I am yet again late to the party on this one. I have loved this pattern since it was first released, but kept finding excuses not to make it. I really shouldn't have. This was a total delight to sew from start to finish and I love the end result.

I was initially unsure which size to cut out. a problem I always have with dresses because of my ample bosom. My chest measurement is 42", waist 32" and hips 39". So, if using those measurements I fit across from the size 12-16.
My high bust measurement is 36", so knowing a full bust adjustment would be necessary, I cautiously cut out a size 14 bodice in my toile fabric (which was also my lining fabric ) expecting to have to do a fair bit of adjusting.



This is the rather blurry photo I posted on instagram of the completed toile. To my surprise the only adjustment needed was the positioning of the darts, which you can see here are too long for me.
I unpicked the darts and re positioned them, keeping my toile to use as my lining.
Here is another blurry instagram photo of the bodice with new dart positioning.



From here, the dress went together easily, in fact so easily I began to worry something catastrophic was going to go wrong before I finished...I'm such an optimist!

I decided to make the collared version this time, (Oh yes there will definitely be a next time! ) and I decided on short sleeves, in honour of my first Spring dress this year.
I didn't make the fabric bow because I remembered I had this cute bow belt that would be perfect for this dress.



The fabric was an impulse buy in Abakhan .I was waiting in the queue to pay for some other fabric, when I spotted this peeking out from one of the huge baskets. I pulled it out and knew immediately it would make a fab Emery dress. The piece was rather large, I still have enough left for another dress, so I'm guessing I must've bought about 8 metres. (For those that don't know Abakhan sell much of their fabric from enormous baskets by weight, it's a real rummage sometimes, but great fun!)



The lining is a cotton blend also from Abakhan.





I think the Emery dress might just be one of my favourite patterns yet. I love the retro style, the flattering fit and it has pockets too! I love a dress with pockets.
If you haven't made this dress yet, do! I'm already planning my next one!

One of the great things about living where I do is I'm just a short bus or train ride from two fabulous fabric shops. I spotted this fabric remnant in Abakhan in Manchester a couple of weeks ago, and ear marked it straight away for a stretch Banksia Top.

(The other great shop is Leons in Chorlton, )



This top went together easily, apart from one minor hitch when my overlocker decided to have a hissy fit when attaching the collar. Please tell me it's not just my overlocker that has tantrums mid project for no discernible reason?
Some sewing friends and I were chatting about this weeks episode of the Great British Sewing Bee and wondering if they have technicians on the show to thread the overlockers? Most of those contestants had never used an overlocker, but the overlockers seemed to be behaving perfectly....maybe they knew they were on telly! ( tell me I'm also not alone in thinking my overlocker has a conscience! At least she isn't completely evil like my old embroidery machine.....)

Anyway, back to the top. I'm fairly happy with it, not sure it's really me. I don't think I like wearing knits if I'm honest.
I think I look rather matronly in it. I possibly could've sized down as well as taking out the placket and bust darts, relying more on negative ease, maybe if I make another I will.

Sometimes I get a bee in my bonnet and I have to go with it. Tuesday night watching The Great British Sewing Bee , and seeing many of the contestants struggling with the pattern matching and box pleats of the technical challenge, it occurred to me that I hadn't ever made a box pleated skirt where pattern matching was an issue. And I've certainly never had to pattern match box pleats under a time restriction with a camera pointing up my nose at the same time, so kudos to those on the show for keeping their sense of humour, I'm not sure I would have under those circumstances. I hope I would have had the sense to pick a stripe fabric and use it horizontally as my friend Vicki mentioned on Twitter.
After watching the show, as is often the case I felt inspired to improve my sewing skills, and I simply could not get those box pleats out of my head. I resolved to make a box pleated skirt with perfect pattern matching!
I should say at this point I had no thoughts whatever about how a box pleated skirt would suit me, or fit into my wardrobe, I was merely interested in the technical challenge.
I didn't set out to make the exact skirt they made on the show, but simply to play with the pleats, and this I did in stolen moments over half term.



I had to use fabric from stash for this, so was limited in what I had that might work. I fished out a large floral Amy Butler print, but soon realised the pattern repeat was too large , then I found this African print, and began playing.African prints really don't want to play ball, the prints are hand block printed by eye, often not even on the straight grain, so yeah not ideal at all ! (But I may be able to resurrect this skirt at some point I think!)



After struggling with the African print, I began playing with this geometric print cotton. Again not ideal, but slightly better to work with.
I only had a small amount of fabric to work with, so after checking my maths with my 8 year old ( I never did get a maths O level ) , I decided I could get three small box pleats across the front and back of a skirt. (I didn't use a pattern for this skirt.)

I pressed the pleats in, tacked them securely in place, and then began to construct my skirt.
Two side seams, a lapped zipper and button fastening.
I hadn't intended to make the exact skirt featured on the show, but I thought just for fun I'd half machine sew, and half hand pick my zip. I wouldn't usually hand pick a zip unless using a delicate fabric, or I particularly wanted to achieve a vintage look. For example Jemma's prom dress made last year ;the zip was entirely hand sewn into that delicate lace in the bodice.



You may notice my side seams don't exactly match. Again I was working with the small amount of fabric I had and couldn't match front and back vertically without losing too much off the length.

I machine stitched my waistband on too, as they had on the show. I have to say, I'm in full agreement with Julie who hand stitched her waistband down. that is my favourite method. I think it gives a nicer finish, but to push me out of my comfort zone, I top stitched my waistband.



And yes, my waistband doesn't match! I had nowhere near enough fabric left to pattern match the waistband, so I flipped the design instead.

I finished off my skirt with a vintage button, and a machine sewn hem.



Am I happy with the finished skirt? Well, yes and no. I enjoyed the challenge I set myself. I'm happy with the finish of my skirt, glad to have pushed myself out of my comfort zone of invisible zips and hand stitched waistbands. Mostly I'm happy with my pattern matching using a not really ideal print, but I really don't like this skirt on me!
The print is one I wouldn't usually wear, nothing in my wardrobe goes with it, and it is not particularly flattering. (These photos of me wearing the skirt have made the print on the skirt look very washed out, that is a trick of the light, it is a bright print in reality.)
I may wear it in the summer with leggings and ballet flats. That might work.
I'm not disappointed that I've made myself a skirt I don't really like, as I've already said, I enjoyed the challenge!

This is probably the cutest pattern tester I've ever had! Thank you to Moira for these fab photos of her grand daughter testing one of my Birthday Romper samples.
You can see there is a bit of pattern tweaking still to come, but despite that, I can honestly say that these photos arriving in my inbox this week have been one of the highlights of the week, even knowing I have more work to do on this pattern.

These were not the only fabulous photos I've recieved this week how about these?



Marie won a Scrappy Dove kit in one of my recent give aways, and had some lovely "Mummy and Son" time making it up. Here is what she said to me.

"I really enjoyed the process .... my youngest son, Humphrey, joined in and made his own with me. Humphrey chose an old pair of pjs, a sock and a pair of pants for his. Humphrey enjoyed making his bird too and is happy for me to send you a photo to say thank you. It was a lovely project to complete together. Thank you."

This week has been half term here, I've still been working, so I've had six children here most days (some days more!), and each needing attention of one form or another, which means any serious stitching or working on patterns has taken a back seat. Though I can never quite stop tinkering.

I finally finished off this bunny that had been sat sadly on my desk for longer than I care to admit. He is made from two precious scraps of original 1950's fabrics bought a few years ago at the Antique Textile Fair in Manchester.





I've been helping India make a skirt. She used my A line skirt tutorial and raided my stash for some gorgeous Linton Tweed. I got the job of all the hand stitching.



I know she has an eye on one of my vintage handbags to go with this skirt too!

I've also been playing with box pleats and pattern matching, following Tuesday night's Great British Sewing Bee, but hopefully more on that to come....

 

.....safe to say it's been a busy old week!