Lonsdale Summer Dress!

It's taken me longer than I thought to make this dress. I'm not sure why. The pattern can be done quite quickly (two and a half days on my first go for the muslin) and the instructions are fantastic. This dress is finished the nicest of anything I've ever dreamed of making. I've learned so much.

Mama Said Sew bodice lining, finished
seams and pockets - so exciting!

All the different ways to finish seams: simple stitches and no serger; bound edges; turned and stitched; and round-ups of techniques at Sew Mama Sew and Colette! There are such great resources out there! I've also done a lot of reading and video watching on different ways to hem: hemming a circle skirt by Gertie; and sewing a blind hem by Colette. I've been adding lots of clothes blogs to my reader and following new youtube channels!

I attached the zipper to the front of the bodice, and
then folded the lining over inside to give a finished edge.
I don't think I'd do it this away again.

The Super Online Sewing Match! has been brilliant for introducing me to new clothes people. Are you following it? I'm starting to wonder why I don't just spend all my time making clothes... but then I realise that I like making stuff without instructions too and quilts kind of fill that for me! But I definitely won't be stopping making clothes.

The invisible zipper is not very invisible on the outside. But not all that noticeable, and pretty good for my third one. By the time I've made clothes for another year I might be good at it! I do find the interfaced waistband really makes it hard and that's the place where the invisibility is worst. I did read that some people don't interface their waistbands which might help, but then does that lessen the ability of the waistband to do its job? I don't know. Maybe I'll try only interfacing the outside of the waistband next dress...

I love the length.

The photos aren't doing a good job showing up how gorgeous the fabric is, I think the light is bouncing off my ridiculous paleness and ruining things ;) The fabric is from Dan Bennett's Ruby collection. I wish I had more of it!

This shows it up better. I love this dress. It turned out great and I can't really believe it's only the third dress I've made! I love the bow at the back and the pockets! I love that I used this fabric for this pattern. I'm really glad I held onto it since last summer when I bought it. I'll hopefully have this dress for a long long time!

Final view of the back:

Onwards now, towards baby quilts, sister's quilt, and wedding ceremony paraphernalia. My next personal project will be another Sew Sweetness bag, and then another dress! If I ever get that far :)

Hope you're all keeping well!

WIP - Lonsdale Dress

Hi hi! I've been out of internet circulation for a little bit but am getting back into it now. I owe some of you lovely people replies and I will be all over that between now and tomorrow, I hope. Certainly by the end of the week!

However, I haven't been utterly bone idle. Last weekend the DC modern quilt guild had their monthly meet-up. It was the first proper meeting I've been to, and the 3rd event. The lovely Nicole of Finch Sewing Studio hosted the meeting. She very graciously saved me from carting my sewing machine with me and loaned me one of hers for the day! A Singer. It sewed beautifully. I've been rabbitting on about how lovely it was to lots of people who don't care ever since Saturday - I should have taken a picture!!

Anyway, Nicole is a lot of a garment sewing genius. I have already said here that my aim for this summer is to make clothes for me. I've bought the fabric and the patterns, but I've lacked the courage to jump in. This meeting forced me to have started so I could be right stuck in the middle of the project where all the nitty gritty questions would pop up - the problems that can't be foreseen! So last Friday, last minute, I started tracing my Lonsdale pattern and cutting it out. I got flummoxed by the measurements. Freaked out that I would ruin the fabric I bought over a year ago and have consistently not used for fear of RUINING (alá Juanita Weasel and The Bloggess).

I talked to my mother. Always a good idea. She had two awesome suggestions: 1) tins of tomatoes under the legs of the table makes it a better height for pattern cutting, and 2) make a muslin out of an old sheet. Perfect! I had just the thing, a fitted sheet that doesn't fit anything we own. By late Friday, after working through Fashion Police, I had the bodice together. I was still utterly unsure of the fit.

Which brought me to Saturday sewing at Finch! Also guilds rock. I'm still quite scared of all the expertise and awesomeness in one room/house, but it's great for passively learning, asking questions when you feel brave, and everyone's always really lovely! By the end of Saturday I had one seam and an invisible zipper to put in... Pretty good going. And the guild consensus was that without a top and bra on it would definitely fit. And they were totally right!

I apologise for all the text before any pictures, I'm
about to make up for it though!

Here's the back:

This muslin/sheet ended up totally wearable! Also this pattern is brilliant. I was so glad Nicole and the ladies were there to hold my hand at times, but the pattern did a good job of taking you through the steps, even pointing out where to topstitch and bind seams so as to give a lovely finish (I didn't do all of that on the sheet). I will add some sort of applique to the front and am quite attracted to some sort of Maori tattoo design, ideally in aubergine I think.

Today I cut up the precious Dan Bennett Fabric. And laid it over the wonky dress form I have.

This is my inspiration in the corner so as I will make it soon. Though I won't get started till the weekend or next week, I have a Kate Spain quilt top to try and finish before the link-up at Blossom Heart Quilts on Friday!

Also, I didn't have enough of the cream fabric to line the bodice in the same material. The only other yardage I have lying around is this Mama Said Sew text fabric. It is just about to go in the wash so I can get it cut up too!

I'm linking up to WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced! Looking forward to seeing what everyone else is up to over dinner later :)