Finished Project & Pattern Review: Butterick 6582 Retro 60s Dress.

Finished project, yay. 

The Butterick 6582 Retro 60s dress was conceived in my "sewing room" about 5 weeks ago and I put the finishing touches on it tonight.

I absolutely love my sewing room (though my gas bill won't!!) it gets cold in there so to heat the room up I crank the heater up high during the evening. During the day it gets awesome warm sunshine so it's a really nice space to kick back and sew!

Last weekend I finished the bodice. The bodice is fully lined - no facings. I didn't have time during the week to sew so I had to wait till the weekend.

On Saturday after a day of kettlebells, brunching and a four hour nap; I cut out my gathered skirt, gathered it and attached it to the bodice.

On Sunday morning I woke up early and hand picked the zipper. I used a black 18" dress zipper I found in my stash... you could say I was 'stash busting'! Haha, not really, I just didn't want to go all the way to the shops for a $2 zip.

I love the handpicked look. I still have to work on my 'zip positioning' technique - the zip is not dead centre so the pricks are not even on both sides.

Waist seam matches, clap clap!!

I love the faux wrap bodice and the gathered shoulders. Too cute!!

The one feature of this dress that I liked was the fact that the front bodice was one big pattern piece, and one small shoulder piece, which joins the main bodice piece to make the "faux wrap".

Because of the way the pattern pieces were designed, I had the option of laying the pieces out on the fabric to choose where the flowers would end up (like I did with my V8511 floral/collared dress and my M8545 floral dress) and the with the small shoulder pattern piece, I chose a big flower to sit in the centre, like a corsage! Ahh.

Gathered skirts rock but next time I want to make the wiggle skirt.

Butterick 6582

Faux wrap baby!
Faux corsage too, hehe!

Yes, my dress form is wearing a bra. Haha.

Gathered shoulders.

Nice, evenly gathered skirt.
I always sew three rows of gathering stitches.

Bodice lining - white sunsilky polyester.
You can see where the small shoulder piece joins the main bodice.

No waist stay this time.

Shell: Cotton Sateen
Lining: Sunsilky Polyester

I know I said I'd hand sew the hem... forgive me!!
The shoddy looking stitch above is enough to scare me back to handsewing my hem next time. 
Shudders.
I think my machine needs a service.
Or I need a new machine.... 

Can you believe that I still don't have my camera back??
#Dodgy iPhone mirror #selfie!!

I like the back. It's perfect. 

Pattern Review: Butterick 6582, View 3

Size: 6 all the way! Usually I have to grade out to an 8 waist, but not this time! Either the pattern has more ease... or my healthy lifestyle is paying off!

Fabric: 1.5m cotton sateen (Darn Cheap), 0.7m sunsilky lining (Spotlight)

Notions: Dress zipper 18" , Gutermann thread

Time:  Can't remember the hours, but it was 4 sessions over 5 weeks

Cost: Fabric $20, Lining $7, Zipper $2

Pattern Modification/Adjustments:

• Fully lined the bodice instead of facings for the bodice

Techniques Used:

• Darts
• Lined bodice (bagging tutorial here)
• Gathering
• Handpicked zip

Retro 1960s dress with full gathered skirt <3

I love this print! I thinks it's "autumn-y" so I'm keen to experiment with stockings and boots and see if they will suit this dress. It's way to cold in Melbourne to get around bare-legged.

Has anyone else (besides Laika Doll and Dapper Duds) made this dress?? It is such a beautiful dress!

If I had one piece of advice, I would recommend making a muslin/toile because the finished measurements on the pattern seemed large for my bust, but when I tried on the muslin it fit perfectly.

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Finished Project: A self-drafted asymmetrical collar.

Pattern Review: V8511 (bodice only)

Size: 6 bust, 8 waist

Fabric: 1.5m cotton sateen (Darn Cheap), 0.7m bemsilk lining (Spotlight)

Notions: Dress zipper 22", Gutermann thread, 0.8m grosgrain ribbon, 1 bikini hook

Time: 10-12 hours, over 4 days.

Cost: Fabric $20, Lining $7, Zipper $2, Grosgrain Ribbon $2, Bikini Hook 0.50c

Pattern Modification/Adjustments:

• Added self-drafted asymmetrical collars
• Replaced tulip skirt with full gathered skirt

Techniques Used:

• French seams (skirt side seams)
• Princess seam
• Lined bodice (bagging tutorial here)
• Gathering
• Handpicked zip
• Blind catch stitch on the hem
• Waist stay (tutorial here)

WIP

I am head-over-heels for this fabric! 

Sometimes all you need to get you out of a sewing rut is some oh-hot-damn floral cotton sateen.

This is my jam. Definitely.

I found this baby last Saturday. After having lunch with @SixInchHeel and fam bam I decided to do a drive around town looking for fabric. Ended up taking these four home.

I was in love with the it because it reminded me of the forest, foliage, butterflies? When I got home I washed and ironed and got to work cutting out the V8511.

Favourite part of sewing process - stepping back and admiring the perfectly cut pieces.

Like my 'corsage floral dress' I didn't cut the bodice on the centre fold. I wanted the perfect butterfly to adorn the centre of my princess seamed bodice. 

Same deal with the collars, I wanted a nice big flower so this meant that the collars used up a chunk of fabric I reserved for my skirt so the skirt ended up not as full.

The skirt length was 19" (SA and 3cm hem included).
The finished skirt hem measurement was 62".

Stay stitched around neckline and arm hole curves.

I re-used the collar pattern I drafted when I made the red V8511 work dress. 

By midnight Saturday I finished the shell and collars. Rewarded myself with back-to-back episodes of Californication and some wine :D

Hard at WIP on a Saturday night.

Sunday afternoon, I cut out the lining, bagged the bodice, understitched and prepped the skirt pieces (side seams frenched, three rows of gathering stitches).

Bodice lined with cream bemsilk.

Side seams matching perfectly.

Parfait!

Monday night I attached the skirt to the bodice. My unpicker was my BFF that night cos fabric kept getting caught, zz. 

Green grosgrain ribbon waist stay went on, and final fitting. Hurrah it fit. 

I took a couple of days break to focus on work and gym (went twice this week, yay... dined out 7 times, lol) and Wednesday I handpicked the zipper and handsewed the hem.

I love handpicking - more control and it's therapeutic.

Love those pricks!

I finished the dress in time to wear to my friends 30th birthday dinner last night at Rosetta.
All the bread, pasta, potato, pannacotta and wine I consumed was nicely hidden under the full skirt. DRESSES FTW.

#OOTN
ASOS Linen blazer, ASOS glitter skinny belt, ALL THAT JAZZ handmade vintage look clutch.

Waist stay!

#selfie :P

I love the V8511 bodice. I've perfected the fit and have used it to make many dresses. This is almost overtaking the McCalls 5845 as my favourite because it has no darts (I don't like marking darts!!)

Collars - Slit & Cummerbund - Scooped Back & Full Circle Skirt 1 & 2 - Gathered Skirt - Full Gathered Skirt & Collars.

Once I find a pattern that works, I tend to get obsessed and addicted to hacking it... nothing wrong with that hey, and I'm not the only one, my interstate blogger mate Erin of I-Heart-Fabric is currently in love with beautiful BurdaStyle 120 and has made soooo many versions of the same pattern. 

I didn't even realise they were all the same pattern cos the fabrics make each dress look completely different. Go check out Erin's dresses, they are to die for <3

I hope you all had a fun weekend. I definitely did. I ate way to much good food (blogged here), caught up with a few of my friends and to top it off the Melbourne weather was marvelous :) 

I have a long weekend next week so I'm planning to make another dress... don't be surprised if it's another V8511 with self-drafted collars and a full skirt.

If it ain't broke....!!

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Finished Project & Pattern Review: Vogue 8603 Pencil Skirt with Side Gathering, View A.

Vogue 8603, View A.

Don't you just love that print?

I was lucky enough to spot this fabric on the clearance table today, it's cotton drill which was exactly what I was on the hunt for.

I got my BMV order the other day and was keen to make a skirt right away. I was torn between making a black skirt for work or a skirt for fun times.

I didn't want to spend more than $10-$15 on materials and notions for the skirt since I can easily buy a RTW black skirt for $15-$20. Reason I wanted to make it with cotton drill is that lining won't be needed. Lining alone costs me $10. Cotton drill is usually for reserved for work clothes and uniforms, according to my Reader's Digest Sewing Guide.

Yesterday I went to buy black cotton drill, but it was $15/m... and I needed 1.2m for to make a skirt, so I left empty handed.

Today I went to a different store and I found awesome fabrics on the clearance table! I bought the birdy print (above) and a rhino-camo print as well. Also bought interfacing and two zippers. Total spend was $17!

This is the Vogue 8603, View A: "Lined, straight skirts, have princess seams, back zipper and waistline facing, gathered side front, side back and lower back"

I omitted the lower back gather and tapered it in to a pencil skirt.

Princess seams are my new best friends.
A lot of overlocking! 

Took skirt in at the side seams to give the skirt a 'pencil' shape rather than 'straight'.

View A, front.
I heart the side gathers. 

View A, back.
I opted for an exposed zipper.
The exposed metal teeth balances out the birdies.  

Pattern Review: V8603, View A with Side Gathering/Ruching

Size: Size 6

Fabric: 1.2m cotton drill

Notions: Jean zipper (black) 8", Gutermann thread (000),  0.5m whisperweft interfacing.

Modifications: 

• omitted the lower back gather,
• unlined,
• shortened skirt by 9cm,
• 5cm hem,
• tapered side seams in to create a pencil silhouette,
• exposed zipper.

Time: 5 hours.
Cost: $7 (fabric, zip, pattern). $7!!!!! Fabric was on special, pattern was on special. 
This is a special skirt <3

Directional fabric again.
Hope I've chosen right direction to cut the skirt!
To my eyes, the birds are mostly flying upwards....
What do you see?

The V8603 was easy to make, I didn't even need the instructions. I cut a (wearable) muslin yesterday using my rotary cutter and it turned out horrible, I was cutting millimeters off my pattern pieces, luckily the muslin came together well. 

It's View D. It's finished, hand stitched hem and all but the skirt looks unfinished. It needs something more... lace or buttons or something. This skirt really could have used a waist band. This view is so plain :/

Vogue 8603, view D.
Wearable muslin.

Once again, Vogue sizing fails me. If I went by the pattern envelope, I have a size 12 waist and size 10 hips.

For the muslin I cut a size 8 because I remember when I made a size 6 skirt for the V8511, it appeared to be small in the butt area. For this pattern, size 8 was big. Surprise, surprise. SMH at the big 4.

I'm not sure what sort of fit the Vogue designers want for the skirt, but I like my "fitted" skirts to be fitted. If it's "high waisted" it should sit on my waist, not on my belly button - that's just an awkward look on me.

As usual, the photo on the pattern envelope was not enticing at all. So plain, I only bought the pattern because I found this review by Tales of a Wannabe Seamstress and the skirt Rebecca made looks gorgeous on her.

I used to think that the models on the patterns looked daggy because the patterns were old, that the photos were taken in the 90s.. but I saw the new Vogue patterns the other day, and the latest photos look just as dated. Thank goodness for the internet and sewing blogs otherwise I don't think I would buy any of these patterns, based on the photos Vogue provide.

Vogue 8603, View A. Size 6.
Omitted lower back gathering piece.

V8603, View A line art.
Don't like the lower back gathering... maybe on a mini skirt it will look good.

The "sewing" of this skirt didn't take long at all. I think the longest part was all the overlocking. I found it a bit tedious overlocking 16 sections of raw edges, but I'm very happy with the end result!

Overall, I have to say I am pleased with this pattern. I am so glad I bought this pattern (and for $1 I might add!). 

I had to make some mods to the pattern pieces to give them a pencil shape. I love the side gathers, the princess seams, and the fact that there are no darts is a bonus! I really enjoyed making this skirt.

Phew! I'm all sewed out for this weekend, two skirts in one weekend is a record for me. I will be staying away from the sewing machine until my class this week. Speaking of, I have been receiving heaps of emails from fellow Melburnians asking where they can find sewing classes. The class I take is at my local community centre but here is a list of places I know run sewing classes in Melbourne:

• Spotlight
• Tessuti
• Statewide Sewing Centres
• CAE (Centre for Adult Education)
• Local community centres (some local council run them)

... There's probably more but these are the only ones I know of :)

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Finished Project: 'Sister High Tea Dresses'.

As promised, here is my post to detail the construction of the skirts for the dresses and photos of the inside.

Both dresses were made using the bodice of the McCalls 5845 pattern, with minor adjustments to the front and back. I made the skirts by following tutorials from Gertie's New Better Blog for Better Sewing and Curves, Patterns, and Pins. Thank you ladies for posting such detailed tutorials :D

Dress 1: Big Sister's Dress w/ Full Circle Skirt.

M5845 bodice BACK, 2 front box pleats on skirt, bias binding to finish hem.

INSIDE: zig zig stitch on hem, lace trim. Bias binding on the hem of dress fabric.

2cm back seam allowance.

Big sister's dress, review.

Pattern: McCall's 5845 bodice, full circle skirt cut using Curves, Patterns, and Pins tutorial

Size: Size 6 bodice, graded to size 8 waist.

Skirt info: 

• Skirt lining cut 3cm shorter
• Length 45cm (46.5cm with SA, no hem)
• I followed the formula, but kept ending up with extra fabric, I got rid of it by adding box pleats. Reana from Curves, Patterns, and Pins gave me a link for a circle skirt calculator which I will use next time to check my calculations. Reana didn't have any issues with her skirt, so it is probably my math that is the issue!! :)

Fabric: 1.7m cotton sateen, 1.7m acetate lining (used the "cheap" lining because I didn't want to spend $20 on sunsilky), 5m lace.

Notions: Invisible zipper (black) 16", Gutermann thread (000)

Modifications: 

• Lowered neck by 5cm
• Raised back by 5cm
• Skirt cut using Curves, Patterns, and Pins tutorial
• 2cm back seam allowance
• Invisible zipper instead of dress zipper
• Used bias binding on the hem - it is so hard to hem a circle skirt! Thank you heaps to the girl at Clegs who suggested that to me.
• Darts on the inside not outside

Time: a few hours over 3 days to finish the dress... But then I unpicked the hem on the lining and the dress and started over. Took another 2 hours. Total hours: 9 or so.
Total cost: $25 (fabric, lining, lace and zip), pattern and thread from my stash.

Big sister's dress: I love the effect of bias binding on the hem - that solid black finish looks great to me.
Modifications to the back allows me to wear a bra.
Modification to the front - it's sits just below my collar bone which is very comfortable. .

Dress 2: Little Sister's Dress w/ Full Gathered Skirt.

M5845 bodice. Gathered skirt, skirt hem circumference 2.4m.

INSIDE: "Pistachio" acetate lining. Excuse my dodgy ironing skills, I'm still learning!

Zig zig stitch finish on hem, lace trim.

Little sister's dress, review.

Pattern: McCall's 5845 bodice, full gathered skirt cut using Gertie's New Blog for Better Sewing tutorial

Size: Size 8

Skirt info: 

• Length 50cm (54.5cm with 3cm hem and 1.5cm SA)
• Skirt width 2.4m
• I cut the 2 pieces on the centre fold (60cm wide, from centre to selvege, length 54.5cm). I cut 1 of the pieces in half to make the back of the skirt (needs a back seam)
• Skirt lining cut 3cm shorter

Fabric: 1.7m cotton sateen, 1.7m acetate lining (used the "cheap" lining because I didn't want to spend $20 on sunsilky).

Notions: Invisible zipper (peacock) 16", 3m lace, Gutermann thread (189, 282) 

Modifications: 

• Lowered neck by 5cm
• Raised back by 6cm (my sister's dress needed 1 more cm).
• Full gathered skirt cut using Gertie's New Blog for Better Sewing tutorial
• Invisible zipper instead of dress zipper
• Darts on the inside not outside
• No mod to back SA

Time: a few hours over a 4 days to finish the dress.
Total cost: $15 (lining, zip, thread), pattern from my stash. The fabric was given to me from my sewing friend Katherine- thanks Kat! We are planning to go to the ballet later in the year. Look out for the dresses we will be making for that outing!

Little sister's dress: I love the colour of this fabric and the lining looks yummy.
The full gathered skirt and modest length is very flattering on my sister. She looks very lady-like.
My sister loves the everything about the dress. 

Today was my first day at my new office. The building is gorgeous! Now that I am no longer next Clegs and Lincraft, I'm not sure if I will be sewing at home as often as I was. I guess I can use this time to move on to a new pattern. I have sewn the McCall's 5845 bodice six times now. I think it's time to get out of my comfort zone.

The kitchen is gorgeous!
I don't know any other words to use to describe this kitchen, it's not often that I compliment kitchens.
The photo in the bottom right corner is our "live wall"... the plants on the wall are alive!

Looking at my pattern collection, I am interested in making the V2960, the bodice is nice, and the V8511 has a nice silhouette. Whether or not it will look good on me is a different story! I don't have a stick body like the drawing, lol. I'd love to make dresses using the vintage patterns from Etsy, but my sewing teacher says I got the wrong size, and it might be hard to make adjustments. Zz. Well, in the meantime, I'll leave you with more photos from Saturday... now that I no longer have Facebook, all my favorite photos will get shared here :P Just kidding, I'm only sharing these pics because it features the handmade dresses in action! I like to see my dresses being worn, it makes me happy and motivated. Don't worry, I won't bore you with boring Instagrams of random letterboxes and tree branches - not that I take photos of those objects.

Jumping around at Parliament House, pouring a glorious blooming tea,
deciding which finger sandwich to get into first, showing off our full skirts.

Silly poses, selfies in the powder room,
Drying off by the Yarra after a 40 minute City Circle tram ride, more silly poses.

Check out the matching belts, nail polish, doctors bags and Infinity Tiffany & Co ring and bracelet!

Happy 18th Birthday little one. 

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