Completed: Renfrew Giselle Mash-Up

Here's the second project I've been waiting - oh, three months - to photograph and share. It started with this Renfrew Remix from April 2013. I just didn't like the skirt on the dress. It was too short for my comfort, and the gathers were right at the center front (belly) and back (rear end), which made me look like a) I was pregnant and/or b) I was a reversed mushroom.

I liked the Renfrew top enough to rip it apart and use it with another skirt.

Enter the Kate & Rose Giselle Dress pattern test I tried earlier this summer. My initial version of the Giselle didn't fit up top, but I loved the skirt portion.

Add a Renfrew top to a Giselle skirt, stir them around, toss in a little thread, and Poof!

The t-shirt is twisted in these photos. Someday I'll figure out how to pose for a picture, run back to the camera to check it, and adjust things.

I added a thin black belt, and it's the perfect length skirt to wear with black ballet flats. This fabric is busy so it's tough to see, but the skirt has two tiers. 

Ryan took these photos. I told him to make me laugh. It worked, but I'm permanently scarred by some of the things he said. 

Details:

Patterns: Sewaholic Renfrew and Kate & Rose Giselle

Modifications: Cut off the Renfrew and added a band to the bottom of it. Used just the skirt bottom of the Giselle. Gathered the top of the skirt slightly, and then attached the bodice to the skirt with 1/4" elastic. 

Fabric: Skirt fabric is from the clearance table at Jo-Ann. It's a silky synthetic that's very nice.

Tips: When adding a woven skirt to a knit top, I've found the easiest method for me is to mark the center front and sides, gather the skirt top slightly, match the centers and side seams to the top, pin the elastic (you've already measured according to your waist+seam allowance) at the centers and sides, and stretch elastic as you go.

Um, I think I just found my next tutorial. (Especially since I committed to doing one when I first did a woven/knit combo dress back in April 2013.)

This dress has been in heavy rotation this summer. Because there are so many different choices in woven fabric, and because knit is so comfortable, it's just a Super Duper Combination.

Completed: Burda Folk Skirt (03/2013 #123)

My favorite summer skirt came from Tuesday Morning -- the absolute last place I would expect to find a flowing, gauzy, loudly floral, totally hippy-esque maxi skirt. For $15. 

That skirt is my adult-version Woobie -- it's been worn threadbare, and I'm convinced if it disappeared someone would have to go out to find it or find me a replacement.

To fend off potential heartbreak, I decided to make a replacement in the form of Burda 03/2013 #123 -- the Folk Skirt (pattern included with the summer edition of the magazine).

Stats:

Pattern: Burda 03/2013 #123 from the summer 2013 magazine. (This was my free Burda sample. I think I'm going to subscribe.)
Fabric: Three different lightweight cotton apparel fabrics from Jo-Ann.
Size: 34
Modifications: I had to take in the sides quite a bit for fitting. I lined the top layer of the skirt -- the lining is attached at the waistband but hangs free.

Pros:

• This skirt is so cool in the summer. It's breezy and lightweight.
• I like the combination of fabrics. My Woobie Skirt has three fabrics that are totally different and loud and colorful, so I thought it would work here, too. I dig it.
• The wide waistband is flattering, I think. My Woobie has an elastic waistband, which is comfortable, but not as flattering.
• This is an easy sew. If you don't mind gathers. Tons and tons of gathers.

Cons:

• There are no pockets.
• This skirt is LOOOOONG. I'm 5'5" and it is probably 4" too long, which makes sense if most models are 5'9"ish. The problem is you can't simply shorten the hem. If you do that, the fabric layers will be uneven lengths and the whole proportions of the skirt will be off. My suggestion would be to check final measurements before you begin. Duh, Michelle. I can walk fine in it, but I've got six little feet stepping on it constantly because they can't walk more than two inches away from me.
• The gathers. Oh. My. Goodness. The. Gathers. WHY do I keep choosing patterns with gathers? I love the look, but Despise. The. Gathers.
• This skirt is a fabric hog. SOUIE! Oink. Oink. Snort.

Tips:

• Check the length before you begin.
• Be prepared to make adjustments to the side seams if necessary. Easy fix.
• Mark centers and gather half or 1/4 of the skirt at a time to keep from breaking thread and to make it easier to gather consistently.

All in all this is a super easy sew. I loooove the way they styled it and even thieved four chunky belts from my mom's and sister's closets to try similar styling. But I just couldn't pull it off. I'd like to pair it with a Nettie Bodysuit (just picked up this pattern and can't wait to make one!).

How do you feel about Burda patterns? I've had mixed results with them. How about you?

Completed: Mash-up Tank Dress

In the past few years I've taken to combining knit tops with woven skirts, and the result is my go-to dress. 

There are just more fabric options available with woven fabric, and I can't beat the comfort of a knit top. 

Here's my latest edition of this staple -- it's a mash-up of Simplicity 1358 and the Moneta Dress from Colette Patterns.

I've done a similar combination with the Renfrew top (Sewaholic) and a self-drafted skirt, but I decided to try a different bodice this time. It's a little too roomy in the top, so next time I'll probably return to the Renfrew.

As for the skirt, it was much easier to use the Moneta Dress's skirt portion than to draft my own. The length and width of this skirt is just right. I didn't add pockets because of the delicacy of the fabric.

I constructed the bodice of the dress in the traditional way -- it's banded and unlined.

I sewed the skirt lining and main skirt separately. The main skirt is constructed with French seams (it's sheer). Once each piece was fully sewn and hemmed, I serged them together at the top. Then I measured a length of 1/2" elastic (using my waist/comfort as a guide) and sewed it to the top of the skirt with a zig-zag stitch. Then I serged the bottom of the bodice and joined the skirt top and bodice.

it's got twirl factor!

Details:

Pattern: Simplicity 1358 (bodice) and Colette Moneta (skirt)

Modifications: lengthened bodice - based on waistline, cut and added 2" to the length (I didn't read the assembly instructions of this pattern.)

Fabric: lightweight organic knit from my stash (bodice), Bemberg rayon from Joann (skirt lining), clearance sheer blend fabric from Joann (skirt main)

Thoughts:

I sewed the Colette Moneta last week in knits, following the instructions and making no alterations to the pattern. Originally it was going to be my "wearable muslin" and this was going to be my Main Moneta.

BUT, I didn't like the Moneta. The boatneck top wasn't flattering on me, and several things in the construction of the garment turned me off. Maybe I'll try it again with no collar and sleeves this winter. Maybe.

Overall I'm pleased with this dress. It's got plenty of ease in the waist, which means I'll likely wear a belt with it (which I would anyway). It's comfortable and practical. The styling options are pretty endless, too.

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On blog photos: taking photos of finished projects for myself for the blog is so challenging. (That's not counting the actual writing of the post.) Finding a time of day, location with decent lighting, and getting made up -- it's a pain. My remote doesn't work unless I'm inches from the camera. This morning I figured out that I can put the camera on the tripod, frame things up, and Lee can stand behind the camera and press the button on the remote to take the photo. It's not ideal, but it works. I'm telling you this so I remember in 10 years how much effort this took and how helpful my kid was in the photo-taking part. :) 

Tested: Claire PJs by Cottage Mama

This week The Cottage Mama released her newest pattern: The Claire Pajamas. I tested these a couple of weeks ago and want to share my (Eliza's) version with you.

Here's the pattern's description:

The Claire Pajamas are the quintessential classic sleepwear pattern. The pattern includes several options such as a full-length nightgown with long or short sleeves, as well as a two-piece pajama ensemble, including a top with long or short sleeves paired with pants. This pattern also contains a matching 18″ doll pattern for all design options.

I sewed up the short-sleeved top and pants option.

Sewing for Eliza is so hit-and-miss these days. I'm getting better at predicting what she'll like, but I'm still reluctant to spend copious time on an ensemble that I have to beg her to wear.

This time we went together to pick out fabric for her pajamas to allow her to feel involved in the process. It was a lot of fun. She's such a hoot, and listening to her "ooh" and "ahh" over trims and fabrics was super amusing. I told her it needed to be from the flannel row, and she immediately landed on the tiny stars. With a bit of help from me guiding her to all the coordinating larger-scale prints, she picked the rabbits. She also chose the flower buttons. Girl's got style.

Lindsay narrowed the shoulders, narrowed the width of the top, and shrank the bibs on the smaller sizes after testing. I sewed the 3T for Eliza (she was at the smaller end of the chart for this size), and the lengths were exactly what I'd expect. With the minor tweaks Lindsay made, I think the fit will be spot on in the final version.

Isn't this design adorable? Someone described it as "Little House on the Prairie-style." I know we'll use this pattern over and over, especially if Eliza gets an American Girl doll and wants matching outfits. (Oh, the cuteness possibilities. I die.)

My favorite parts: the tiny ruffle around the bib, the cuffs on the pants, the elastic sleeves, and the contrasting fabric inside the elastic waistband. 

As always, it was a pleasure testing for Lindsay. She designs adorable clothes, sure, but more importantly she is open to suggestions and truly appreciates the time and financial commitment of testers and those who purchase and sew her patterns.

Challenge Create: A Patriotic Ensemble

I’m so excited to share with you today for Challenge Create: Fabric Swap Edition! 

About the fabric I sent:

A couple of years ago Sew Mama Sew’s shop closed, and fabric was offered at a steep discount. I snagged some Amy Butler fabric that I adored, but when I sewed through my stash last year, that beautiful fabric lingered. Finally I’d decided to make it into a big sun hat. However, when I was invited to be a part of Challenge Create, I knew immediately I’d send it off to someone else.

Still I was stuck on the hat idea, so I still planned to make a hat with whatever red, white, and/or blue fabric I received. Then this arrived from Amy and Tasha:

It took me a while to get over my mental block (HAT! HAT! HAT!) and come up with something new, but once I did, the vision was pretty solid. Inspired by photos on my Pinterest board, I knew this beautiful floral fabric would make a lovely smocked popover top. And I’ve had my eye on denim with tiny hearts; Eliza needed a pair of denim shorts, and I knew she’s love the little hearts! I was right — she loves them!

For the tunic, I started with the free Oliver + S Popover dress. I added 14” to the center of the top to allow for pleating (I wanted it super full) and shortened it to tunic length. Then I pleated it and got to work smocking. 

I used Ellen McCarn's "April" smocking plate for the design. This was only my second time smocking a substantial piece, so it took for-ev-ah! But I feel like the concept of smocking "clicked" for me this time, and I'm already looking forward to my next smocking project.

For the smocking, I used solid blue thread because I felt it would stand out more against the busy patterned fabric. (Instead of whipstitching the neck binding, I edgestitched it for a couple of reasons: my patience wore thin from so much hand work and my time was running very short.) I've still got a lot to learn about the art, but overall I'm pleased with the result. 

To finish the tunic, I added eyelet to the bottom of the hem.

The shorts are made using the free Oliver + S Sunny Days shorts. Using the front and pocket pieces from the Blank Slate Patterns Clean Slate Pants, I added pockets lined with the third fabric I received. 

This outfit fits her perfectly! She likes it, too, which is always a plus. It’ll be great for heading down to the river to watch fireworks and picnic for Independence Day. 

Thanks for having me, ladies, and thanks Amy and Tasha for the fabric!

Completed: Kate & Rose Giselle Dress (and a GIVEAWAY)

My style has a split personality: in the winter, I like things fitted. In the summer, I like things loose and flowing. When it's 120* and 250% humidity, the last thing I need is something touching my skin.

Winter Style: Tight and Trendy
Summer Style: Bohemian Hippy

When given the opportunity to test for Kati from Kate & Rose Patterns, I knew the new Midtown Collection would perfectly suit my summer style. I chose to test the Giselle Dress. Here's Kati's description:

Giselle is a V-neck dress with shaped midriff and gathers over the bust.

View A has a fitted midriff that hits at actual waist, three-quarter-length gathered sleeves, and gathered dirndl-style skirt. Instructions include options for finishing sleeves with two sleeve band styles, and option to substitute fuller skirt.

View B is a sleeveless maxi dress with narrower shoulders, empire waistline and a tiered skirt. Both views are shaped in the back by elastic and waist ties.

I chose to sew up View A. In the testing phase, I could not figure out how to get those gathers over the bust to sit right. Kati sent me some tips for a SBA, and then I saw Thumbelina's Giselle with a SBA. Because of the nature of my fabric and its stretch (gauze), it's still a little roomy in the bust at the end of the day, but this version fits nicely overall.

Y'all. I had an epiphany after sewing this up. I'm going to start eliminating bust darts/gathers altogether. It's going to make my sewing life so much easier, and it will make my garments fit better.

this is really bright. the actual color is more muted.

I can't tie a bow to save my life, but the tie on the back of the dress is a nice feature. I skipped the elastic.

Details:

Pattern: Giselle Dress by Kate & Rose

Size & Modifications: Small. Added a tiny bit of length to the bodice and midriff. Eliminated elastic at the back. SBA. Underlined bodice and midriff pieces.

Fabric: The story of this fabric is a blog post in its own. Originally I planned a dyed version and bought cream 100% cotton gauze (they didn't have white) and cotton thread. But I ran out of fabric and had to go back to Jo-Ann for more. There was no cream gauze left on the shelf, and the employee I encountered was reluctant to help me locate more. So, I bought white and figured everything would be fine. I dyed it shibori style after sewing the whole thing.

Long story short, the result was okay. I had to dye and re-dye it. The RIT dye I used was navy, and you see the dress is purple. Not my favorite color. In hindsight I should've held out for white fabric and dyed the fabric prior to sewing the dress.

Still, the process was fun, and I'd like to try it again. Shibori sounds more sophisticated than tie-dyeing, no? It's essentially the same thing.

Pros:

• This style is so easy for summer. I'm guaranteed to stay cool.
• There are tons of fabrics that would work. I would consider underlining or lining the midriff piece if your fabric is very lightweight.
• It's so comfortable. And pretty. Hippy chic. Perfect.
• Kati's directions are clear and the illustrations are extremely helpful. 
• She includes both templates and written-out measurements for the skirt pieces to allow for either preference. (I prefer the template.)
• No zippers or buttons - easy on, easy off. The pattern is designated as Advanced Beginner, and I'd say that's appropriate.

Cons:

• This pattern takes a lot of fabric. I'd recommend buying a little more, especially if you're getting 45" fabric. I didn't have enough for the bottom skirt panels.
• The bodice may take work if you're flat-chested. (It might take work for girls with girls, too. I've never been a girl with girls.) Definitely make a muslin of the bodice -- not just to determine fit adjustments, but also to ensure the seam sits at a comfortable place on the bust. (It has the potential of hitting at an awkward spot.)
• There's gathering. (This may not be a con for you people. Gathering and I have words. Every single time.)

You don't have to emulate my hippy-esque version. Oona's floral version is sophisticated and dreamy (with sleeves!). Or there's this dress from Nordstrom that shows another possibility for the Giselle in black:

original source

Kati was such a wonderful designer with whom to work. She was incredibly patient and appreciative. There's a reason I prefer sewing patterns created by independent designers (146 reasons, actually).

Kati JUST released the paper versions of her Midtown Collection patterns, and today is her birthday! To celebrate she's offering 15% off ALL orders through Sunday, June 22nd. I'm off to order some of her gorgeous hot-iron transfers. Wouldn't embroidery be fabulous on the midriff of the Giselle? Yum.

As a special treat, Kati is giving away one of the PDF patterns from her Midtown Collection to one of you! Just leave a comment below, and I'll get my kids to pick a number out of a hat, choose the comment that corresponds with the number, and you'll get YOUR OWN Kate & Rose pattern! The giveaway will close at 11:59pm, Friday June 20, 2014. 

FLIP this Pattern: Zonen 09 Charlie flip!

The über-talented ladies over at Frances Suzanne just celebrated the year anniversary of the Flip This Pattern series! They're starting up another round this summer, and the competitors are sure to come up with some fantastic pieces!

I had so much fun flipping the Sunki last year and jumped at the chance to be a part of things this time around. So, I'm thrilled to introduce the first pattern in the series: Charlie from Zonen 09. This pattern is simultaneously hip and classic. Here's a peek at my flip, which I'll get to in a bit:

Charlie is a lined, knitted shirt with a lapel collar that comes in sizes 2y - 9y. There are both short and long sleeved versions, and the shirt hem and sleeves are cuffed.

source

The way the collar lies is so cool -- it allows the lining to show and makes it different from other collared shirts I've seen.

The Zonen 09 Flikr pool has dozens of variations of Charlie. (In fact, I could get lost for days in the Zonen 09 Flikr pool. There are so many clean, sharp, modern photos and clothes there!)

Here's one of my favorites:

source

I should probably mention it's a Dutch pattern available in English, so you may have to use Google translate to read the posts to which I'm linking.

You'll see lots of girls' variations of the Charlie:

And a few fantastic flips like this one:

source

When it came time to make my own Charlie, I chose to flip it, too. My boys don't need any shirts right now, so I decided to sew something for Eliza. Would you believe she's never had a nightgown? She's worn mostly her brothers' hand-me-down pajamas -- fleece footies with dump trucks and dinosaurs. She doesn't mind those, but it was time for her own sleepwear.

I found this fabric at Jo-Ann and knew immediately it was destined to become a nightgown. A Charlie Nightgown. 

Here's a list of the changes I made to the original pattern:

• omitted the collar
• added tiny ties to the front slit
• used the largest sleeve size to allow for an elasticized hem and gathered sleeve cap
• extended to gown length

It's lined with Ryan's old t-shirts, so the inside is soft and well worn.

Thoughts

• I sewed a size 2y. She's got an extremely narrow chest. If your child measures smaller than RTW, I would caution to consider head size before sizing down too far. This goes over her head, but it's a close fit. It would be an easy fix if you plan ahead and make the slit a little lower.
• Seam allowances aren't included in this pattern. I'm planning to invest in a compass like the ones we had in high school geometry to aid in consistency in adding seam allowances/grading/etc. I stink at it. It might be easier to fold the pattern pieces in half to ensure symmetry in your newly drawn cutting lines.

Hop on over to Frances Suzanne to get a discount code for your own Charlie pattern, and sew along to qualify for spectacular prizes! Be sure to check out the rest of the summer's series -- I'm eager to see all the creativity headed our way!