McCalls 7432

Welcome to new readers.  I'm sorry I didn't resond as usual to the lovely comments on my Stella coat.  I really enjoyed reading them.


After my more challenging Stella coat, here is a couple of quick makes.  I've been so cold recently that I wanted something warm to wear at work. 

McCalls 7432 a "learn to sew for fun" pattern and is an easy fit knit shift dress. 

I wanted the extra warmth of a cowl neck and so I raised the neckline about 2" and added a cowl from a 14" x 13" oblong.  It worked well and I can honestly say this dress is cosy.

I cut a size medium, which according to the size chart should be a little snug, but the fit is pretty good.  Although I think I could do with a little more from the sides at the lower part of the skirt.

I prefer it with a belt but you can better see the shape without.  A little about the fabric.  I think it is amazing!  It washed well, sewed well, kept its shape and it really a warm .... but the most amazing thing is cost £3.45 .... a £7 dress (I did use a discount code its normally £4.49 from the Textile Centre.  I would definitely buy it again.

The second version is from and abstract print double border ponte roma also £4.49 and from the Textile Centre.  I'm not sure about this.  On  the website the print looked like it went horizontally and would have provided an interesting hem, but that wasn't  the case.

I will wear it with a plain black jacket for work, and for the price its a bargain, but the quality isn't as good.

 
You can see this version is a little shorter.  It was the first one I made and I think the fit of the second one is better.  This is a good basic pattern, which is suitable for work with a jacket and I'm sure I'll make a couple each winter .... but for now back to making a SWAP challenge.

I've also been making in miniature, for some newborn twins!  Little jersey dresses with baby cashmere ballet cardigans.  

 

New Look 6298: the sweater dress

After  a couple of posts of dresses for work, this week I made a more casual comfy dress for leisure times.

I rather liked the look of New Look 6298, a simple, comfy dress which could be warm and cosy with tights and boots and generally I think it is just that.  I saw this fabric and thought the two would be a marriage made in heaven, however, when the fabric arrived it was disappointing.  The back is a very "nylony" black fabric which is not warm and cosy and would be appalling if you had any occasion to sweat, the black back can also fray and is a little prone to separating from the front!   Also it really doesn't press at all, even with the use of a clapper.   That's the problem of on-line purchasing, though I must say I am usually delighted with my purchases from Dragonfly Fabrics.   However, I had the fabric and rather than stick it straight in the charity shop pile I thought I would make it up as a bit of a wearable muslin.

And it definitely is wearable, infact I had already worn it before these photographs and will some more wear in the future.

The shape is very straightforward but I think it has quite a nice line, though I cut my usual size 14 and I could definitely go down a size in future.  I think you can particularly see this from the back.

The sleeves are raglan which I like with a dart in the shoulder (which did make a very thick seam with this fabric as you are inserting a sleeve with 4 layers of fabric at the dart).    I like the pockets and the way they fit into the side seams, but once again this did make it very thick with three layers of fabric and four at the top of the pocket.

The V-neck went OK on my second attempt.  I don't know whether it was my fault but I did the  stitching at my usual seam allowance of 5/8" and duly snipped right down to the stitching at the V, only to realise that the seam allowance attaching the band is 3/8" and I ended up with a big hole.  There followed (some cursing .... some wine .... some sulking)  and no stitching until the next day when I did some jiggery pokery and it seems to have worked out OK.  The band is a little fiddly if you are a beginner, otherwise this is a pretty straightforward and speedy sew.

I originally cut the longer length, but then thought it looked rather dowdy and so took 2 1/2" of the longer length, which I think balances better.  I do like how it looks with my Seamwork Oslo cardigan and then it is really warm!

I might have another go at this in the future; a smaller size and in something really posh like a merino or cashmere if I can find the right fabric (not buying that without a sample though!). 

I was actually struggling with sunlight in the photos and I've had a few lovely works (and the dogs have had haircuts!).

On a sad note, it was a real shame to hear of the death of Lorna from the Great British Sewing Bee series 3.  She was a real character and I loved some many of her sews, in fact I absolutely copied her lovely dress from the first episode.

Tilly and the Buttons Coco

A touch of the Francais .... this is Tilly and the Button's Coco dress with the funnel roll neck.  It's a very simple dress, but I love it.  It is just so comfortable.  The main reason for this is the fantastic ponte fabric which I bought recently from the Fabric Godmother, I loved it so much I tried to buy some more but .... all gone!  I was inspired by Karen's version with her fabric recommendation (thanks Karen).  The nearest they have is in a white colourway which is also a good fabric but not quite as snuggly.

I wasn't sure where the pockets should go, they look great on the pattern, but far too low to put your hands in!

So I put mine much higher .... are they too high do you think!

 

I cut a size 5 in the bust grading down to a 4.  I took 5/8" from the shoulder width, and although I'm only 5'4" I added two inches to the length as befits someone of my age!  I really like the final result for an easy weekend wear, its just so comfy and the shape is really quite flattering.

 

I think this is a good beginners pattern; no fastenings and the funnel neck is pretty easy to fit.  I would definitely recommend it with a stable ponte fabric for a first go and knit fabrics.  If you haven't seen one of Tilly's patterns the instructions are great, you get a little booklet fully illustrating all the steps with photographs.

 

I've just enjoyed three days off during half term, awful weather but lots of sewing; 2 Orlas and GBSB dress, plus lots of gratuitous fabric shopping .... such plans.  I also had a visitor for the week, Monty has been staying.  He's 7 months old now and full of beans.  Such a cutie. 

 

 

Mabel Hack

 
If you've been reading my blog for a while, you will know that I have already made 7 Mabel skirts, 4 of which I wear frequently (3 have gone to Gemma because they were too clingy for me!).  I love the Mabel for work but I also love skirts with a bit of flare at the hem.  As Mabel is Collette's pattern of the month, a Mabel hack seemed just the thing.  (Note: this sounds as if I hack patterns all over the place, actually this is my first and I am really pleased with myself, it feels like an indication of progression that I don't have to follow patterns to the letter any more!).

My Mabel looks quite different to the pattern now.

I have obviously added to the length by about 3 inches (I'm just under 5'4").  I cut a medium size and grade in a little at the waist.

 

I really like the fit (not much room for chocolate this week!).

 
Because the fabric is stretch jersey though, it's still really comfortable.

 
I can tuck it in or out (will probably wear a blouse over just to cover the tummy).  The fabric is ponte roma from Minerva crafts.  Its heavy-weight and sews well.  Not a lot of stretch (infact I tried making the Collette Seamwork leggings from the same fabric and I couldn't pull them over my knees!) and a little synthetic looking.  There is a big difference in different pontes.  I like the stretch on this one for a skirt.

 
So the only difference I made to my original pattern was to add a flare at each of the seams as below.

 

Simple really and I love the effect of the flare.  There is a flirty spin (rather spoilt though by the sight of a slip showing!).

This is my favourite Mabel, great for work, and I've already worn it several times.  Also loving the cherry blossom at work at the moment.
 

 

Have you changed any patterns successfully?