Tilly and the Buttons Etta Dress

This is the new Etta Dress pattern from Tilly and the Buttons: a drop dead gorgeous wiggle dress, super fitted and super slinky. I was one of the pattern testers, which doesn't automatically guarantee I'm going to like a pattern, but in this case it was exactly my style and I totally fell for it!  Etta is shaped with darts to the waist, bust and shoulders, with a choice of sleeves (capped or three-quarter length) and back necklines (high or V-backed). There's also an optional collar or faux pockets. In an ideal world I'd have chosen the collared version but didn't have enough fabric, so mine is a simple V-backed style with cap sleeves.

As soon as I saw the brief I knew exactly which fabric I was going to use: a barkcloth-style cotton from Fabrics Galore that I snapped up at the Knitting & Stitching Show last year. Fiona from Diary of a Chain Stitcher also bought some and made her stunning Big Vintage Sewalong dress from it. The fabric has an unusual springy texture and a slight stretch, making it perfect for this very fitted pattern. Stitches do completely disappear into the fabric though, which is great if you want to hide a line of stitching, but not so good if you want to show off design details. The darts don't really show up on any of my photos, so you'll just have to take my word for it that they're there! If you look closely you can just about make out the back shoulder darts in the picture below. 

The cap sleeves are self lined and finished with bias binding. I must admit this was a bit of a fiddly technique, but worth it I think for the lovely neat finish on the inside. 

Luckily, my fabric wasn't a directional print so I was able to squeeze the bodice, skirt and sleeve pieces out of 1.5 metres. The facings and bias binding were made from dotted chambray left over from this top. 

There have been a few changes made to the pattern since the testing process so I won't go into great detail about the construction. However, to give you a rough idea of size, my dress is a size 4 at the bust and a size 3 at the waist and hips, with the skirt length shortened by two inches. The skirt is designed to hit the bottom of the knee.

This is the perfect pattern to use for a special occasion dress. It's very flattering and you'll look effortlessly elegant and chic sipping a martini. If you have a wedding to attend this summer, or just need a new cocktail dress, you're sorted! x

The Etta pattern was given to me free of charge for pattern testing. All views my own. 

Tie-less Miette

Don't get too excited, there isn't anything new or shiny to see. I've just fiddled about with my Miette skirt to make it more wearable. I did this with a couple of skirts last year and gave one of them (the grey floral one) a whole new lease of life - in fact I'm wearing it as I type this! Sadly the green one still didn't do much for me, so was brutally culled from my wardrobe.

This year I decided to tackle my Tilly and the Buttons Miette skirt. I made it over a year ago but have only worn it once or twice because I just couldn't get on with the big bow at the waistband. It's a lovely bow and all that, just too big, which means I can't ever wear anything untucked as it gets in the way. In fact before I set to work on my Miette skirt I wore it for a while to see if I'd change my mind about it. Within minutes I'd caught the bloody ties in the cutlery drawer which sealed the deal - the bow had to go!

Before: lovely but impractical bow

After: not as pretty but infinitely more wearable

Some clever stitchers dispensed with the bow and made their skirts tie-less right from the start (Lauren here and Fiona here) but having already made my Miette, I had to do it retrospectively. Despite my whingeing, it was a pretty simple refashion. I cut the ties to the shorter length I wanted, turned the ends in on themselves and slip stitched them closed. I then made two buttonholes in the ties and sewed two buttons onto the waistband. Easy peasy. I now have a simple tab feature on the waistband which I much prefer to the bow.

I also decided to wear the skirt a bit lower than when I first made it. Looking back at the photos in the original post (in which I look deranged) I'm wearing it too high to be comfortable, plus I don't think it's particularly flattering. Having it sit lower on my hips makes it much easier to wear and it gives the illusion of lengthening the skirt too, which it was in need of.

Before: worn high at the waist

After: worn lower down

My only regret is that I didn't get my finger out and do this earlier in the summer - but that's my own fault for being a lazy arse! I'd better get some wear out of it whilst the sun's still shining. Anybody else given their handmade garments a new lease of life recently? x

Yay! Love those tabs