Exciting
news today... Sally from Charity Shop Chic has launched a new
range of PDF sewing patterns! I've followed Charity Shop Chic for a few years
now and been constantly blown away by Sally's amazing refashioning skills;
transforming ginormous men's shirts and sad looking grandma dresses into high
fashion garments that look like they've just jumped off the pages of Vogue.
She's finally put her impressive pattern drafting skills to good effect and
created her first collection: Capital Chic Patterns. The difficulty
levels of the patterns ranges from intermediate to advanced, perfect for
those looking to move on from sewing beginner styles. Techniques such as using
boning, French seams and machine-rolled hems are explained in detail, so they
also offer a great way to improve your sewing repertoire.
The
six designs in the collection (two skirts, two dresses, one blouse and one sweatshirt) focus on work wear, cocktail wear and
day-to-night looks and are inspired by the catwalk, red carpet fashion and
London street style. Now I've got to be honest, my default mechanism for
clothing inspiration is vintage rather than high fashion inspired. Plus, I
don't require a work wardrobe, so a lot of the patterns don't really work for
my personal lifestyle. BUT, the pattern designs have lovely clean lines (which
I like) and excellent attention to detail (which I also like) and there's one
pattern in particular that's taken my fancy - the Bellini blouse.
Bellini is a loose fitting, cap
sleeved blouse with either a cutaway or scalloped collar. It features
bias-bound armholes, a machine rolled hem and French seams throughout. The
thought of making a classic blouse with a beautiful finish really appeals to
me. If I choose my fabric carefully (lightweight wovens are recommended) then I
can see this being an ideal dressmaking project for autumn. I also have a gap
in my wardrobe for smart tops to wear with jeans or slim trousers in the
evening and I think Bellini fits the bill perfectly.
The patterns
currently come in five sizes, from UK 10 to UK 18 -
a wider size range may be available later in the year, depending on
demand. Further information and a closer look at all the patterns can be
found here. A great deal of
time and hard work has gone into developing this new line and I really hope
Sally's new venture does well. Cheers! x
So exciting! The patterns are all lovely!
ReplyDeleteJane! Thank you SO MUCH for sharing details of my new venture, I really appreciate your support. Yes, the patterns are aimed at the work/evening wardrobe, but I think with the right fabrics, Bellini or even Champagne could be given a vintage vibe. I can just picture you in a polka-dot Bellini! :)
ReplyDeleteFun to see! The patterns all look great.
ReplyDeleteI am a bit disappointed by the sizing though - I think it's unlikely most size 18 women have a 33 inch waist! Everything's a full six inches too small for me and I'm hardly enormous (a RTW 18 in the UK), so I hope the sizing increases... In the meantime I'll be sticking to the indies that fit! http://cashmerette.blogspot.com/2014/03/one-stop-guide-to-sewing-pattern-sizes.html
Lovely patterns indeed!
ReplyDeletethese patterns look stunning! when I for sound the charity shop chic page I read all the way back to her first posts in one day! such a talented girl! would love to see your own version of the bellini blouse!
ReplyDeleteFrankie
www.knitwits-owls.blogspot.co.uk
Gorgeous patterns and a great excuse to dress up!
ReplyDeleteThank you Jane. I love her stuff and am now a follower.
ReplyDeleteI just love it when a new indie pattern maker launches. We sewists are so lucky. The patterns are just that little bit different and of the moment and we get the added bonuses of sewalongs and inspiration from other sewing bloggers making them. I wonder which of these will become the most popular. Personally I love the Champagne skirt with the flippy back. I have just the fabric in my stash in mind. A red wool mix studded with tiny red sequins for Christmas day. Planning ahead!
ReplyDelete