GBSB Drapey Knit Dress and a mustard Oslo

I think this is a bit of a marmite dress, you love it or hate it .... on the whole I love it!  Not my usual style at all, and my hemlines seem to be going up as I get older.  This is The Great British Sewing Bee Fashion with Fabric Drapey Knit Dress

 

 I had been intrigued by lots of versions, and particularly liked Karen's version which she made in a finer knit fabric than the suggested double knit/ponte. I had seen the rather crazy fabric at Fabric Godmother, with no idea what to make from it, but loved the colours and the 60s feel, and having seen Karen's thinner version thought it might be worth a go.  In fact I think overall the thinner jersey is better.  There is a an overlap (which ends up being 4 layers including the facing) and I think that this just wouldn't lie right if you were using a ponte roma.

I love the sleeves with all their bagginess which then goes into a slim cuff.

The construction is quite strange and rather fantastic.  The one piece back showcases a large pattern.

I cut a size medium and didn't make any adjustments except to leave out the pockets which I felt might spoil the line.

Whilst I was in the mood for knits I made another Seamwork Oslo.  It's not as snuggly as my last one (which I made last Christmas), but this was fairly cheap mustard boucle knit which I bought at the Harrogate Knitting and Stitching show.



 

The colour is great and I've worn it several times already.

 

With no lining, it does only take a few hours to make.

Strangely the stretch on this was vertical and I should have cut it that way, so the cuffs are a little tight, but still wearable.

I hope you all enjoyed Christmas.  I had a lovely time with Dan and Gemma who made a lovely Christmas lunch.

Just to prove I have worn the cardigan (though here with my Coco)!

And of course, lots of stokes with the lovely Monty!

Wishing you all a wonderful 2016, now if I can just get rid of this cold!

The Orla times two!

Well I can't believe it is 6 weeks since I posted, the longest ever.  There have been many reasons, mostly to do with being very busy, but also I think because I feel pretty blah about the garments I had planned to post (not only that but blah about the photos too!).

After really liking my last Tilly make, I'm just not keen on this one.  This  is Tilly and the Buttons latest pattern the Orla.  As you can see I copied Tilly's black dot version.  I cut a size 4 grading in 1 cm at the waist.  I'm only 5' 4" and so I shortened the length by 2".

I made a 1" full-bust adjustment which wasn't easy to work around the curved French darts.  I did manage to achieve this, but wonder whether this has made the overall top a bit baggy.  So what do you do with a make you don't really like .... make another!  I had already cut the second one out before I decided I wasn't too keen on the first, so I pressed on. 

I have had trouble with the necks being too high for me on Tilly's patterns, it makes me feel a little bit like choking do I lowered the neckline by 1/2" at the front.

 
From the back I think the fit looks baggy and rather shapeless.  You can see that despite narrowing the shoulders quite a bit (I followed the size 1 shaping) the shoulders still look too wide, and the pleated sleeve sort of flops.  Having read some other comments about Tilly's patterns I wonder if they are designed for a broadish shoulder, which then wouldn't suit me.  The sleeves don't look good at all.

You can see I chose to fit an invisible zip which meant that I cut two pieces for the back.

I think the main reason I won't get much wear from these is that they definitely feel more like tunics than blouses.   I don't really wear tunics, because I like something warmer when I'm being casual and smarter when I am at work.   They don't tuck in and stay very well.  The fabric for both is a slightly slippy rayon mix.

You can see the puffy shoulder here.

The second version has gone straight to the charity shop, and although I've worn the first once I think it will follow soon.  Anyway enough of this.  I may not have been blogging, but I have been sewing and more successfully; GBSB stretchy jersey dress, mustard Oslo, Chanel jacket, a silk jersey blouse and a Colette Wren to cover!

If you live in the UK you will know about the flooding in Cumbria.  I am fine, others have not been so lucky.  The photos below were taken a week after the flood on one of my usual walks in the valley where I live.    These are normally fields although they look like a lake (snow on the hills now too!).  Many have had a terrible time and have been made homeless for Christmas.  Some homes  still have 3 foot of water in them.  At Glenridding they were flooded twice in a week!  There are also many wonderful example of kindness and community spirit.

 

 I am really looking forward to Friday ..... two weeks holiday to come and, of course, lots of sewing!