Butterick 5982, a bit of Great British Sewing Bee Inspiration for Spring for Cotton challenge

#springforcotton

 



With the sun shining beautifully last week, I felt the need to make a summery dress and at the last minute I also wanted to enter Lucille's Spring for Cotton challenge.  Ever since the first episode of The Great British Sewing Bee series 3 I had been lusting after Lorna's poppy dress (couldn't get a better picture than this).

I tracked down the fabric on Ebay (just entered poppy fabric in the search).

 

 

I chose Butterick 5982 version C (centre), which has a bit of a vintage 50's influence.  It's taken me two years to finally understand that most patterns are made for a B cup (I have to ask why, is this the commonest cup size?).  So I am looking now for patterns which come in different cup sizes, and this pattern comes in A-D sizes.   This made fitting the bust much easier without the hassle of a full-bust adjustment.

 

 

I love the skirt, it's full but not too bulky which is a more flattering style.

I've photographed it on the inside so that you can get a better view.  There is a flat panel at the centre front and the back, then two pleats followed by fairly heavy gathering round the front to the back pleats.

 

 

I have to say though, there is a bit of a Marilyn effect in the wind!

 

 
I like it with or without a belt (and pearls of course!)

The pattern called for a bodice lining, but I felt for summer this wouldn't really enhance the style or wearability, so I drafted a facing.  I had 2.11 metres of fabric and there wasn't enough for a self-facing so I used some black cotton.  Also not enough fabric for any attempt at pattern matching or placing.

The 'v' worked reasonably well and I top-stitched around the neck rather than understitching.

I cut a size 14 and the fit is pretty good, but needed small adjustments:

Added 3" to the length
Shortened the bodice by 1"
Increased the seam allowance on the zip by 1" at the waist
Moved the shoulder seams lower  by 5/8" and then lowered the arm scythe by 1/2"

The sleeves feel a little tight and I would put a bit more fabric in them and lower the arm scythe by 5/8" next time and I think there will be a next time.  I think this is a very versatile vintage-style dress which I hope to perfect.    The Spring for Cotton challenge finishes on April 30th so I was against the clock!  I cut out the pattern and dress on Friday night, did about 2 hours on Saturday and finished on Sunday, so for me a really quick make!

Butterick 4790; the Great British Sewing Bee Walk-away dress

Along with large amounts of the nation I bought Butterick 4790 after the Great British Sewing Bee.  I'm not absolutely sure why, as it isn't a dress that I think I will have much opportunity to wear, and I have to confess I think I just  got caught up in the programme.  Anyway I had some cheap cotton in my stash from ebay so it hasn't cost too much. 

 

It's a very difficult pattern to adapt.   I cut a size 14.   I raised the waist by 1" with difficulty as it interfered with the bodice fastening, and I still think the waist could be a touch higher.   Presumably drafted for a B cup I tried to give a little more room for the bust, but it is still pretty stretched there, plus the darts are a little too close together for me.  On the other hand the back looks a little baggy.

The skirt is massive.  I made a stupid mistake cutting out and only cut out one half of the skirt, I only realised this when I was watching the programme again!  I then had to scrimp around to fit another half in, which I actually had to cut in two quarters and then make 3 seams in total in the skirt.  The skirt does have quite a lot of weight in it which does pull down quite a bit.

 

This isn't a pattern that is easy to make a really good job of.  The loops are just stitched on to hold the buttons, and to me it looks a bit messy.  The most expensive part of the make was the 4 cards of bias-binding I needed.  I hated the satin bias binding.  It frayed and stretched so easily and I found making nice edges difficult.

The front bit is like an apron (in case you are wondering why my dressform wears a bra - its in an attempt to make the shape a little more like me).  You can see the bust is a bit stretched here.

So in summary I think this is a so-so dress and not a pattern I would repeat.  Could you make it in 3 hours, well I think if you weren't too fussy.  I chose to slip-stitch all the bias-binding on, so it took me quite a bit longer.

 This was just one of the garments I sewed in the Easter holidays along with the Sureau dress, a liberty blouse, a skirt and a pair of trousers!  Busy, busy.  I also had a lovely day out with a sewing friend.  We went to Carl Stuart's taylors in Ossett, Yorkshire so he could a bespoke suit made.  Watching a professional taylor of 50 years take the measurements was amazing and then we were lucky enough to look round their factory, really interesting.  The staff working there were amazing, so fast, and I watched the women doing the final pressing for ages.  I could learn a lot from her.

 

 

Then we went to Saltaire in Bradford  to have lunch.  Saltaire used to be one of the largest wool producers in the country and it's a fascinating place.

We've also enjoyed some lovely walks including Monty the puppy.

A first swimming lesson   (Dan looks wrapped up for winter here!)

Still so cute!

 

I've been back at work for a week now, and because we have a major review in two weeks things are very busy and a bit stressed, so my sewing time is even more appreciated.  I'm half-way through a skirt and almost finished another Dior inspired jacket.  What are you sewing?

Liberty Sureau

 

This is a Deer and Doe pattern, the Sureau.  I really liked the Deer and Doe Bruyere because it as a great fit for me and just my style, fitted at the waist, but comfortable.  It has taken me ages to understand that patterns are usually made for a B cup and so not made for my figure.  Deer and Doe patterns do seem to be drafted for a C cup, and also they seem to be high waisted, so that I don't have to make my usual adjustment of raising the waistline by an inch.

 



This is described as a beginners pattern and it was pretty straightforward.  The hardest part is probably getting the gathers right on the bodice.  The main change I had to make was to take another 5/8" off the shoulders, I really don't know what was going on as the bodice was far too baggy before I made this change.

 
The fabric is Liberty lantana and it's absolutely gorgeous to wear.  It feels a bit like Vyella (if you can remember that).  Very expensive full price, but you can pick up bargains on Ebay.  It's 80% cotton and 20% wool, so much warmer and heavier than Tana Lawn and I think its perfect for this dress.    No lining needed and lovely on the skin.

Hopefully it isn't to fussy, and I think the plain cream buttons help to tone it down a little, though it is a bit Laura Ashley!

Rather than being a great fit straight from the packet I made a lot of little changes:

• cut the longest length and added a further 1 1/2"
• bodice cut a size 42" and graded down to a 40 at the waist.
• Cut the shoulders at 34" and took a further 5/8" from the shoulder width
• For the arm scythe cut a 32" at the shoulder to a 38" (on a future version I would cut the back at 36" as it is a little baggy in the back
• Sleeve cut a size 38" and graded down to a 34" at the hem.

I would also move the front dart to the 42" position rather than the 40" I had on this version.

This all sounds rather more complicated than it actually was, its great to be able to make these changes to get a better fit.  I feel I'm really beginning to understand much better how patterns fit.    Sorry about the odd photos, just not used to sunshine!  .... and as for the pasty legs.

I've had a great Easter holiday sewing, so more to come.  Have you been sewing at all?

New Look 6217; silk and lace tee

I don't have much to say about this top.  It was one of those times when I woke up in the morning thinking I need to make a top from some silk and lace bits in my stash, add to this a free pattern from sew magazine and it ended up being a really cheap top, though not without its challenges.

 

 

The pattern is NewLook 6217

 

 

 

The silk is a gorgeous colour, teal but with a black back  which sort of shows through.  The front has a layer of stretch lace with silk behind it, and the back is just the plain silk.  There is a back opening, but in the end I stitched it together at the top because it's so loose it just pulls on over my head.

Overlaying the lace over the silk was quite tricky (possibly because the lace was stretch lace), and I had to keep rebasting it to keep the two fabrics together without them moving about.  I used bias for the neck, sleeves and hem, which I think will look better after a wash or two.

 

 

I won't be making this one again.  Too shapeless for me, but I will wear it, probably with jeans on a warmer day, and for what it cost I could garden in it!

 

It's been a lovely day, gorgeous weather and my favourite walk, sunshine and snow on the hills, what could be better, and I've another nine days off work to go, so lots more sewing to come.

.... and just to finish more puppy photos!

... and a reminder of how unfair life is when you are too small to get up on the settee to play with the big girls!