KW Frocktails: One Month & Counting!

The first really local to me Frocktails is happening in Kitchener Waterloo, in just one month: March 28th, 2020! I'm so excited about this -- it is going to be such fun to socialize with other sewists on a night out.

There are lots of great sponsors, and a great location; I'm really looking forward to it!

But of course, on such a night, full of other garment makers, I want to wear something really special! I most likely already have something I *could* wear, but why not try something new and fancy? :)

I have a few ideas, and need a little help -- which one should I pick? In a perfect world I could make all three, and then wear them whenever I needed them, but since I have a month, I will go with one. All of my ideas are quite different, though they are all matches of patterns and fabric I have in my stash now.

First off, I am looking at the SewDifferent Essential Denim Dress -- but I would be sewing it in fancier fabric! I have a gold metallic leopard print and a bronzey denim weight suiting that could mix and match well with this pattern. Both sides of the leopard print are usable as well, so that would add more to the pieced nature of this dress.

Next, there is a Vogue pattern I've had for quite a while now, and it is a party dress for sure. Vogue 9265 has a full skirt and nice big sleeves, and I have a burnout velvet and black lining that would be really nice for this design.

And then there is this incredible fabric I picked in Toronto the last time I was there. It's a stretch velvet with the wildest rose/matriochka print. And some sparkle! If this doesn't say party, I don't know what does. But I'm not sure which pattern to use for this -- I don't want many seams to break up this print.

scissors for scale

Perhaps a Laundry Day Tee in dress length, and no cowl? Or maybe a repeat of this Burda #101 from the Sept 2018 issue, that I made as a Christmas dress in 2018. Hmmm. I don't want to waste this amazing fabric.

Laundry Day Tee (swing tee/dress)

Burda 101/09/2018

Opinions? Please share them asap! If you're local to this area, I hope I'll be seeing you at KW Frocktails!

My Blue Velvet Bookstore Dress

I have been working on a new dress pattern this month, the Agnes Dress by Halla Patterns. It's a free pattern, and a simple swing dress style.

I wanted to test it out and check the fit before using my newest, fancy printed stretch velvet -- so I found some similar weight/stretch fabric in my stash and gave it a go.

I like to call this my "Blue Velvet Bookstore Dress". Why? Well, because my husband and I ran a second-hand bookshop for a few years called Chumley & Pepys Books. And this blue crushed velvet was what I bought to cover the stryrofoam sheets that we used as pinboards, and also to make a curtain to draw over the lower shelves of a counter that we used as storage. So I had a fair amount of it sitting around from those days!

This was a super easy dress. My fabric is stretchy, but maybe not as much as a rayon knit, so I could have cut it a tiny bit bigger. I used Size 10/12 and graded out to 14/16 at hip, then traced it off, and quickly cut it. I was only able to get around to sewing it on this long weekend, though! If I make it again in a similar stretch fabric, I'm going to add more width to move up to about a 14/16 bust and 18 hip though. It's a bit tight across the back for me.

Please excuse the odd way this is pulling. It was so cold out I was  shivering
while taking these last few photos! I'm sure the people driving by thought I was bonkers.

If you look at the back right shoulder closely you may note that I have a "secret seam" there -- I had to piece the top of the shoulder in order to fit it onto the length of fabric that used to be a curtain ;)

I just hemmed the sleeve although the pattern has an option for a sleeve band as well as various sleeve lengths. And I added the neckband and for once it worked out the first time! I think I just have to give it a little press and maybe a topstitch to keep it smooth.

The only flaw is that the pockets -- while they do exist! -- are a bit small for my hands. I think I'll use my default pocket piece in future. Otherwise I quite like this pattern, although I feel that it is one size too small for comfortable wearing, at least for me. It's a bit too clingy; I'll go up one size and perhaps use a fabric that has a bit more stretch next time around. But I love the colour and the fit in general, and I do think I'll be making this one again. It's a fairly nice design for a free pattern!

Velvet Mash Up Dress

This is a love-hate kind of dress. Love because I adore the fit and the mix of two patterns which turned out just as I'd imagined, and I absolutely love the print & colours of this fabric. Hate because it's a polyester and because of the print I broke my rule about not buying plastic poly, and this fabric sheds fibre like the dickens. It's so bad. I feel environmentally shamed by it.

It's so bad I had to wear a dust mask while sewing it. And when I washed and dried it, I had SO MUCH lint to clear out, more than once.

Other than that confession, I do like the final product.

I used the bodice of the Colette Moneta dress, which I've made twice before. This time the fabric doesn't have quite as much stretch, so it is a little snugger than my others (but I like it). I didn't want any gathering on the skirt with this print, so I matched the bodice up with the skirt of Butterick See & Sew 5870, which I've made in bright magenta ponte and really liked.

They went together beautifully. I only had to square up about an inch all around in size differential. And the shape of this skirt really skims the body -- it's perfect for pear figures, I think. I did add pockets (of course) as I always do. This time I just used a cotton broadcloth scrap for my pocket bags, so they won't stretch out. There isn't a lot of vertical stretch in this fabric either, so it all works together.

After figuring out how to fit these two patterns together and cutting, this went together easily. It was a quick sew, with a turn-under-and-stitch hem at sleeve and skirt, and a neckband sewn on. The neckband actually worked fairly well on my first go this time! I used the formula that another blogger shared -- the size of the neckline opening minus 15% equals the band length. It is good enough that I didn't have to redo this one. Success!

The most difficult part of this project was (and is) the fabric. After all that, it is still shedding! I recall why I don't buy cheap poly velour often, and won't be doing it again. But I can still enjoy the beautiful colours of this, and the fit, nonetheless.

It's so pretty!!

Have you ever made something that you love and hate equally?

Black Burda Christmas Dress

I wasn't really planning to sew a new dress for Christmas Day this year, since I had to work up so near to the day itself. I had bought some gorgeous crushed velvet from Fabricland, a muted floral print on a black ground, and thought it would make a beautiful festive outfit, if only I had time.

I even had the perfect dress for it: the "Sequin Dress" from Burda (#101 in the Sept 2018 issue, or here on their website). While the pattern has glitzy fabric contrasted with rib knit sleeve cuffs (love!) I just used all velvet for my version. Though I did add side seam pockets, but just slightly too low, argh.

In any case, I found I did have enough time to complete the dress. My husband took over the cooking duties for the vegetarian main I make every year for our family gathering (and did a fine job) so I could continue sewing. Even though I was hemming on Christmas morning, I still had it done and wore it all day.

It is a super comfortable shape and perfect for eating big Christmas dinners in! I liked the long sleeve with the lightly-gathered-to-the-cuff finish, too, even if I don't often go for full length sleeves. I hemmed it to just above the knee so it didn't feel too overwhelming -- while the original is a bit shorter, knee length is about as short as I go, considering I'm only barely 5'2.

Construction Details:

I of course had to smallify the whole thing: shortened the skirt length somewhat, shortened the sleeves by 2.5" and the cuff width by 1/2". I should have taken up 1/2" to a full inch above the waist, but will do so next time. With the loose fit, it's not too apparent anyhow. I'd also cut the shoulder to underbust area at 40 instead of 42 next time, and grade out from there.

I added side seam pockets but miscalculated the waist a bit and so the pockets are just a touch too low. They work fine but it annoys me with my short arms! I used a scrap of a smooth black polyknit for the neck binding so that there was nothing to irritate my skin on the inside of the neckline. And it all seemed to go together nicely. The only alterations I'd make next time are just the slight sizing adjustment at the underarm area and raising the pockets by an inch. So I'd say this one was a success to end the year with! I was even able to wear my "Made in Bethlehem" mother of pearl brooch with it.

I am really loving this velvet trend. More to come in 2019...