Jennifer Lauren Handmade - The Laneway Dress

This is a dreamy dress!

The Jennifer Lauren Handmade patterns are really lovely patterns - drafted dreamily - I love the Bronte Top (I have several versions) as a tried and true pattern.  When I had an opportunity to test a new dress - right when I needed a new dress - I jumped on that wagon!

The Laneway Dress is a lovely - straightforward dress with separate pattern pieces for B, C & D cups - and I was able to make and wear it with no (I swear!) adjustments - no swayback, no bust changes, not even length!  I made the dress three times - all in a 16C - a muslin, this one and another to be revealed later.

I had a silly purchase in my stash - a gorgeous linen with a garish black overprint - I don't wear black, so that's the silly bit.  I am not sure what I was thinking - but from the pattern accompanying the fabric - it looks like I thought a pair of culottes (?)  - wowza.

So since this was a tester, I thought - I would use the fabric for this project instead, and surprise! I have worn the dress several times!

I know - the shoes - adorable, right?

The sleeve is wonderful - I have a full range of motion and it went in without a hitch.  The side pocket instructions are especially nice.

I didn't have enough fabric to match the side seams of the skirt, but the back is a piece de resistance:

 check out the pattern matching!

The invisible zipper install instructions were very nice, and I used my invisible zipper foot for a painless process start to finish.

The front neckline has three supercute options - I lightly tacked down the asymmetrical opening on mine

The inside is nice too:

And.... I have pretty new tags for my makes!

In the end the dress was perfect for the hot gymnasium the night of my son's graduation.

Grainline Morris - Breaking Ground

Woo Hoo!  It's Spring!
Time for layers and figure-revealing jackets! (Or, let's be real, I'm in Canada: I'm just raising my shirt-tails to  bum-revealing)


I will fully admit that I have avoided Grainline Studio patterns so far:  no slight intended (and I doubt, taken), but the aesthetic isn't me - I am all about soft and curvy and flowy, upward movement, and face/waist framing and Grainline is: not.  I feel like it is less romantic and more business casual, and I have seen the waxing poetic about the Scout Tee, the Farrow, and the Morris for ever - and just kept right on looking.

Farrow, Scout, Morris from Grainline Studio

That said, when The Breaking Ground Blog Tour came up and I was thinking through what pattern company I might want to look into, I came across several versions of the Morris that were my style, and I thought: self, perhaps you should give this a whirl.

So - I bought my pattern from PatternReview.com - (I get a tidy discount because I am a member, and I was featured recently and had a little coupon gift to use).  I took my file down to the local Staples Copy Centre and (after a wee struggle and realization that the A0 version worked best on their printers) had a pattern on my table to trace.

Now - I started to do all my normal adjustments - but then I changed my mind, and decided to make the pattern as printed - to do a proper review I think that's only fair.  So here is my review considering the pattern as written, no adjustments, to my size specs, following directions step by step.




So - there are a few caveats we should address for this pattern - it is a straight forward pattern: Sleeve, Front, Back and Facings. There is magic in a pattern like this - the fit has to work without princess seams and darts - and this pattern is a little piece of that magical land - it actually works pretty well.

I LOVE the facing application and construction process for this jacket - you end up with a nice and tidy unlined, stretch woven or stable knit jacket.  My choice of a stretch twill/denim worked very well, and I have a nice casual jacket to throw on over jeans when I run to pick up a kid on a work from home in my jeans sort of day.  I think if you are experienced with fitting for your body it is a great little pattern, or if you are a slim, somewhat broad shouldered gal, you should be able to make this out of the package.

That said - I think you should be prepared to measure and pattern fit.  The chest/bust measurement vs garment for a size 14 was bang-on.  The sleeve is a slim sleeve - so definitely measure and ensure you have some ease.  In addition, I found that the shoulders were wider than my own and I am pretty typical lately (after a significant weight loss) - so plan to measure and adjust the shoulders.

Too broad in the shoulder, and too tight in the bicep.
Gainline Morris

I perused the Internet and found one example after another of a wrinkle at the back of the jacket between the armpit and the shoulder - go check it out online - it won't take you long if you google the images for the grainline morris blazer.  I'm not sure if it's because the sleeve is too narrow, combined with the shoulder so wide - but I like the construction elements of this jacket so much that i am going to tackle this again, with a bicep adjustment (I like Sewaholic's instruction-set) and a shoulder adjustment (Colette's Albion Sewalong has a nice graphical step by step guide to a narrow shoulder adjustment).

In the end I have a jacket that is wearable with bare arms underneath.  It's a great item to throw over my general uniform and to dash out looking a little like I tried  :)

This post is part of the Breaking Ground Tour - pushing each contributor to try a new pattern company.  I purchased all materials with my own cash - so opinions are entirely my own!  more blogs links below.

Here are the rest of the Breaking Ground Blogs (direct links to Breaking Ground posts) Anne-Mari Sews, Sprouting Jube Jube, Sewing A La Carte, Tales of a Tester

Tilton Shrug V9190

WOOHOO!  I love it when a risk on a garment totally works!

V9190
My Pin works but I can`t call the pattern up with a hyperlink.

I swear I measured and measured and measured the back shoulder on this and I was really concerned about the apparent negative ease, (the fit is described on another review as "snug"(Stitchmaker) and Marec indicated "Pattern runs small and it is fitted through the shoulders." 
Despite my trepidation I decided to plunge ahead with a size 16. (I have a 40" bust and the pattern piece shows 43.5" at the bust) - and here's a shot of the back:  not snug at all.

I am getting ready to go on a trip to visit new clients and my flight will limit me to a carry on for the 5 days.  Since I renovated my health and nutrition last Fall I have lost 50lbs and my last trip's capsule wardrobe won't quite work for this trip.  I was out on the weekend and we popped in to see if I could find a cardigan/jacket that would suit my current wardrobe, but the trend right now is just too voluminous for my ego - I want my waistline to show, but the shoulders to fit:  SO THIS IS WHY I SEW!

I debated tracing a new size in my long suffering Julia Cardigan, or a new size of the  Lisbon Cardigan - and I am still going to hit these later this season, but I wanted just a little more fit.  This Tilton pattern has been romancing my to sew list for a while.

The collar might be a little dear, but I think it backs it off the severe bolero look.  As far as DYT (I`m a Type 1) this might be a little more type 2 -( Dress Your Truth <--- affiliate link, there).

As drafted, I think everything works for my 5`4`` frame in a size 16 - the sleeves are a good long length on me:

I have reviewed the pattern on Patternreview.com - it`s pretty great instructions and drafting wise.

Lane Raglan - Rainbow LOVE

Hey June Lane Raglan

Ack.... I started to write a post about my new shirt and how lovely the source shop is.  It's not a shop in my own town, so I don't subscribe or follow on Facebook - but it was a lovely shop in a grand century home,  There was a lovely fibre arts room in the back of the shop - and a sweet little section for apparel sewing.  Back in September I traveled with a gf to Guelph Ontario so that she could complete her move back to our city.  I stopped into a sweet textile shop called .... Well, HECK!  I just went to grab the name of the store and found out that it CLOSED this weekend!  -  it was the Greenwood Quiltery.  Damn - it was a nice shop.

Well on that arm flopping announcement - I bought this dreamy knit fabric there.  It is an Art Gallery Fabrics Knit - and like all the AG that I have sewn with it is the dreamy 54" wide 4-way stretch with awesome depth of dye and no background showing through when it is stretched.  AG knits are my favorite of all the knits I have purchased.  I have sewn with several AG knits now, and you get incredible band for your buck.

This is: Looming Love Pastel from the Etno Collection
It's a perfect Type 1 (Dress Your Truth <--- affiliate link, there) fabric and all the cute and action makes me feel HAPPY!

I am striving to sew most of my own wardrobe, and a key piece in my grid is the long-sleeved T.  I work from home and I wear casual clothes most days.

The Lane Raglan from Hey June is my new favorite T.  I love the shape of the neckline and the scoop  front coupled with the raglan sleeve.  I graded between sizes and have cut the bust a little on the small size as I am still dropping weight (I have lost 55lbs now, and I am aiming on several more before the Spring).
The pattern is affordable to print at a copy shop, comes with a view with a hood and a bottom band, and there are nice Tutorials for the included Thumbhole Cuffs.  Last Fall I made a hoodie and thumbhole version that is in rotation in my wardrobe:

  I bought my Hey June pattern from IndieSew - the password restrictions on the Hey June site were too demanding.  That's not an affiliate link, it just lands you in the IndieSew land on a page that has my name on it.

   

I used my lightning stitch to hem and secure the neck band - and I used a lovely variegated mercerized cotton from Sulky

I added knit stabilizer tape to the neckline on the front, sleeves, and back, to the raglan seam on the sleeves, to the sleeve hem and shirttail.  I find this keeps the shape of the raglan, which I have had stretch out in wovens, and in knits I just love the crispness that the interfacing brings to the hems.  I usually lay the interfacing edge along the foldline on the hem (facing) so that I have a fold guide as well as support for my top-stitching.

I graded up to a larger size in the hips, and the length and sleeve length is great on me - I'm 5'4" / 162.5 cmI may to a slight swayback adjustment if I ever decide to use this pattern for something dressy - but as is, it stands as my newest TNT.

I am so thrilled with this make.  Here are a few more views:

Oh and my bragging: check out my stripe matching:

I think I might make some yellow jeans, next.

Washi Dress - this muslin exceeded its intent!

What a cute, comfy dress for the Autumn events that pop-up!

The Made By Rae Washi

Which can also be purchased at IndieSew

I finally decided to make this dress when I realized that I needed a couple easy dresses for the winter indoor concerts we have planned - something easy to wear with boots and tights, and to layer with a cardigan.  This iteration was supposed to be my muslin, but the fit was so bang-on (I didn't need to narrow the shoulder or adjust the bust!) it was a go ahead.  - I managed to squeeze all of this out of 2m of a wide chambray.

The wrinkles abound because I have worn this twice since it came off the dress form. - Suck it up, buttercup - I am here to share, not be judged.

I was new to shirring on my machine - and this was ridiculously easy.  

The pocket was AWESOME - I am on the dress pocket bandwagon.

I made my own partial lining for the bodice using the pattern pieces as the template, and ended the lining as free floating ABOVE the rows of shirring.

At the sleeves I burrito'ed the whole bit to encase the underarm in the lining.

The front was similarly lined and freefloating.  I *might* look at attaching it at the waistline next time....  I'll see.  So far it has been easy to wear.

So for those of you who question "why" I would Hong Kong this fabric - check out the fraying from it's first wash - this is under the facing.

The Guts (Note my judicious  use of leftover bias tape - and the cute bursts of colour :)

The armscye looks like this when you burrito it instead of binding it - I did the front and the back in separate stitching and folding opeations, and understitched the lining to the notches front and back (well into the part covered by the cap).

So,  so super cute!  I made a little matchy Lisbon cardigan/topper as well... and felt really youthful and comfortable in this outfit

B6244 Lisette for Butterick Cascade Front Coat

B6244 Lisette for Butterick

 Last Wednesday (!!!!) DH and I took a day off together and were out running errands - kids both in their daytime gigs meant we were f.r.e.e.   We were at the west end of town, so very close to the local Fabricland and my gallant knight encouraged me to swing by - and I dragged him in for his opinion on a "sante fe" knit so I could make an on-style cardigan.   When we walked in we found boiled wool, blanket fabric and coating on *sale* !   Stashed away in my pile of patterns I wanted to try was Butterick 6244 - so a project was born when he helped me pick out a fabric with a decent wrong side.

The pattern B6244 from Lisette is straight forward - just a single worrisome pivot at each neck/shoulder joint.  I shortened the sleeves to fit and the length by 3 inches.  I graded up much less than I used to have to (my hips are down over two inches since September) and was within the pattern measurements finally!  (I also referred to the sewalong)

I changed the hemming method to face the hem (at the same 5/8") with a ribbing I had in my stash. Using a little stretch on the ribbing only (maybe 10%?)  - I stitched it at 5/8 then flipped it to the hem side and zig-zagged the edge.  On the intersecting hems, I started a new strip with the end simply folded over and continue on my merry way.  The hem is to the outside on the neckline and front, and to the inside on the bottom edge (per the pattern).

My style sense was born in the 80's and this fabric felt so Ralph Lauren, so I added shoulder pads without a second thought.  I bound the arm hole with a double fold bias tape and used a twill tape along the shoulder and neckline seam.  

B6244 Lisette for Butterick

B6244 Lisette for Butterick

In the end, when I look in the mirror I am not 100% that this is the front opening for me - but it sure is easy to wear and will definitely be my go-to until the snow flies (and by which time I hope to fit nicely into my parka!)