Jessica Dress, size 14
Fabric: Small Squiggle Knit, from Tessuti Fabrics Online
Alterations: None
See Also: Busy Lizzie | Thewallinna | Cashmerette | Allison.C

Overall, I'm not that pleased with this dress due to the poor fabric to pattern match. I will wear it because it's easy to wear but it will probably end up in the Savers pile next year. I prefer it will a black jacket due to the bulky top.

You win some, you lose some!

L x

Sew: Tessuti Sydney Jacket

When Tessuti released the Sydney Jacket I wasn't that keen on it. I didn't think a wool coat without lining or fastenings was very practical in Melbourne winter. But after I saw Groovy Baby and Mama's grey version that is perfectly styled with a striped dress, I knew I had to give it a go. Nothing to lose!

The Sydney Jacket is described as an "oversized, draped jacket features a relaxed collar, back yoke, extended cropped raglan sleeves and side pockets." The construction is relatively easy but different enough to keep you interested. The only problem I had was I put the front panels on the wrong way and only realised when I put the coat on and the pockets were on the outside.

To help with the overlapped seams, I marked a line 1cm from the edge on the wrong side. I then lined the other raw edge up with the line and pinned on the right side. It was then easy to sew the overlapped seams. I chose not to stitch the pockets to the main fabric.

The fabric I chose does fray. It was found in the dark depths of Anne's Fabrics on Sydney Road. It was inexpensive and the colour I was looking for. I was planning on snipping off the fraying ends after each wear but I kind of like the fraying. Or it could be just laziness...

Project Details
Pattern: Tessuti Sydney Jacket, size L
Fabric: Grey wool from Anne's Fabrics on Sydney Road
Alterations: None
See Also: Funkbunny | Groovy Baby and Mama | Clever Tinker | The Stitcher and Gatherer

I might make another of version of the Sydney Jacket next winter. Maybe a black or camel one. Just for a bit of fun.

But for now, I'm loving my greys.

L x

Sew: Tessuti Alice Top in White Linen and Lace

I've decided I'm just going to blog my recent makes without waiting for decent "blog worthy". Life is just a bit hectic and I miss blogging so I'm just going to post my finished garments. Also if I don't blog them, I forget what I've done. These photos are from a few months ago. I was not walking around recently in bare legs and arms!

This is my first real attempt at the Tessuti Alice pattern. I made a quick and dirty muslin for size and didn't even bother attaching the sleeve bands. There was a lot of talk going around the interwebs about how large this pattern ran. I usually make a size L-XL in Tessuti patterns but going on what other people were saying I decided to try a medium. Despite my measurements being in the XL range for this pattern I got a perfect fit with a size M. So if you haven't heard it before, go down a size or two in this pattern.

The lace is a remnant I picked up at Tessuti Melbourne when H was a newborn (4 years ago). It's been sitting there waiting for the perfect combo. I finally settled on a linen and lace yoked top and chose the Tessuti Alice top pattern.

Project Details
Pattern: Tessuti Alice Top, size M
Fabric: Cotton lace remnant and medium weight white linen from Tessuti Fabrics Online
See Also: The Little Miss Gee Story | Ada Spragg | Boo Dogg and Me | Nearest The Pin

So there you have it! A completely seasonally inappropriate blog post to get me back on the wagon.

More soon!

L x

Sew: Liesl + Co Girl Friday Culottes

I finally jumped on the culotte bandwagon! And I'm loving them. I bought this fabric for culottes way back in October from Tessuti Melbourne. I was planning on modifying a Vogue pattern but after muslining the pattern I realised there was way too much work involved so I put them aside. The Girl Friday culottes then started appearing all over the world of sewing blogs. The pattern wasn't exactly what I had in my mind but it was close enough so I forged ahead. 

The pattern comes together easily and is well drafted. The sizing is accurately described in the finished waist measurements provided but it is tricky to know what size you need exactly until the waistband is on. I discovered after the first wear that I like them to sit snugly, quite high on my waist. The weight of the fabric pulls the front of the waistband down if it is not firm.  I knew it was going to bug me and I wouldn't wear them if I didn't fix them straight away. So after the first wear I dutifully unpicked the front waistband and took an extra 2.5cm out of each side pleat (not the centre front pleat). I then removed 5cm from the waistband and reattached it. Unfortunately my finish was perfect on the first go and not-so-perfect on the second go, but I was not unpicking for a second time. 

The fabric is (I think) a linen/cotton/rayon blend from Tessuti Melbourne. One side is a real black that is shiny and smooth. The other side has a slight linen texture and looks like washed silk. It is washed out black colour. I chose the "washed silk" side as the outside. 

The pattern calls for a normal zipper to be inserted inside the left pocket. I don't care much for normal dress zips so I chose to use an invisible zip. I just followed the same general instructions but inserted the invisible zip instead. The other interesting part of the instructions was that the waistband is attached to the wrong side and then flipped to the right side and topstitched. No stitching in the ditch or hand stitching required!

Project Details

Pattern: Liesl + Co Girl Friday Culottes, size 18

Fabric: Linen/cotton/rayon blend from Tessuti Melbourne

Alterations: Removed 5cm from front waist band and pleats, used an invisible zipper

See also: Top Notch | La Sartora | Top Notch (pineapples!) | Fiona Makes

I'm really loving these culottes. I didn't think they would suit me or be very flattering but I think they do. They're extremely comfortable to wear and I even feel slightly trendy! Winning! I struggled to know what to wear with culottes so I purchased two tees from Country Road that go nicely and will see me through Summer. 

I'm not sure if I'll make another pair of these. There's only so many pairs of culottes a girl needs. I am pondering a more structured pair in a sturdy black wool suiting I got from Rathdowne for work. Or I'll stick to my original plan of a pair of Thurlows. I would make the waistband wider if I make these culottes again. I have noticed that the new Vogue patterns has a culottes pattern and I do like the look of those.

So, tell me, what do you think of culottes? Have you jumped on the #teamculottes bandwagon??

L x