A Cocktail Dress

I fell in love with this cocktail print fabric the instant I saw it on Etsy. I had to have it!! What to make with it? A cocktail dress, of course!

This dress is a mash up of a Lekala shift bodice with french darts, a Vogue pleated skirt, and a self drafted sleeve, which I think might be based on a Butterick pattern.

I cut the bodice first, then the skirt and last the sleeves and cuffs. The original bodice has a slit neck, I recut this into a scoop. I assembled the bodice starting with the french darts, then the shoulder seams, then the side seams. I tried it on to make sure it would fit ok.

Next I did made the skirt by sewing the tucks in each skirt section, then sewing all the sections together. I put the bodice on and marked where I wanted the drop waist to sit on my body, then sewed the skirt to the marked waist line.

I interfaced the spot where the sleeve vent sits with a tiny piece of light weight interfacing. This stabilizes the fabric so it doesn’t stretch, strengthens it, and prevents raveling. I like to use faced slits in light weight sleeves like this, so I interfaced a small rectangle of fabric to prevent raveling and used that as my facing.

I used a bias band to face the scooped neckline.

The hem was a struggle. My attempt at a blind stitched hem resulted in some puckering. When I tried to undo it, the fabric started to run a bit. I pressed everything as best I could, and topstitched it down. Most of it looks good except for near one side where the puckering seems to be permanent.

 

Burda Style Shirt with Bat Sleeves 04/2015 #123A

I don’t sew Burda often, but every now and then I find something I can’t resist. This is a fun pattern! The batwing sleeves are all one piece and wrap from the back, over the shoulders to the front and back down to the armpit.

I used a cotton voile from my stash. I wish I’d taken a photo of the uncut fabric, because it’s hard to describe. The stripes run lengthwise down the fabric. The asymmetrical pattern starts at one selvedge, with wide green stripes alternating with narrow white and black stripes. Then, moving crosswise, the next set of bright blue stripes are slightly narrower, then the yellow stripes are narrower still, followed by medium blue stripes that are narrower again, the pattern ends with still narrower aqua stripes.  To get the stripes running horizontally, instead of vertically, I cut the pieces on the cross grain.

I added a wide diagonal band around the neck.

The instructions were clear. The pattern sewed up quickly and easily.  It came out a little longer than I expected. Also, something went a bit amiss, the back is slightly askew.

The voile is a little sheer and crisp, so chances are I’ll be wearing this as a cover up over a tank or swimsuit.

<b>Pattern Description: </b>
Pullover with raglan batwing sleeves

<b>Pattern Sizing:</b>
Misses

<b>Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?</b>
Yes, except it came out longer than I expected

<b>Were the instructions easy to follow?</b>
Yes they were clear and correct

<b>What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?</b>
I like the causal effect from the sleeves. The construction technique is unusual and fun

<b>Fabric Used:</b>
Cotton voile in an asymmetrical stripe

<b>Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:</b>
Added a wide bias band at the neck

<b>Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?</b>
Yes, I would sew it again. And yes I would recommend it

 

Kwik Sew 3670 in Rayon Challis

I love rayon challis for summer wear. Rayon does wrinkle, but easily fluffs out with a quick spin in the dryer, a few moments in a steamy shower, or a quick wipe with a medium iron.

I’ve had both pattern and fabric in my stash for awhile now. The fabric came from Fabric Mart during a rayon challis sale, along with several other solid colors, some of which I’ve already sewn up.

This design is flattering to every figure, easy and comfortable to wear. I followed the pattern for this make. I usually need a FBA, but really wasn’t sure how to do it on this top. So I sort of muddled through it.

The only tricky part for me was getting the center front gather/pouffy to flow neatly. It kept twisting to one side, until I took it completely apart and resewed it

I’m sure I’ll be making this one again, maybe next time in a bold print!

<b>Pattern Description: </b>
Pull-over top and tunic have front and back yokes, and shoulders extend forming sleeves. Front has a gathered extension folded over front yoke. Sleeves are gathered at bottom edge and finished with self fabric bindings. View A sleeves are elbow length and View B sleeves are short.

<b>Pattern Sizing:</b>
Misses

<b>Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?</b>
Yes, exactly!

<b>Were the instructions easy to follow?</b>
Yes, they were clear and correct. The only difficult part, for me, was getting the center pouffy to look right.

<b>What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?</b>
I like the loose, comfortable fit, it will be nice for hot summer days

<b>Fabric Used:</b>
rayon challis

<b>Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:</b>
None this time

<b>Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?</b>
Yes and yes

 

Kwik Sew 4005 HACKED

Linen topped the Favorite Fiber list for many years in the 1980’s. The 80’s had a weird, almost split-fashion-personality. For play I wore Cindi Lauper/Madonna influenced clothes. On a good (or maybe it was bad???) day I looked like a costumed refugee from Desperately Seeking Susan.  For work I work rayon shirtwaist dresses or linen suits. The rayon crumpled in storage but steamed out beautifully in the shower, and looked good all day long. The linen looked great when I put it on, but by lunchtime it looked like I’d slept in it. For days.  By the late 90s linen was out of my work wardrobe.

Now, linen is back big time. Much of the new linen is blended with cotton. I like cotton for summer, so I decided to give some of the new cotton/linen blends a try. I purchased a precut from Fabric Mart, and began seeking a project for it.

A thread about a casual shirt in a linen like fabric inspired this make. The original garment was a soft aqua color. After completing my top, I think the soft color was a major appeal factor for me. That one looked almost tropical or beachy. Mine looks rougher, like working in the garden or hiking in the woods.

I used Kwik Sew 4005 view B, with a front yoke, as my starting point. The inspiration top had dolman sleeves, a crossover V neck ending in a slightly gathered horizontal dart under the buts. One side had a patch pocket.

Right front pattern

First, I changed the front bodice. I recut the neckline lower, and extended each side of the bodice so they overlap. Next, I changed the sleeves.  The book Pattern Making for Fashion Design is my go-to reference, and it did indeed contain instructions on how to change a set in sleeve to a dolman sleeve. They were not complicated, but I decided to just eyeball it.

I’ve made many caftans with cut on sleeves, no pattern, no complex measurements, no math. Just eyeballs. The trick is to make sure the top edge of the sleeve is horizontal or tilted slightly upwards. If the sleeve follows the shoulder slope downwards. the wearer won’t be able to raise their arms. Cutting the sleeve for mobility has it’s own problem, that is, excess fabric bunches under the armpit when the arm is hanging down normally. That’s ok, it’s part of the casual look.

The pattern has the lower bodice cut in one piece. The inspiration has an off center front seam. But, the limited amount of fabric wasn’t enough to cut one big piece and one little piece. So, the pieces are fairly close in size, putting the front seam more toward the center than I wanted it to be.

I used wide bias strips pieced together for the front and back neck facings. The soft, fringy selvedge on this fabric is beautiful, and I wanted to use it. I used it like piping around the neck and down the slightly off center front seam. I think the fringy selvedge gives it a rustic touch. I do like the result, but I also think this is another choice that swings my look away from tropical beach towards rustic country.

I didn’t have enough fabric to make the patch pocket. In fact, I barely had enough to cut the top! The front bodice is cut on the cross grain.

For finishing, I decided to stick with the unstructured look. I trimmed the sleeves and hems to the right length. I topstitched with the coverstitch machine, with blue and white variegated thread in the looper,  about 1″ above the edge, and will let the raw edges ravel and fringe.

Pattern Description:
Pullover, loose-fitting shirts have dropped shoulders, self-faced back yoke, side slits and stitched hems. A: Three-quarter length sleeves and round, notched neckline. B: Front button opening, chest pockets, notched collar, long sleeves with slit and cuffs.

<b>Pattern Sizing:</b>
Unisex – Mens/Womens

<b>Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?</b>
No because I made changes

<b>Were the instructions easy to follow?</b>
Yes, the parts that I followed were clear and correct. But, I went off on my own design wise, so I did not follow them closely

<b>What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?</b>
Love the loose, comfy fit.

<b>Fabric Used:</b>
Linen/cotton blend

<b>Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:</b>
Changed the front to an overlap V neck. Added a slightly off center front seam to the lower bodice Converted the set in sleeves to cut on dolman sleeves

<b>Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?</b>
Yes and yes!