Lady Skater - Japanese style

I made this Lady Skater dress at Christmas, but totally forgot to blog about it until I saw Jenny's gorgeous top made from the same fabric recently. As it happens, the timing is pretty fortuitous, as it's much more of a spring dress than a winter one.

The fabric I used is the most beautiful double-layered, polka dot double knit (try saying that when you've had a few!) It's from Etsy shop Miss Matatabi. The two layers are fused together at regular intervals like double gauze and it does actually feel a bit like a knit version of double gauze: very soft to the touch and super cosy. I must point out that Miss Matatabi is the most dangerous fabric shop in the world! I clicked over there just now to get a link for the fabric and saw this - an Aran-look knit fabric!! How could I possibly resist?! Answer: I couldn't, so that will be winging its way over to me from Japan soon. 

Anyway, back to the dress… I did my usual bad trick of changing bits of the pattern in order to make them fit onto the fabric available. Luckily for me, knit fabric is very forgiving! The changes I made that were different from my last version were as follows:

-  Cut a size 4 all over (last time I cut a size 5 bodice and size 4 skirt)

-  Reduced width of shoulders slightly 

-  Shortened bodice by 1 inch

-  Took 3 ½ inches from the bottom skirt curve in order to fit onto the fabric

-  Cut sleeves as a lengthened version of the cap sleeve

I was happy with the fit of my first version, but actually the changes I made this time have resulted in a much better fit all round. I'm especially pleased with the shoulders as they were definitely a bit wide. Reducing the curve of the skirt has made it more of a quarter circle than a half circle which I also prefer.

It was super easy to construct - I sewed the whole thing on my overlocker and used a double needle for the neck and sleeve bands and the hem. 

The fabric is reversible so I felt obliged to try and show off the contrast somewhere on the dress. I went with contrasting neckband and sleeve bands. But… with hindsight, I wish I hadn't made the neckband contrasting as it does give a bit of a juvenile feel. It's annoying, but not enough to make me stop wearing it!

Contrast neckband and sleeve bands

View from the inside showing the reversible fabric

What I like about this pattern is that there's a separate bodice and skirt, so the finished dress looks rather like a neat, fitted Emery or Peony dress. The added bonus is that the lack of darts and the fact that it's made from knit fabric means you can whip this beauty up in no time. Even though it's made from a knit fabric, it's actually quite light and swishy to wear, so it's going to get a second lease of life as a spring dress!  Happy Tuesday. x

2014: the Year of More Dresses

Every year I seem to get more and more enamoured with dresses. For my New Year post last year, I had just one main resolution - to sew more dresses. I think I only actually managed to sew one more dress than the previous year, but the quantity doesn't interest me. The important thing is that I loved making them and loved wearing them throughout the year. So much so that I'm going to keep exactly the same resolution for 2014.  Is that boring? Yes. Do I care? No! I already have no fewer than four new dress patterns to tantalise me for the time being, one for every occasion...

The girly dress

After the success of my last Peony dress I'm hoping the Emery dress by Christine Haynes will produce a similar shape.  Ooh look, a bow! And a collar!!

The knit dress

The Penny Pinafore is a fab looking princess seamed knit dress and the second pattern release from Kitschy Coo. I've been living in knit dresses over Christmas so this will be a perfect new addition, maybe in a brightly coloured double knit?

The slinky party dress

There's hardly any occasion (actually change that to no occasion) where I would be required to wear a slinky party dress, but how can I not make the Georgia dress from By Hand London?!

The denim dress

I have a cunning plan to make a dress version of a pair of jeans, which for me would be a denim shirt dress. I can't believe I haven't made one already actually as I love shirt dresses and I love denim skirts. The combination of the two almost has me passing out with glee! McCall's 6696 is my pattern of choice.

So they're my first four dresses of the year, with many more to come I'm sure. As far as improving my dressmaking skills go, I have just the one thing on my list - master the full bust adjustment. Or to be more accurate, actually do a FBA, the only reason I haven't done one before now is pure laziness so there's no excuse really!

Sewing my own clothes really does keep me sane, so as long as I continue to sew clothes, enjoy making them and actually wear them, I'll be happy. If I manage to get to a few meet-ups with fellow stitchers in 2014, I'll be even happier!  Here's to a happy, healthy and successful sewing year to you all, wherever you are. Happy New Year! xx

Lady Skater dress

My November make for the Minerva Blogger Network is the Lady Skater dress by Kitschy Coo.  The Skater Dress was originally released as a children's pattern, but so many people asked owner Amanda  to make a larger version that she eventually caved in and drafted a grown-up version for us Lay-dees. I'm so glad she did because for me, finding this pattern was like finding the Holy Grail. I'm really not joking either - I've been on the hunt for a basic knit dress pattern forever. I mucked about with the Colette Peony pattern in the past (here and here) and to be fair, I was more than happy with the results. Both dresses get a lot of wear, the problem was that I felt I was floundering a bit during the sewing process and very much making it up as I went along. Having a perfectly drafted pattern that ticks these boxes, along with excellent online instructions, has made this dress an absolute BREEZE to sew by comparison.

You choose your size according to your high bust and high waist measurements. Annoyingly, I was slap bang in the middle of a size 4 and a size 5, so blended between the two sizes, cutting a 4 around the waist, hips and neck, and a 5 in the bust area. Amazingly, this seemed to work! Amanda strongly advises making a test muslin of the bodice fit, which for once, I fully intended to do, but the fit was pretty good so I just steamed ahead. I added clear elastic at the shoulder and waist seams as directed and they really help give the dress shape and hold the weight of the fabric. The other thing I've always struggled with when sewing knits is the neckline. They're either stretched, or too baggy, or just plain rubbish. The neckline instructions on this pattern are ACE.

The only changes I made to the pattern were to shorten the arms to allow for my T Rex affliction and to shorten the skirt very slightly. There's a super helpful bit in the pattern that indicates exactly how long the dress is in its original state. If you're interested, it's designed to just hit the knee if you're 5'5".

For fabric, I used a medium/heavy weight Ponte Roma jersey in Forest, which is a lovely quality. Soooo smooth and silky, I keep having to stop myself stroking it, it's so touchable. If you fancy making your own knit dress, then you can purchase the Lady Skater dress kit from Minerva Crafts here. The kit comprises 2m of Roma jersey in Forest, matching thread and a pack of clear elastic. This amount of fabric is enough to make a size 5, long sleeved Skater Dress and a practice bodice if you're that way inclined.

Now that I've made this once, I can see this pattern being my go-to winter dress pattern.  It's comfortable, sassy and SSOOO easy to wear, I love it! In true Lady Skater style, I leave you with my very best Jayne Torvill impression…. x

The kit was given to me free of charge as part of the Minerva Crafts Blogger Network. All views my own.