Fabricville Project: Purple Dot McCalls 7834

For my most recent dress for the Fabricville Bloggers Project, I chose this very sweet McCalls 7834, a Laura Ashley design. I had my eye on View B (the blue one in the middle) as the most likely to suit me.

I had also seen this amazing fabric in the Fabricville online store -- it's purple, it is polka dotted, and there is text in those dots! It's everything I love! Plus it's a nice weight of quilting cotton, with a tiny bit of stretch to it; I really like using quilting cotton for clothing, despite any snobbishness in the garment sewing world... you just have to select the right pattern for it.

In any case, I received these two things and got right to work. I was sidelined for a bit by my bout of flu the week before last, but finished it this week and just had to wear it immediately, despite the chilly & very windy weather ;)

I really love how it turned out. The fabric has a nice weight to it, not too heavy but not too thin either. It holds the shape of the skirt really well, with the gathers at the waist and in the lower ruffle. I did alter the skirt quite a bit with the properties of the fabric in mind: I reduced the width of the top ruffle by about an inch on each end of both front and back panels to reduce excess gathers. And the bottom ruffle was supposed to be made of *three* panels -- I immediately chose to reduce that to two panels, with two inches added on to each end. That way the amount of gathering would be more balanced, and more wearable in this stiffer fabric. In a challis or chiffon, the gathering indicated in the pattern would work well.

I had to increase the bicep in the sleeve by about an inch as well, and decided after I tried it on to leave the sleeves at a longer length, as I like the effect. And the collar was straightforward, with a nice shape.

I also decided to make my own covered buttons for this dress. I didn't want to waste any of this fabulous fabric! Plus I didn't have any buttons that seemed to work well with this dress, so when I remembered that I'd picked up a covered button set at the thrift store, and they were the right size, it was my immediate choice to use them. I read somewhere that to make really nice covered buttons you should add some padding between the fabric & the button form, so I put a layer of felt in between and it gives them a nice roundness.

I was in such a hurry to wear this that I didn't get all the loose threads picked off!

This is rated as an "easy" pattern, and it really is pretty easy! It slips on over the head -- there is an elastic casing in the back waist to gather it up a little but still allow for expansion. Thus the waist is not fully fitted, so if you prefer a very close fitting waist this is probably not the pattern for you. But it's a comfortable fit, and I think the shape is nice enough as it is.

I, of course, added pockets -- why would you have a gathered skirt without them? I used my standard side seam pocket pattern and sewed it in with the top of the pocket even with the top of the skirt. When you do this, just remember to gather the skirt first, leaving the pocket free, and then pin the pocket down over the gathers prior to attaching to the waist seam, or you'll have some weirdly uneven gathers in a front skirt! And I was very pleased with the blind hem on this dress - I finally figured out how to use my blind hem foot properly and it looks so nice - in fact you can hardly see the hem stitches :)

The fabric really appealed to me for the text within the circles. When I received the fabric I realized the text was from a news story -- you can see Obama, Situation, Haiti, Emergency, firefighters, & more in it -- but I'll just pretend that it's found poetry ;) Thank goodness it doesn't say "Trump" anywhere, or I'd have sent it right back.

This was a really fun dress to make, pretty straightforward, with good instructions, and lots of variations available in the pattern. I found that everything went together well, even the collar, and the proportions are nicely balanced. The only thing missing is pockets ;) 

 And I just love this fabric! Perfect to wear in the library. Another text based dress for my collection!

80s Simplicity Tee Dress

After my last few sewing disappointments I put off going back to the sewing table. I did some embroidery, some tidying and organizing of the sewing space, and so on... but I was finally inspired to sew something up again after a day at the thrift shop.

I picked up a handful of late 80s patterns (uncut) in one of my regular rounds of my local thrift shops:

The same night, I decided to cut out a simple tunic circa 1988, Simplicity 8684, View 3 (the blue one on the cover). I scrounged around in my stash and found a very soft, thin mauve knit I was planning to make something from someday. The day had arrived.

I laid out the pieces to see how they'd fit, and realized I'd have to shorten the pattern by 3 or 4 inches to have it the tunic length as on the pattern illustration. But then again, I'd only have to lengthen it by 4 or 5 inches to get a knee length dress... I finally decided to cut the dress length and if it didn't look good or feel comfortable, I could chop it off back to tunic length.

I carefully pinned the markings for the extra length - I extended the A-line of the pattern out further to the hem, so it's quite a full skirt. Despite our more modern methods of sewing knits, I decided to try out the suggested neck facing finish on this, as I wasn't really concerned about the fabric or really all that hopeful that my sewing slump was actually over.

I actually really like the way it turned out. It didn't pucker up or get all bunched. I just pinned and sewed slowly, and it's a smooth finish. They suggested sewing a second line (I guess to copy the RTW look) -- I could've used my double needle but I didn't -- and I didn't want to risk getting it all bunchy in between another stitching line so left it at one. Same when I did the sleeve hem, which was just turn under and stitch. When it came to my huge circle hem at the bottom of that skirt, I just left it unhemmed. I couldn't imagine that a stitched hem would turn out nicely on so much fabric. This knit didn't curl or fray so it's not noticeable anyhow.

inside shoulder with stay tape & neckline facing

smooth finishes

 And there sure is a lot of fabric with that A-line from the bust all the way down!

Anyhow, with a belt and some jewellery (and very important with this light knit, the right undergarments so the outlines don't show) it's a great dress for casual Fridays. It's really just an oversize tee, which gathers nicely and swirls around my knees in a soft and pleasing way. I think this simple 80s pattern has got me back to the machine and feeling like I can tackle my queued projects once again.

Simplicity 2560 : Divinely Purple

Since it's still cool here -- with variable temperatures, and icky freezing rain today -- it's still a great time to sew up some transition pieces. Something colourful to take away the grey winter/spring blahs, something comfortable to wear as a sweater on cold days or outside as a simple cardi on warmer days.

I also needed an easy make to recover from some more fiddly projects, and I found one: Simplicity 2560 made up in a very fine, very soft purple knit that I've been hoarding for a while, just waiting for the right project.

I"m wearing this with my favourite
 Maria DenmarkKristen Kimono tee,
 & some great purple tights

Fortunately it was sunny out, and warm enough at least one day, to sneak out to the back parking lot for some quick photos! Issues with taking pics into the sun though...

I cut this one pretty much as is, at size 16, except for shortening it by an inch (I am short). Once I had it laid out to sew, I thought that the sleeve might be a little close fitting to slip over other shirts, so I sewed the lower arm seam at 1/4" instead of 5/8", angling out to reach 5/8" at the point where I'd join the bottom parts on. It worked out perfectly.

I chose to make View B for its length and straight hem. I didn't like the poufy sleeve endings though, so was planning on simply hemming the sleeves instead of adding the pouf. When I tried on the finished garment, though, I thought the sleeves weren't long enough, and a basic hem wouldn't have looked quite right. So I cut the lining piece from the pouf, folded it in half and sewed it on as a sleeve band to finish. That was perfect -- right length, right weight on the sleeve, and it echoed the front band too. And I also love the way that the back and front sides are gathered.

I loved this pattern for its simplicity and flow. The front band which goes around the neckline and gathers as it falls is simply lovely -- my fabric is really lightweight and drapy -- in a heavier or stiffer fabric I might narrow it a little bit, as the gathers likely wouldn't fall as smoothly. I was so pleased that this pattern worked out without any fixes or massive alterations needed, and that it went together so quickly and easily. It feels wonderful to wear and the colour is divine. Or royal, if you prefer.

I love this cardigan! Definitely one I'd make again if I find another great fabric for it.