While starting a new job has made me busier and my sew-jo has slowed down, October has still been a good month for sewing. I’ve managed to make a few garments (as well as other little projects such as advent calendars) and learned some things in the process. I’ve decided to do a monthly sew down to round up all my projects and to see just how much I have actually achieved over the month. Before I thought about it, I had a feeling that I hadn’t actually done an awful lot of sewing this month; writing up this blog post, I’ve achieved much more than I thought. I’ll probably do this every month, more for my own satisfaction than anything else.
Lima Dress
The month started with a Minerva project – I’d already made a couple of Kosedo Studio Lima dresses but when I got this Rico fabric, I couldn’t resist a pattern as dramatic as the fabric, so I made up another one. I’ve noticed I’ve lost some weight on my upper body, enough to warrant re-fitting the bodice before I make the pattern again. Even an inch makes a huge difference to a pattern. This will feature on the Minerva blog within the next week or so.
Betty Dress
The Sew Over It Betty Dress has been in my stash for a long time; pretty much since I started dressmaking back in March. The only reason I had not used it as yet was because I had bought the paper copy rather than the pdf and couldn’t face having to trace out the pattern.
The first version I made was the ‘Care Bear’ dress – a cloud print to wear with my Erstwilder Care Bear collection.
There’s a lot of excess fabric – the neckline is huge, there is way too much room in the armholes and the bodice just has too much fabric so that it really needs to be worn with a belt to get that classic Betty silhouette; however, I loved it and I decided that this was the pattern to work at to master bodice fitting. I made a 2″ adjustment to the neckline and 1″ adjustment to the armholes which fitted so much better, as you can see with this Minerva make (also to be featured soon):
Feeling so much happier with this brocade version, I bought the extension pack and made the same changes to the V neck pattern piece and also made adjustments to the back bodice pieces as there was a bit of irksome gaping.
I added a gathered skirt instead of a circle skirt for a more casual look with this brushed cotton, also from Minerva.
Elodie Dress
The Elodie from Closet Core Patterns was a massive learning curve for me. I made a toile out of a polyester I had picked up really cheap to make muslins and it fitted so well.
Feeling enthused by the fit, I cut into my actual garment fabric (from Raimbow Fabrics) and made up the dress only to put it on at the end and find it was like a totally different dress.
Note to self – next time you’re going to sew with viscose, toile with viscose. I cut carefully. I used pins and weights. Still there must have been too much movement. The waist sits perfectly (that’ll be down to the interfacing but across the bust area and shoulders, it’s just too loose. It’s a bit revealing as a result so the only way I’ll probably wear this one in the future is to layer it with a top underneath. I don’t want any peeping Toms getting what they look for!
Wrap Dress
I revisited the New Look pattern, K6301; I love this – it’s the second time I’ve made it and I imagine I’ll use it a lot more. I have even downsized since the first time I made it which is a lovely bonus (thank the stars I didn’t cut into the pattern pieces first time).
I know Halloween is a quiet affair this year due to Covid so that Halloween costume I was planning is on the back burner until next year but I had to make something Halloween themed at least so this fabric from Fabric Styles did the trick.
Tamzin dress
I’ve already praised this recent By Hand London pattern in a review post from last month so when I received this beautiful ditsy floral print broadcloth from Minerva I thought it would suit the folk style of the pattern – I wasn’t disappointed.
So, that’s the roundup of my sewing this month…
I’m sitting wondering whether or not I’ll get another project made up before the end of the month. Saturday is usually a sewing day and since Halloween will be a quiet one, I may well get a chance to make something new. Probably won’t be a dress, though. I’ve some plain cotton sitting looking at me if I can piece together the A4 print out of the Elba Textiles Sage Tee to make a couple for Simon.