TL; DR – Woo for v-necks that actually cover things up, don’t get complacent about shirring. I got this African wax print (which isn’t actually African, it’s Dutch, because colonialism – learn all about it) a while ago and have been waiting for the right pattern to use it, and settled on Aida from La…
Tag: Woven
Free Pattern Review: Crisa from La Maison Victor
TL; DR – Either I don’t understand French as well as I thought I did or I still can’t read sewing illustrations all that well. Probably both. I was browsing through my collected list of free sewing pattern resources and noticed that suddenly, there were a lot of patterns by La Maison Victor that were…
Rosalie Shirt Dress, Take 2
TL; DR – I LOVE THIS DRESS. I don’t know how long I’ve had this adorable cherry blossom print. It’s from a Danish fabric company which is probably why I jumped on it (Skalllerup is Danish). I thought it would be adorable as a Rosalie Shirt Dress, and I wasn’t mistaken. I did the pockets…
Léonie Dress, Take 2
TL; DR – I love this pattern. It’s another make from a Marimekko shower curtain! I made this one shorter than the first Léonie dress I made, and instead of making the back out of just one piece, I made it out of two pieces to take into consideration the dimensions of the shower curtain….
Free Pattern Review: The Rosalie Shirt Dress from Mood Fabrics
TL; DR – Can a pattern be a simple beginner pattern and super-tricky at the same time? YES IT CAN APPARENTLY. I’ve been wanting a one-piece (ie – not a separate bodice and skirt) shirt dress that flairs out FOREVER. When Mood put out their Rosalie Shirt Dress pattern, I downloaded it right away and…
Atlas Wrap Dress, Take 3
TL; DR – I have a broad back! Clever patterns can be really challenging to modify! When I made my second Atlas Wrap Dress, as fantastic as it looks, I didn’t particularly like the fit. And, as I am coming to terms with my new measurements, I realized that I probably needed a different size….
Pattern Review: The Ludlow Jumpsuit from Sewing and the City
TL; DR – Thank goodness for 5/8″ seem allowances, I finally understand how to use the stitch-in-the-ditch foot, long live heavy dark lines and large fonts! I cut the fabric for this jumpsuit out a year ago, before I realized my body had changed. As soon as I saw the style of the Ludlow Jumpsuit…
Atlas Wrap Dress, Take 2
TL; DR – That went better the second time but still managed to be weird? Have you seen some of the dresses on H&M lately? Don’t you find they look a little (A LOT) like an Atlas Wrap Dress? For example: I was like, I finally don’t have to HUNT for a pattern to match…
Pattern Review: Akinori Dress from Wardrobe By Me
TL; DR – I might be getting the hang of this sewing thing, and doesn’t this dress look AMAZING?!?!? I have followed Katie Kortman on Instagram for a while now, and have always loved her colorful patterns and fabrics. As Fabric.com was being subsumed by Amazon (which, UGH, but also I don’t get those FLASH…
Kalle Shirtdress, Take 3
TL; DR – I did this in one afternoon! I love the Kalle shirtdress pattern. And I love making dresses out of Marimekko shower curtains and sheets. I got this new shower curtain on clearance for Black Friday sales, but was wondering what I could do with the GIANT CIRCLES. I hadn’t made a Kalle…
Pattern Review: Léonie Dress from Liam Patterns
TL; DR – I needed a lot of Dopamine Dressing, why can’t I remember that seam allowances matter, and finally learn TO REINFORCE THE NECKLINE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD. I had long admired the fabric by Julia Allisson Cost, and I got a gift card to buy some for my birthday. I settled on…
Pattern Review: Isca Dress by Marilla Walker
TL; DR – [insert multiple swear words here]. Some days I really hate being neurodivergent. Y’all know, if you’ve been following my sewing journey, that I love a good a) wrap dress and b) shirt dress. The Atlas wrap dress is kinda a platonic ideal for me, but when I saw the Isca Dress by…
Pattern Review: Atlas Wrap Dress By Masin
TL; DR – Man, it feels good to be sewing again. I like a good, clever pattern. Jebus, how long as it been? As I said in my previous post, I spent all my time this summer printing and putting patterns together. Between changing sizes, a hectic summer of driving my daughter to work, traveling,…
Mary Quant Mini-Dress, Take 5
TL; DR – You’d think after four times making the same dress, I’d know what I was doing, but you would be wrong. Anyway, I improvised and it turned out just fine. Also, I finally understand the physics of the burrito method. My kids’ summer swim team’s colors are orange and blue. I bought bright…
Peacock Wrap Dress, Take 5
TL; DR – It’s after Memorial Day, let’s wear white. Uniqlo had their cooling sheets on super-sale a while back, and so I bought a white one, intending to make a dress out of it for summer. So I did. It’s white. It’s slippery. Also, holy crap my hair has gotten long. And, hey, look…
Pattern Review: I AM IRMA from I Am Patterns
TL; DR – Sometimes you just have to consult with a different tutorial and a YouTube video to sew something. I have long loved the I AM PATTERNS look. It’s French, after all. But they are not particularly size-inclusive (also a very French thing). I AM IRMA has SO much ease that I could make…
Mal Dress, Take 2
TL; DR – It’s shockingly hard to cut straight lines on a grid fabric. Look, what can I tell you, when big floofy-poofy dresses fall out of fashion, I don’t know what I’m going to do with these Mal Dresses I’m making, but I’ll have LARGE rectangles of fabric to work with. Gingham is also…
MOAR WRAP DRESSESSSSSSSS
TL; DR – Sometimes you just need to sew something relatively simple in gorgeous prints so that you can use sewing as therapy and finally control something ANYTHING in your life. Excuse the language, but shit’s been shitty around here lately. I hadn’t been sewing, I hadn’t been writing, I was barely making it through…
Pattern Review: Helena Wrap Dress from Just Patterns
TL; DR – Thank goodness for color photograph tutorials, but sometimes it would be nice to see the larger context rather than a close-up. Remember the green dress that inspired my Wildwood Wrap Dress? Yeah, I finally kinda have one! Since my body has changed, and my neurodivergent brain refuses to reprint and retape patterns…
Pattern Review: Tie Tee from The Sew Sew
TL; DR – Fantastic, simple make, size-inclusive, no notes. I am always wary of garments that could potentially show a lot of back. Unlike some, I have to wear a bra (and not the cute, fun kind that looks cute peaking out of a top), and thus am always a little cautious about patterns that…
Zadie Jumpsuit, Take 3
TL; DR – SOMETIMES YOU GOTTA BE EXTRA EXTRA I’ve had this shinny linen fabric that I impulsively bought (twice) from Mood for a long time now. I’ve been wanting to make something extra-special with it, and finally settled on this super-extra Zadie jumpsuit as a Mother’s Day gift to myself. I remember how challenging…
Pattern Review: Peacock Wrap Dress from The Sewing Revival
TL; DR – Simple pattern, beautiful silhouette, will make again. After the visual nightmare that was trying to make the wrap dress from Takuto and ultimately giving up, I was on the prowl for a wrap dress that had the bodice and skirt attached. I also have wanted a summery yellow dress because it’s EVERYWHERE….
Pattern Review: Tie Dress from The Maker’s Atelier
TL; DR – LOL I do not look good in the oversized style. I’ve wanted to make a (sigh) pussy bow dress or blouse for a while now, and I’ve long wanted to make something from The Maker’s Atelier. I found this GORGEOUS Liberty viscose fabric on sale, and it was a match made in…
Free Pattern Review: Emma by Tiana’s Closet
TL; DR – Hey, pay attention to your measurements, wearable toiles are fantastic, and maybe I’m finally figuring out how to do a V detail. This isn’t my first make from Tiana’s Closet; I point you to A Giant Comedy of Errors. It wasn’t a fair review, because I didn’t take accurate measurements. Or rather,…
Kielo Wrap Dress, Take 5
TL; DR – Woven is different from knit! Tracing patterns from magazines is HARD! I bought a second-hand Marimekko comforter cover and pillow cases off of eBay. I love the giant flowers and was struggling to find a pattern that worked to not spoil the motif. I initially wanted to try the Freedom wrap dress…
Free Pattern Review: M7969 for #sewfrugal22
TL; DR – I finally understand the importance of stay-stitching the neckline. Minerva was giving you a digital copy of McCall’s M7969 if you signed up for their newsletter. I really liked the faux-wrap front and the V neckline. I had this gorgeous Liberty print that I thought would make a lovely dress. Folks, I…
Free Pattern Review: Mal Dress from Mood Fabrics for #sewfrugal22
TL; DR – I still don’t get sleeves. As soon as I saw this free pattern drop on the Mood Sewciety blog, I knew I had to make the dress, and I knew I was going to use this Nerida Hansen fabric. The Mal dress isn’t zero-waste, but it is minimal waste, which I would…
Free Pattern Review: Allium Dress from Mood Fabrics for #sewfrugal22
TL; DR – I still suck at setting sleeves, tiny rolled hems are HARD. I had a dress like this from Victoria Beckham for Target, and I’ve always wanted another one. The Allium Dress from Mood Fabrics is a dead ringer (other than having sleeves) for it (although I could have hacked a sleeveless version)….
Free Pattern Review: Avery by The Fabrics Store for #sewfrugal22
TL; DR – I did gathers! Struggling with ease! Still fun! I got a whole bunch of vintage fabric from my local buy-nothing group, including this kinda beige, muslin-type fabric with a lovely floral embroidery at the bottom. It was a narrow fabric, paired with the large motif, it made it hard to know what…
Free Pattern Review: Pleated Summer Dress by In The Folds for Peppermint Magazine #sewfrugal22
TL; DR – LOOK AT ALL THE FLOWERS, still not sure how much ease is the right amount of ease, pleats are fun. EVER MOAR MARIMEKKO! These are the iconic flowers, cut from a king-sized flat sheet. I’ve often waffled back and forth about the (deep breath) Pleated Summer dress by In The Folds for…
Free Pattern Review: Donna from Fabrics Store for #sewfrugal22
TL; DR – ARGH, freaking trying to get an elastic through is always harder than you think it should be. Man, I’m sewing up a storm! This is more Marimekko shower curtain, and I was tired of making Mary Quant Mini-Dresses. So I decided to make this lovely and simple Donna dress, free from The…
Mary Quant Mini-Dress, Take 4 for #sewfrugal22
TL; DR – MOAR MARIMEKKO SHOWER CURTAIN. I figured out sleeves. I bought a Marimekko shower curtain on super-sale from Belk (which will only resonate with people living in the South). OK, I bought multiple Marimekko shower curtains and bedding on super-sale from Belk, but for this post, it’s the black circle pattern one I…
Mary Quant Mini-Dress, Take 3, for #sewfrugal22
TL;DR – I hacked another pattern and I might never go back to the old way of sewing this dress. I’ve made the (free) Mary Quant mini-dress twice, with mixed results. It seems to do better with structured wovens, rather than more drapey ones. I also still can’t properly sew a zipper. And I was…
Free Pattern Review: Wrap Top from In The Folds/Peppermint Magazine for #sewfrugal22
TL; DR: I can hack patterns now, wrap tops are fun, just like wrap jumpsuits and wrap dresses. I have an aesthetic lol. I found a gorgeous black linen on super-sale online. I thought, ZADIE JUMPSUIT! and ordered the appropriate amount. And then they only sent me one stinking yard (don’t worry – they only…
Pattern Review: Georgie Pinafore from Jennifer Lauren Handmade
TL; DR – How is it I can do hidden zippers so easily but continually mess up regular zippers? I didn’t think I’d like a pinafore but here we are, and I am getting more confident and can make adjustments without completely ruining the garment. Full disclosure: I was gifted this pattern in order to…
Pattern Review: Gone Rogue Skirt by Forest and Thread
TL; DR – I got this pattern for free as a tester, it’s a challenging skirt that I made more challenging with my fabric choice, but the results are stunning. I saw the call from Forest and Thread for pattern testers as they expand their size range, and now that the pattern is available for…
Kalle Shirt, Take 1
TL; DR – You can make a pattern any number of times, and you still learn something. I’ve already reviewed this pattern, so I’m going to indulge in a little bit of storytelling, the kind that drive people nuts on cooking blogs and that drive me nuts on sewing tutorial videos. We were visiting friends…
Free Pattern Review: Big Blue Ikea Bag by Miss Make
TL; DR – Sometimes making something simple for your dog is therapeutic and even though he doesn’t care, you spend the time on finishing. My dog loves bags. If there is a bag, my dog will work his hardest to climb in it and then fall asleep. He is a bag dog. It’s amazing. And…
Pattern Review: Farris Jumpsuit from Jennifer Lauren Handmade
TL; DR – I may actually love jumpsuits, I just may have been too ready to judge drawstring waists harshly, testing patterns in FUN! Now that the Farris Jumpsuit pattern from Jennifer Lauren Handmade has officially been released, I can share my review of the pattern and my adventures in being a PATTERN TESTER. I…
Pattern Review: Harmon Tee from Sew So Different
TL; DR – Dedicated cutting tables are awesome, press your damn fabric before sewing, and stitch-in-the-ditch is hard, yo. I needed something simple to ease me back into sewing, before I plunged into two test patterns that would require grading, etc. I had wanted to make the Harmon Tee from Sew So Different since they…
Elodie Wrap Dress, Take 3
TL; DR – LOL MASSIVE FAIL BUT TIM GUNN WOULD BE PROUD BECAUSE IT WAS A REAL MAKE IT WORK MOMENT. You’d think that by now, the third time, it would be a charm. LOL NOPE. So, I ended up sewing the skirt together wrong, attaching the panels middle-middle-side-side instead of side-middle-middle-side. And I only…
Elodie Wrap Dress, Take 2
TL; DR – I got nothing on this one, the pattern is still great and I learned my lesson to slow down, read (and re-read) the directions. Just look at how adorable this dress is. The facing isn’t quite right on the inside, but I’m not sure what I did differently from the other Elodie…
Zadie Jumpsuit, Take 2
TL; DR – Twill is lovely but SUCH A PAIN NEVER AGAIN, for the love of all things holy read the damn directions, buy a huge role of bias tape you will be grateful. Before I understood the difference between 45″ and 60″ fabric, I bought entirely too much purple twill in order to make…
Mary Quant Mini-Dress, Take 2, or How I Made a Dress Almost For Free
TL; DR – Even quilting cotton can make a great dress, don’t get cocky and read the damn directions. There are lots of places to get fabric. Your local fabric store. Internet fabric shops. Facebook destash groups (OH GOD BE SO CAREFUL). Goodwill (they are usually curtains, but yards of fabric for cheap are yards…
Kalle Shirtdress, Take 2
TL; DR – DO NOT GET COMPLACENT, transfer the pattern marking onto the fabric FOR THE LOVE OF GOD. This is my second Kalle shirtdress. I did my first one early in my sewing journey, and it took some time, given all the various skills I had to learn (collar, placket, bias tape hem). This…
Pattern Review: Zadie Jumpsuit from Paper Theory
TL; DR – Different doesn’t always mean hard, I love this pattern so much. I’m not, as my husband says, a jumpsuit person, despite my efforts to the contrary. I asked in one of sewing FB groups what jumpsuit pattern they would recommend for this relatively short, busty, short torso, thick-waisted sewist. They all came…
Pattern Review: Elodie Wrap Dress from Closet Core Patterns
TL; DR – Don’t be afraid to grade between sizes, fabric matters. The Elodie Wrap Dress from Closet Core Patterns in a another pattern that comes up again and again and again when you google “best woven wrap dress patterns”. It goes up to a size 30, the instructions are really well-done, and there is…
Pattern Review: Mitchell Dress from Paddleboat Studios
TL; DR – Don’t fear the floral. I wanted a pattern like the Keilo Dress and Jumpsuit, and I spotted the Mitchell Dress and Jumpsuit Pattern from Paddleboat Studios on someone on Instagram. It was exactly what I was looking for. Being in so many British sewing groups made me envious of all of the…
Free Pattern Review: Rowan Dress from Mood Fabrics
TL; DR – Polyester lining is a pain, the tools you use matter, fun fabrics are fun. Ever since I saw the Rowan Dress on Mood Fabrics, I knew I had to make it. And because of my ADHD, I have trouble seeing a dress in any other form than the one presented to me…
Free Pattern Review: Mary Quant Mini-Dress from Alice & Co.
TL; DR – Practice does make you better, read the instructions before cutting your fabric so you don’t waste fabric, cut fabric when the mood strikes you as it makes it easier to sew later (sometimes much later). This Mary Quant mini-dress comes courtesy of the Victoria and Albert Museum in the U.K. and Alice…
Free Pattern Review: Whimsical Bow Dress from Fabrics Store
TL; DR – The tools you use matter, and I still can’t quite properly pair a pattern with the correct fabric. It was time. I had done a number of complicated and complex sewing techniques, and now I was ready: I was going to sew something with a zipper, and a hidden one at that….
Pattern Review: Hannah Dress from Victory Patterns
TL; DR – A well-drafted pattern with well-written instructions is worth it’s weight in gold, there’s nothing more frustrating than pattern companies that aren’t size inclusive, why can’t I learn to follow the fabric recommendations, I really enjoy challenging myself. When I found the drapey knit dress, I became obsessed with finding dresses with the…
Free Pattern Review: Augustina Top from The Fabrics Store
TL; DR – Sometimes you have to sew something super-simple in a lovely fabric to get your sewing mojo back in order, know the difference between 60″ and 45″ wide fabric, and why am I still doing facings for my collars when I can be doing a bias tape finish instead. When I got my…
Pattern Review: Wildwood Wrap Dress from Sew House Seven
TL; DR – Sometimes wovens are not, in fact, easier then knits, collars remain a challenge, and if there is a video tutorial/sew-a-long WATCH IT. It started when I saw this dress from a Chinese knock-off place that was algorithmically fed to me on my FB: Anyway, it was dirt cheap but even the 3XL…
#BHMPatternDesigners Pattern Review: Anna from Style Sew Me
TL; DR – Support Black pattern designers, this pattern is awesome, but neck and collar facings still SUCK. I’ve leaned in heavily to this whole sewing thing. I’ve started listening to the podcast Stitch, Please and it has been a delight. I’ve bough pattern weights from Thanks! I Made Them! which are gorgeous and amazing….
Free Pattern Review: Hazel Coat by Mood Fabrics
TL; DR – Learn how to do finished garment measurements when you aren’t provided them. Using a lighter fabric for the outer coat and a heavier fabric for the lining is a recipe for disaster. I wanted a coat that I could wear in a open field and imagine myself on the cover of Taylor…
Pattern Review: Indira by Fibre Mood
TL; DR – Sometimes the pattern directions make assumptions about your knowledge, in-seem pockets are harder than you think, and I still haven’t found a good tutorial for them. Choose the right needle for your project. I wanted a shirtdress with brushstrokes. I found the fabric at Mood, and got the Indira pattern from Fibre…
Pattern Review: Kalle Shirtdress by Closet Core Patterns
TL;DR – FOR THE LOVE OF GOD JUST SHOW ME HOW TO DO THE DAMN THING I AM WATCHING THIS VIDEO TO LEARN. I love a good shirtdress. I found an amazing burgundy pinstripe shirting fabric. And I then I found the Kalle Shirtdress and Shirt pattern from Closet Core Patterns. With it came a…
