Charm Patterns Harlow Pajamas, for the Pattern Review Sewing Bee Round 1

I was a little distracted by my original March sewing plans by the arrival of the Pattern Review Sewing Bee! It started a little later than usual this year, and I was paying attention but not necessarily planning on participating...but the first round challenge was pyjamas -- I've never really made a two piece pj set before, which was the brief for this round. Plus it had to be "uniquely you" in some way. 

I sorted through my pattern stash, and found that I didn't have any paper patterns in my extensive collection for a pj set -- a few nightgown patterns, but nothing like a classic pyjama set. Fortunately, I have many Burda magazines so looked through those, but ended up going with a free pattern from Charm Patterns, the Harlow Pajamas, a 30s inspired retro glam set that I'd downloaded and printed a while ago. 

I like this set, as it has a real vintage vibe (as to be expected from Gertie at Charm Patterns). It can be made in a luxury silky fabric for glam wear, or in cottons for a more casual pj vibe. I went with cottons from my stash.

To make this uniquely me, I used a cotton-poly sheet that I thrifted a while back; it has a brightly coloured alphabet print, and I knew when I saw it that I'd find a use for it somewhere. This was it! It's not too stiff, and sewed up into these pyjama pants perfectly.

It is faintly see-through, and I noticed that my usual seam finish (just pinking) would show through from the right side, that zig zag edge was kind of obvious. Although nobody but me would ever notice, it bothered me, and so I used my overedge foot & stitch for the first time and gave the seams a nice clean finish that way. With a good press they meld into the fabric much better and are not obvious to the eye from the outside. Very pleased with the finish, although it used MUCH more thread than a pinked edge ;)

Then I had to match the print with a solid top. I sorted through my stash for a few different options, but when I came across this bright green cotton lawn I knew that was it. The perfect colour, the perfect softness for pj top. I'd originally purchased it a few years back, to line a dress I was planning on making from a green & yellow cotton that was quite thin, but that's never materialized, so the pj top it was. 

 

There are a lot of nice details in this pattern -- a contrasting neckband from the sheet fabric, plus a belt, and then a decorative frog closure. All that contrast is very pleasing to my eye. The cotton lawn is beautiful to work with, so soft and drapy, and the alphabet fabric turned into a confetti of coloured bits in the neckband, also pleasing!

I cut a 10 in this pattern, but could probably size down slightly if I made it again. I like a loose pj but this could benefit from being just a pinch smaller, I think. I had to shorten the pant leg by 3", and would likely take 1/2" off the waistline rise next time just to make it perfect. I didn't have to adjust the top at all. 

I really like this set! It feels fun and beachy and colourful, and will be a great summer sleepwear option. Even if I don't move on in this year's Sewing Bee, this first round was a great challenge for me, to make something I've never tried before, and do it using some wonderful, fun fabric from my stash. I enjoyed the process of making this set, and will also enjoy wearing it in future. 

Revisioned PR Lillian Dress

I finished out my run in the PR Sewing Bee this year at Round 3 -- with this make. I'm not in the final round, in which the challenge is to sew something inspired by a superhero.... I'm kind of happy, as I got to use the last few days I had off work to catch up on all my neglected sewing of the last few weeks instead! But here is some information about this latest project, which, aside from the weirdly lit photos, I'm quite happy with.

Round Three of the Pattern Review Sewing Bee caught me a little by surprise -- a knit dress, actually the Lillian Knit Top & Dress designed by Pattern Review! -- that we had to make our own.

I puzzled over this one 'til my puzzler was sore. What to do? I printed out a few line drawings and started sketching. And kept at it for two days. Finally I came up with a concept that I felt excited enough about to actually get down to making.

I decided on another illusion style dress, this time trying to make an all-in-one dress that looked like separates. I dug through my stash to see what I had, as I've been trying to use my stash first in all my sewing this year, regular or competitive! Luckily I had an idea about using yellow (oddly enough, since it's my favourite colour I have quite a lot of it stashed!). I matched this solid yellow, repurposed from an old dress I made and didn't wear once (the StyleArc Cher Knit dress, in case you were wondering, which was a huge sewing fail) with a favourite floral, and then went with a black and cream microdot from a 6m. length I thifted last year for the final outer piece. 

I changed the lines of the pattern somewhat -- I cut a block from the bottom of the bib bodice feature to the hem and used those two pieces to create the illusion of separates under a cardigan. I cut the remaining side pieces and back from the black, and extended the sleeve to elbow length, also in black.

But I thought that it needed more definition so I added sleeve cuffs in the floral to extend the top a bit, and thought I needed more oomph at the neckline so quickly drafted a demi tie collar -- it only goes to the shoulder and is sewn in at the shoulder seam. It gives it a little more of the secretary look and defines it as a 'blouse' I think.

I added a few extras to the black section to get it looking like an outer cardigan as well, though it's all sewn together with regular seams in a dress. I made the black outer panels longer than the yellow inner panel, and added a wide band at the seam between them. I didn't think of adding the band until it was nearly done so I just handstitched it on top of that seamline, which was fiddly and also didn't give me the kind of smooth line I could have gotten if I'd inserted it right into the seam while sewing. But I still like it. I also added patch pockets at cardigan height, lower than I would generally.

I made the fit around the waist and hip looser as well, to look more jackety than fitted to the back like the regular dress would be. I think it works but I'd take a little swayback adjustment in and add a bit more width over the bottom next time.

Overall I quite like this one! I had fun looking closely at the pattern to figure out how to change it up, and was so pleased when I finally saw the seamlines to work with. If I had more time I might have redone a couple of things but I think the illusion works, and I had quite a fun time making it. I just wish it hadn't been such a miserable weather day so I could have taken pictures somewhere else than a greenish room at work. Oh well! I still like it.

This Sewing Bee has really challenged me with each round's project. I feel like my creative sewing mind has been stretched a bit. And you should definitely check out the Round 3 gallery to see all the other massively creative takes on this pattern as well. Lots of creativity going around! 

A Sewing Bee Zipper Illusion Dress

I'm participating in Pattern Review's Sewing Bee this year, despite my reservations about contests. I happily passed the first round with my Korali Cardigan, and now have just learned that I've also passed through the second round with this Zipper Illusion Dress.

The challenge in this round was to create something which used zippers as a central feature. It had to contain at least one functioning zipper and show some creative use of the zip as a feature. 

After looking through the zippers I already owned and checking out local thrift stores and my Fabricland I came to the conclusion that I just had to use what I had as best I could. So this is what I came up with: I was inspired by the idea of how zips can both conceal and reveal, and by some online images of zipper tattoos which look like they're unzipping skin -- though that is kind of gory and not what I was going for at all! 

I melded that idea with the contrast between a muted workaday self and the more colourful creative self we might keep under wraps most of the time. I used a very straightforward Simplicity pattern, 8123, as my base dress -- I've used it before and the clean lines are useful in a project. I put the dress together and added a full lining.

I then appliqued a long zipper tape to the front by placing the dress on my dress form and laying it out by hand to get the shape I wanted. I stitched the zipper down over large pieces of a poppy print cotton, stitching right up along the teeth. When that was secure, I trimmed the excess cotton and stitched the outer edges of the tape down as well (pressing the tape with a bit of steam first helped me to get the outer edges to conform to the curve a little more readily). 

Once the applique was done, I adapted the sleeve flounce in the pattern to incorporate a sleeve godet, using matching chunky zippers to close it up or open to reveal more poppy print. I left some of the zipper tape exposed to tie them into the front design more closely. 

Once it was all done I got my friend and coworker to model it for me to get some nice clear photos, and it looks fantastic on her. I'm so glad she is nearly exactly my size :) This project was a real challenge, taking quite a lot of thinking and planning and lots of handstitching to get it done. But since it's moved me on to Round 3 I guess it was worth it all! I really like the results.