Miss Anya Stretches It Out: Lady Skater Dress

Happy 2014, friends! I hope your new year has started off well - full of conquered resolutions and stretchy post-holiday fabrics. In a combination of both notes, I've already had a sewing breakthrough this year. I, Mary Danielson Perry*, just sewed a knit dress.

I know what you're thinking. But knit fabrics are hard, Mary! They stretch and warp and have caused many a poor sewist to wander the moors in sorrow for wavy hems! You're completely right, of course. Knit fabrics are finicky beasts...unless you have a serger. Thanks to one dashing professor, I am now the proud owner of a Brother 1034D. The bearded one gives great Christmas gifts, non? I've had my eye on this model for quite some time, as it's the perfect blend of cost effectiveness and functionality. After my first project using her, I can totally endorse the reviews: this little machine is a wonder. Every seam is not only perfectly finished, but it was a breeze to thread and get started on. Joy!

Of course, I started on a relatively simple pattern. This is the Lady Skater dress from Kitchsy Coo, which was recommended as an ideal beginning knit pattern. It's a knit dress with sleeve options, a gently flared skirt, and banded neckline. Not only did it seem easy to construct, but it looked heavenly on dozens of body types.  For as terrifying as knits are purported to be, a sure bet pattern like this one seemed the way to go. I opted for a 3/4 sleeved version with coordinating neck and arm bands, then sewed the dress up exactly as instructed.

For fabric, I used a rayon jersey bought with a coupon at JoAnn Fabrics. It's a lovely sky blue, with white polka dots on one side and stripes on the other. After reading every knit fabrics tutorial online, I knew one thing was most important: finding the stretch of the fabric when cutting. A stripe that ran the length of said stretch was so helpful! Even better, I could use the striped side as my bands, to add visual interest to an otherwise plain dress. Sweet!

So, let's talk cutting knits, shall we? After extensive research on the matter, I decided the best way to handle this cunning fabric was to cut on a single layer. Knits want to slip and slide, as you handle them, so cutting on one layer ensures that your pieces are symmetrical on the grain. Sure, it took more time than a folded layout, but the other option was pinning down my fold line. I'd rather take laborious than tedious any day. I also used a rotary cutter, to prevent warping with the sheers, and a carp ton (Yes, carp ton. It's a better visual, right?) of pattern weights. It worked perfectly! I'm definitely Team Single Layer, when it comes to knits.

As for the sewing, that's where knits earned my love. From first seam to hem, this dress took me two hours to construct. Two hours! That's with a beginner's learning curve included. There were no darts to sew or pleats to fold, just serging seams together left and right. It would definitely have been more labor-intensive on a traditional machine, but I used my serger for everything but the hem. It was, well, fucking awesome.

Fit-wise, I made a straight size 7 in this pattern. It's a little big in the waist, but the bodice and sleeves fit perfectly. I totally didn't see that coming. No FBA? Really? Knits are so rock awesome. Honestly, if I don't need an FBA for this pattern, I can't see anyone needing one. With a properly stretchy fabric, it should fit sublimely on a myriad of body types. There's a six inch difference between my high bust and full bust measurements and it still worked well. 

Most of this dress was made with a simple serger seam, as mentioned above. The only step I really had issues with was the neckband, which I had to repin a few times to make sure it stretched evenly on the front and the back. Knit bands are cut smaller than the openings they cover, so it took a bit of coaxing and estimation to get it correct. However, once it had been well pinned, it was a breeze. I just ran it through the machine and - voila! - instant fabric finish. The hem was a bit more complicated. Upon the advice of Patty the Snug Bug's fantastic knits article, I invested in some Steam-a-Seam 2 Lite. After applying this magic strip to the hem, you peel the backing off, flip it up the prescribed amount (in this case, I opted for 1/2 inch, unlike the pattern's suggestion of 1 inch), then press. It stayed in place beautifully, while I did a simple zig-zag stitch around the hem. Too easy! 

So...that's it. I made a knit dress! If you have fireworks handy, set off a few in my honor, will you? That's the most terrifying thing on my Sewing Skills to Conquer list checked off. The instructions that came with this pattern, however, are delightfully vivid. There weren't too many missteps to make with such a simple piece, but any possible ones were headed off by the manual. It was an easy, satisfying sew. For my next knit project, I'm considering making a mock wrap dress a la Duchess Kate's engagement frock...in illustrated fox print jersey. Nothing says sophistication like animated vixens, don't you agree?

This is my superheroine pose. Something about the polka dots, stripes, and comfy fabric makes me feel like I could fly up, up, and away at any moment. Just call me Super Sewist. 

Now, after all that gushing, I have a confession to make: I don't actually wear knits, kittens. I've always been a woven girl. Give me a cotton voile or silk twill any day! Before this polka dot jersey, there wasn't a single knit fabric in my stash. Sure, I knew knits were comfortable, but that's what pajamas were for, right? Fashion doesn't need comfort! Such thinking is, of course, ludicrous. Now that most of my days are spent sitting at a computer, typing at furious speeds, I understand the appeal of knits. I don't always want pretty lined cottons digging into my side boob, you know? Unfortunately, my addiction to wovens meant that my only knit wardrobe options were camisoles and sleepwear. Answering the door at four o'clock in your pajamas gets really judgmental looks from the mailman. So, this whole Lady Skater project was not only a pattern test, but a fabric test. Would I feel comfortable in the slinky, clingy, comfy world of knitwear?

Spoiler alert: I totally do. This dress is amazing. It feels like pajamas, but looks like a grown up outfit. I can twirl and move and do jumping jacks in this dress. The silhouette is classic, but the fabric is down right space age. I looooooove it. I want a million of these dresses. More knits please! If you're also on the fence about taking the knit plunge, I can't recommend this pattern highly enough. It's deceptively cute, for such an easy make. You'll be converted, I promise.

The details...

Things I Loved:

• The ease! No darts. No pleats. Just serging. What's not to love?
• The banded neckline! It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I adore the striped bands with the polka dotted main fabric. There's something very comic book superheroine about the pairing.
• The fabric! It feels like pajamas, but looks like real clothing. Genius!

Things I Changed:

• Nothing. That's got to be a first. 

Things I Would Change, If I Made It Again:

• Change sleeve options. As much as I love the 3/4 sleeves on my version, I would love to have a couple short sleeved versions in my wardrobe, once summer rolls around. This is an ideal Texas summer dress. 

Notions & Fabric:

• 2 yards rayon jersey - $16 (Note: For the 3/4 version, 2.5 yards is called for, but cutting on a single layer reduces fabric waste by quite a bit. You can totally get by on 2.)
• Steam-a-Seam 2 Lite

Construction Time:

• Two hours. Holy carp! 

Best. Christmas. Present. Ever. 

*I'm trying the unhyphenated double-barrel last name out, before deciding on any legal changes. On one hand, family unity makes sense, on the other I'm not giving up my last name completely or sounding like a nursery rhyme, but I don't want a hyphen. So, two names! No hyphen! I'm going to be saying "You know, like Hillary Rodham Clinton" a lot, methinks...

And Now A Quick Holiday Greeting

Good afternoon, kittens! I hope you have had a wonderful holiday season so far. Or, as they say where I currently am, a wonderful "festive season." So far this week, Sam and I have: gotten married, celebrated Christmas, flown halfway across the world, and eaten an obscene amount of cake in the process. We've finally settled in to our hotel in Dublin, where we'll be for a week, before exploring some other parts of Ireland. I won't be posting any new makes until we get back on the 7th, but I did want to share this quick, lovely image from our ceremony last week and wish everyone a very happy end of 2013! I don't have any good images yet of the whole dress, but I thought this one of my parents walking me down the aisle was too sweet not to share.

Happy Christmas/Holidays/New Year, friends! I love you all immensely and will see you in 2014.

We're now off to grab a pint somewhere. Cheers!

Miss Juliet Dons a Rose: SImplicity 1873

Good afternoon, noble sewists! Today has been - surprise! - a whirlwind of wedding related shenanigans. I have painted dozens of wooden snowflakes, contacted every vendor, formatted all of our signage, and spent thirty minutes trying to get metallic spraypaint out of my nail beds. For a moment, it looked as though I'd developed some rare Midas form of lepresy.

Quite frankly, I can't imagine what The Week Before (cue thunder, lightning) would be like for someone who really cared about every detail. We're having a relaxed brunchy affair and I'm still up to my eyeballs in projects. My to-do list just won't die!

Ergo, it should come as no surprise that I haven't been sewing. There are two giant wedding projects that will require my sewing machine later this week, but other than prepping for those, my sewing room has seen little action. The good news is that this allows me to show off one of my most beloved unposted projects!

This, my dear ones, is Simplicity 1873. In the summer of 2012, I made four of these babies, and wore them nonstop. A simple bodice attached to a pieced, pleated circle skirt, this Cynthia Rowley pattern is one of my all time favorites. For my first one, reviewed last year in this post, I followed the instructions to a tee, but these latter versions are pretty bare bones. I wanted easy cotton dresses that I could wash, wear, and survive the brutal Austin summers in.

Despite using some gorgeous modern prints for my others, this muted rose version is my reigning favorite. My mother graciously allowed me to pick through her stash a few years ago and this is one of the fabrics unearthed in that adventure. It's a very drapey rose-print quilting cotton from the late 1980s. It looks like bad curtains.

I love it. Hard.

Blame it on a childhood spent decked out in Laura Ashley dresses, but I have gooey, sappy feelings for chintzy florals. They make me want to curl my hair and frolic through meadows. This one, with its shades of dusty rose and sage against a black background, is no different.

As for construction, it's been awhile, but I'll try to dredge up some details. Instead of the prescribed full lining, I finished this dress with black bias tape turned to the inside. If one is to survive the kind of heat we see here, layers must be dispensed with. Plus, bias tape is quick to install. I wanted these done quickly!

For sizing, I completely cheated on ALL of the 1873s. While I should have done a real full bust adjustment, I instead graded from one size at the shoulders, up at the bust, down at the waist, then back up again. That's why it's just a smidge too big in certain places, like my under bust. Ah, well. For an quick cotton dress, who really cares?

While my other 1873s are limited to mostly summer outfits, this rose print lovely layers up perfectly in the colder months. Today, I wore her with my trusty emerald cardigan, but she also looks snazzy with tights, boots, and a dark rose cardigan on top.

So...there we have it! A frock Laura Ashley would call her own. Now, I'm off to sew endless amounts of wedding bunting for this weekend. Six days!

Miss Peggy Cozies Up to Plaid

Bonjour, my dear ones! Apologies for my unexpected blog silence, this past week. Between the holidays, my bachelorette party (a Nancy-Drew-inspired mystery dinner adventure), and crossing off my wedding to-do list, time slipped away from me. We're getting married in two weeks and, despite trying to keep everything low key, there are still so many things to be done!

Also, it's fucking cold. 

I would apologize for my language, but the high today is 22° Fahrenheit, with a wind chill of 12°. 

It hasn't been above freezing in two days. That may seem wimpy to those in the northern climes, but our average December high temperature is safely in the sixties. We're currently under a freezing fog advisory. I didn't even know that fog could freeze! "Freaking" really doesn't seem strong enough for the situation.

Snow fell this morning and is still frozen on things! Snow! On things! 

The good news, however, is that this weather is excellent practice for our honeymoon to Ireland. My cold weather wardrobe is going to be bangin', by the time our Boxing Day flight leaves. To that end, I've made another cozy skirt! 

After my trial run of the Peggy skirt, we all knew there was a love affair in store. I absolutely adore this pattern. The pretty pockets, figure-hugging high waist, and simple lines are the stuff my skirt dreams are made of. For my second version, I used a dreamy black, cream, and pink wool blend from Fabric Mart. 

As soon as Sam and I decided to honeymoon in Ireland during the winter, I invested in some pretty woolens. It's easy to talk myself out of such purchases, since we live in the sweltering Texas heat for half of the year, but I always lust after winter fabrics. The trip is a great excuse to indulge that fancy!

This wool blend, medium weight and with a nice drape, is such a Mary lust fabric. The combination of black, cream, and light pink is one of my favorites. There's something so 1950's Paris about those colors together, you know? It's only by the grace of looking bad in hats that I haven't bought a pink beret to pair with this skirt. I loooooove it. 

This round of Peggy skirt construction was a breeze, y'all. After my first time inserting those pockets, it was remarkably easy to repeat, and the rest of the skirt is just a few tucks and a lapped zipper. If you have any questions about construction, it would be best to reference my muslin post, which is a true in-depth review. 

The only challenge of this skirt came in matching the large scale plaid. I cut it on a single layer layout, which is time consuming, but a great way to make sure every line is straight. For matching the plaid itself, I took the Lladybird approach to things and cut everything I could on the bias, which meant the waistband and pockets. I love how the bias-cut waistband turned out, specifically. It emphasizes the beauty of Abby's design to perfection.

Since the Peggy Skirt side seams are curved, I settled for matching horizontal lines there, which turned out reasonably well and made hemming way easy. Meanwhile, the back. Let's talk about the back...

Oh, look! Mary matched plaids perfectly! Or wait...

I spent a ridiculous amount of time and effort matching the back seam, only to realize after sewing it up that I'd omitted the two white vertical lines that were supposed to be there. Instead, I oh-so-brilliantly matched one thin white line instead. Whhhhhyyyyy? 

It doesn't bother my eye any, but after all that effort, it feels like such a fail. I was so proud of myself! I even trotted out to Sam mid-construction, so that he could admire my plaid-matching skillz. All for naught. Whatever. I'm pretty sure that I'm not meant to be a person who perfectly matches plaid, anyway. That's for far more sophisticated people than I. 

I like my thin white line! Take that, gods of plaid!

The details...

Things I Loved:

• The pocket! It's a genius little design, once you have confidence in the method, and adds a really special detail. 
• The pattern! Fun fact: After my first Peggy, Abby informed me that I was actually the first person to buy the Peggy pattern. Ergo, logic insists that I'm a superfan and have the authority to say...go buy it now. Now! Now! Now! It's the perfect skirt pattern, friends. This is one you'll go back to again and again, I promise. 
• The waistline! I love a high waist so hard, y'all.  

Things I Changed:

• Cut a smaller waistband.
• Took a very large hem again - over five inches. 

Things I Would Change, If I Made It Again:

• Add the tabs! I still haven't added this design detail, despite how adorable it is. Next time...

Notions & Fabric:

• 7 inch hot pink zipper, which Sam insisted on while accompanying me JoAnn's. He was correct. I love the pop of color, when it peeks out. 
• 1 vintage button
• Two yards of wool blend - $16
• Fusible Interfacing

Construction Time:

• Three hours, including the hand-sewn zipper and hem.

Miss Peggy Walks in the Woods

Happy Thanksgiving week, friends! Or, my dear international ones, Happy Week of American Friends Posting Pictures of Turkey Dinners on Instagram! This week has been much busier than expected, with family coming in early and wedding plans demanding attention, so my promised princess seam FBA post will have to wait until this weekend. In the meantime, I'm going to channel Macy's and parade out some giant balloons finished objects.

First up. we have my wearable muslin of the Peggy Skirt from Bluegingerdoll Patterns. 

This fall, I've made a point to sew up more separates. It would be easy to sew up dress after lovely dress, but in the chillier months I love having layers to pile on. A skirt that works with sweaters and boots is priceless! Ergo, when Abby from Bluegingerdoll released the retro high-waisted Peggy skirt, I bought it the same day.

The Peggy skirt comes in three waistband variations--straight, curved, and sweetheart--with eased-in faced pockets and optional waistband tabs. For this first one, I used inexpensive polished cotton leftover from my Elisalex muslin, so I went with the simplest construction possible: a straight waistband and no tabs.

The Peggy skirt was my first Bluegingerdoll pattern to sew up, though I own both the Mae blouse and the Billie Jean dress, and it was a joy to create. One of my favorite things about sewing with indie patterns is, of course, the packaging. Bluegingerdoll added some great personal touches in this arena: heavy weight pattern paper, a pretty Kraft paper envelope, and a twine closure. Lovely!

Even better, the pattern itself is a mentally stimulating project. At every step, there is something to differentiate it from a Big 4 straight skirt. There are two small tucks in the front--which not only add visual interest, but increase the ease of movement--in addition to darts in the back, the aforementioned bagged pocket, a lapped zipper, and button waistband closure. While all those details don't make it an ideal beginner's pattern, I absolutely loved them. 

The only true weak spot of this pattern is, in my opinion, the instructional insert. Perhaps it's because I began sewing with Simplicity patterns, but I prefer exhaustive directions and these were a little skim. Like some other indie companies, the Peggy instructions periodically referred one to online tutorials, instead of providing all the directions right at hand. If you don't already know how to do a lapped zipper, for example, have your computer at the ready!

For the pocket, specifically, I wish things had been clearer. It was such an unconventional construction that, without a really great diagram, I ended up sewing my first one incorrectly. Though it doesn't show on the outside, my pocket facings are inside out, as a result. If this wasn't a muslin, I probably would have re-done it, but my first rule of muslin-making is not to be a perfectionist. I absolutely love how the pocket turned out, however, gaping just the right amount to be cute and hold my cell phone perfectly.

Fabric wise, the polished cotton I used for this Peggy is a classic red with tiny white polka dots. It wrinkles like crazy, as you can see from these photos, and was a quickly regretted sale purchase. Y'all, I bought five yards of this stuff for some unknown reason. Five yards of icky-feeling, slippery, polka dots. Thank heavens for muslin making! This is no longer staring at me from the stash and I've actually ended up liking both garments I made with it.

There weren't many changes to make for this skirt either, just a few pesky fit adjustments. As the pattern was drafted, I was between two sizes, so I cut the larger one and graded down at the waistband by three inches. Aside from that, I took a much larger hem than instructed -- a little over five inches, in the end. The Peggy skirt is designed for a vintage-inspired length, with the hem falling a few inches below the knee. This skirt length can look adorable on some people, but I'm decidedly not one of them. So, I indulged myself and took a deep hem instead, which put it at the top of my knee. Much more flattering!

In the end, this turned out to be such an adorable skirt. I absolutely love the high waist, which seems to work better in this skirt than my other autumnal love, the Zinnia, and could wax poetic about these pockets for days. I won't, though! Instead, I'm already making another one for Thanksgiving day, in a large scale wool plaid. This is the perfect pattern for a TNT cozy skirt. If the Peggy is anything to go by, Bluegingerdoll Patterns is an indie to keep an eye on. I can't wait to try out Abby's other designs!

The details...

Things I Loved:

• The pocket! It's a genius little design, once you have confidence in the method, and adds a really special detail. 
• The pattern! I love when indie pattern companies opt for thicker pattern paper. It's so much nicer to trace and cut around. 
• The waistline! High waists can be uncomfortably restrictive, but because of the front pleats in the skirt, the Peggy is delightfully comfortable. 

Things I Changed:

• Cut a smaller waistband.
• Took a very large hem - over five inches. 

Things I Would Change, If I Made It Again:

• Add the tabs! I love this design detail and will definitely implement it next time around. 

Notions & Fabric:

• 8 inch zipper
• 1 vintage button
• Two yards of cotton - $8
• Fusible Interfacing

Construction Time:

• Three hours, including the hand-sewn zipper and hem.

Miss Elisalex Finds Something Blue

Hello, my darling dears! I am late to a party, but that's fashionable, non? The party in question is not, it should be said, a rollicking Wednesday night wayzgoose, but rather a year-long internet fête for By Hand London's Elisalex dress. People love this dress.

People, it turns out, have excellent taste. The Elisalex is a flirty little frock, with her extravagant skirt lines and perfect princess-seamed bodice. She's just the pattern to reach for, if you need a fancy date night dress to knock his/her socks off.

As for me, the Elisalex was just the thing for my date with destiny. 

Destiny and loads of presents are the same thing right? I made my second Elisalex (the first a wearable muslin of sorts, to be blogged shortly) in Italian cotton brocade, for my bridal shower this past weekend. Thrown by my two best friends, maid and matron of honor, I was given specific instructions to do nothing but show up to the shower "in something fabulous." A brocade Elisalex, paired with my new blue Seychelles heels, fit the bill nicely. 

This blue-and-white cotton brocade has been in my fancy fabrics box for about a year, after I impulsively bought it from Fabric Mart. It was $24/yard on sale and, with a buttery soft feel and surprisingly soft drape, was worth every penny. They had a least a dozen colorways of these brocades, but this blue set my heart fluttering. I had to have it, despite not knowing what the heck I'd do with it. It was an auspiciously good buy, because this fabric screams fancy bride at her fancy bridal shower. 

It also, of course, frays like the very devil and doesn't hold stitches terribly well. Why must the beautiful things always be evil? Just once, I'd like a party fabric that's easy to sew up or a purple tree frog that doesn't secrete toxin. 

To be fair, I wasn't exactly easy on this fabric. Despite doing not one, but two, Elisalex muslins before starting this project, I still took a few fit adjustments mid-construction. There were princess seams to tame (after a six inch FBA, which we'll get to in a second) and whimsical skirt proportions to nip the whimsy out of. The seam ripper got quite a lot of usage during this project. 

When muslining the Elisalex, I knew the skirt was going to be problem. It's all very well and good for wee tiny sylphs to wear Marie Antoinette proportioned tulip skirts, but I was skeptical about how one would translate onto my viking warrior princess build. The skepticism was well placed. My hips would have looked right at home participating in the Albuquerque Balloon Festival. So, for this version, I took four inches out of the length and used a size 10 skirt, instead of the size 14. 

It was still too wide. Thanks to the body of the brocade, those hip curves went out for days. I took an additional four inches out of the side seam curve apexes, after sewing it all up. The result is still a pegged tulip skirt, but one of more modest proportions. I dig it. 

Thanks to all the taming I did on the side seams, I also made the executive decision to do tuck pleats at the waistline, instead of the box pleats prescribed by the pattern. They just fit the new silhouette more. Woohoo for massive structural changes, while working with delicate fabric! 

The other major pattern adjustment was the aforementioned full bust adjustment. There is a reason I don't often work with princess seams, y'all. Namely: the six inch discrepancy between my bust and high bust measurements. An FBA for princess seams is already finicky, but adding three inches to a curved pattern piece turns a pleasant, challenging fix into a Herculean labor. My resultant pattern pieces only resemble their foremothers, in that they are on pattern paper and say "Elisalex" on them. 

My center front (charmingly spelled "centre front" on the pattern) still needs a bit of tweaking, but I was too impatient to sew this up last week. It's just a bit too wide at my underbust, which causes a crease, after hours of wear. One more muslin, it is!

If you have a large bust and are looking to do an FBA on a princess-seamed pattern, By Hand London's own tutorial is a great resource. The only caveat is that it will be more complicated for you. There are extra bubbles to deal with and more lines to true up. By the end, you'll have two pieces that you truly doubt the usefulness of. How can a center front piece need six extra length inches? It will work. You just need to have faith...and perhaps a glass of bracing champagne. 

Or, if that fails, tune back here next week. I'm planning a step-by-step princess seam FBA tutorial for large busts. The whole time I was doing mine, I was wishing someone else had told me what to expect. We'll make sure you're not as surprised! 

Original pieces on the left, my darling monsters on the right.

Once again, I'm not super impressed with By Hand London's directions. They definitely assume that the reader has dressmaking experience. For the box pleat, the instructions literally read: "Form the box pleat now." Which is great and all, unless you're a novice who hasn't formed a box pleat before! If you haven't, a quick Google should sort you out. 

As for the pattern itself, it was a breeze to sew up. It's not something I'd recommend to a beginner, thanks to the princess seams and instructional vagueness, but it's a fun little dress pattern. Elisalex is a very chic, modern design, which is what I'm coming to expect from BHL patterns. They definitely have a bead on what young sewists want to wear! 

The Details...

Things I Loved:

• The fabric! Italian designer brocade. Just the words make me feel a swoon coming on!
• The bodice! Once you fit them correctly, princess seams are so fun to sew up and so lovely on the body. 

Things I Changed:

• Cut a smaller skirt, took in the side seams an additional four inches each. 
• FBA to add six inches at the bust
• Did a hand-picked metal zipper at the back. 

Things I Would Change, If I Made It Again:

• Not much! Now that the fit is down and I've tamed the skirt panels, this is a fabulous pattern.

Notions & Fabric:

• 18 inch metal zipper
• Two yards of brocade - $48
• One yard of white cotton shirting for the bodice lining - $6
• Cut a US size 14 bodice, with an FBA, and a US size 10 skirt. 

Construction Time:

• Including muslins, eight hours. 

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