Grainline Floral Linden Sweatshirt

You've probably seen this sweatshirt somewhere before?  Linden sweatshirts have been all over the sewing blogs the last few months.  It's a Grainline pattern designed by Jen Beeman.  I've made her Alder dress,  actually I made two and it was one of my favourite patterns of last summer.

The sweatshirt is all cotton, fleece backed with only a little stretch.  I bought it from Guthrie and Ghani.  It's not listed as Liberty fleece but the pattern looks to me like it is.  A few other bloggers have used the same irresistible fabric/pattern combo including Lauren of G&G and Karyn of Make Something

So what is it about this pattern that makes it so popular?  There are cheaper similar patterns from the big pattern houses like Simplicity, why not choose one of these?   I swear Jen has a magic touch for designing modern classic casual clothes that suit many shapes sizes and ages.  I am not really a big sweatshirt wearer.  I find most sweatshirts are too boxy and just make me look saggy and shapeless and I had a sneaky feeling that the Simplicity one would do just that. This one felt just right.  I did make a test garment out of an old cotton jersey duvet cover, just to check sizing.  I find that indie patterns for knit jersey designs take into account jersey sewing techniques such as smaller seam allowance, using double needles for hems, adding a flat sleeve rather than insertion into an armscye etc. and the big pattern houses don't always do the same. All the pattern details are below:

• Size 2 based on bust size 33" which is my bust size
• Because of lack of stretch in this knit, I cut the cuffs on the bias (as recommended by Jen and also used by Karyn) in cut them slightly bigger at a size 4.  The alternative is to use ribbing.
• The next binding is also cut on the bias butI cut a much larger size band to allow for reduced stretch, I cut between size 14/16
• The hem band is cut on the straight, I used a slightly bigger size 4 to make up the lack of stretch
• Seam allowances are narrow at ¼".  You could always add a little extra to make for a bigger seam allowance if that is more comfortable for you.
• I used my overlocker/serger throughout.  I did baste the the neck binding with long machine straight stitch and top stitched this area too.
• Paper Pattern from Village Haberdashery, or PDF version from Grainline

Picture from Grainline.com

It is a quick and rewarding make and a pattern that will last me well over the years.  The instructions are clear and the diagrams neat and informative as usual.   I have worn this version many times at home and in pilates and yoga classes.  I bought the paper pattern from Village Haberdashery and it is well worth the investment, I'll make it again for me and I'm guessing the daughter will want one too- I've got her coming along to pilates too.  I probably owe her for taking my photographs...

Betsy Alder Shirt Dress

This is my second Alder shirt dress and this time I cut into a long length of Liberty that I've been storing for a while- the classic Betsy print in aqua that I found for a bargain price on ebay.  This is a tail end of summer dress, by the end of September it will have to wait for next year to come out and play!

I tweaked the pattern a little.  My previous Alder dress details can be found here.  On this one I retraced the bodice pattern to make it size 4 with size 2 at the waist, same small bust adjustment and raising of bust dart.  This made the collar a little bigger than my last version so I can wear it fully buttoned if I want and made the armholes slightly looser.

I used the Cami dress pattern for the pockets as they were a  little smaller than the Darling Ranges pattern pieces and it works a little better.

I used Oakshott Impressions/Elements scraps for the collar stand facing, pocket, yoke facing and bias hem.

As the weather is not quite up to high summer temperatures, I've been wearing this dress with my Butterick 6031 Slip.  I added pearl snaps just like on the last dress and I am going to add a 'how to' tutorial post after I've written this.  I use Prym pliers and they have been the only way I've been able to successfully and consistently attach snaps. 

You can find the Alder shirt dress pattern here as a PDF and the sew along details here.   I am considering a maxi version for winter- I loathe tights and am not keen on leggings so cold weather means knee socks and maxi skirts and dresses, but for now I am enjoying September sun and bare feet. The clogs are swedish and were a thrift shop score- lucky me!

Alder Shirt Dress View B Grainline Patterns: Review

I made the Alder shirt dress (view B) a few weeks ago and it has already been washed and worn many times which gives you an idea of the success level of this pattern!  This is a very picture heavy post- I know I always like to see a pattern made up in lots of detail.  Thankyou to my daughter as usual for the photos and taking my directions- it was a very bright morning hence the averted gaze...

This is my first Grainline pattern. I love Jen's style and the clean look of her designs but this is the first pattern that I thought suit me.  I bought the PDF version. There are paper versions being printed but to be honest, by the time they reach the UK summer will be over and I know I will be tracing a pattern either way and I feel the PDF gives me more options and is cheaper!  Jen is a professionally trained pattern maker.  She studied pattern making (via an initial photography detour, listen to this Modern Sewciety podcast for more info!) and she worked in a wedding dress studio making patterns and dresses before going fully independent as Grainline.  All this adds up to a professional and skilled designer and sewist who knows what she's doing.  I haven't made the Archer pattern- I don't wear that  shirt style very often, but I have seen so many successful versions of that shirt, especially in Me Made May 2014, and I have referred to the sew along when adding collars and stands to shirts and dresses.  

Let's talk about the fabric. I used Robert Kaufman Dotted Chambray Union.  This has been a popular fabric amongst sewing bloggers and any links I checked in the UK were sold out. It is light, soft and floaty: an utter pleasure to wear on a hot summer's day, but a bitch to sew. The dots are warp threads woven into the fabric. Each dot is made up of four floating threads which continue floating on the reverse and come up to form the next dot.  This makes fabric snag very easily- hard in a house with a cat and a dog and my generally careless ways. I took a lot of care with it.  Working with it is a bit like working with shortcrust pastry: it didn't want to be over handled.

Some details: I made a test bodice. I have to make a test bodice with every pattern, the only exception has been the Wiksten Tova which fitted size S first time.  The bust dart came out very low and pointed downwards. I used other bodices that I have made with a similar dart to raise and very slightly narrow the dart.  The pattern is cut for a relatively small B cup in my estimation. I am an A cup. Initially I cut a size 4 pattern based on my bust measurement, 33".  I usually cut a smaller size for my top half and a larger size for my waist and hips and blend the two, but as this pattern is looser at the waist and hip I ended up cutting a size 2 throughout and taking the waist in by tiny ⅛" at each side. The waist is a little more fitted than the style probably intends but it works best for me. The waistline is in the perfect place for me.  The seam allowance on Grainline patterns is ½"by the way.  If you wanted a more fitted look the bodice could be taken in further at the side as the skirt section is gathered so is easy to adjust and make a little smaller.

The instructions are cleanly drawn and sufficiently detailed and for anything I felt I needed to check on I used the Archer sew along as the construction is the same.  The shaping is different: don't think that this is an Archer shirt with a gathered skirt, it is a lot more fitted and the armscye (fancy dressmaking speak for armhole) is cut for a sleeveless dress and fitted perfectly first time- no bra reveal, or weird underarm gapage.  The latter is very important for a woman over 40...

The original length of this dress is on the short side, too short for somebody who hates above knee hems with a vengeance. I used the size 18 hemlines and tweaked the side seams to match up the front and back.

It is an intermediate skills based pattern. The collar is very nicely constructed, especially the under collar which is cut on the bias and slightly smaller to make it roll under- great attention to detail. The Archer collar sew along post is a great reference.  

I used snaps over buttons, my usual shirt dress preference.

I did need to take a little care adding the pockets- apart from obviously needing to be very precise about placement- lopsided double pocket placement is going to look a little odd- you need to place the pocket allowing for the dart and the the curvature that will be going under it basically don't just pin the pocket on the bodice lying on a flat surface, I used a towel to create a little bust form under the fabric as I pinned.

The trickiest section is probably the inset seam where the gathered skirt meets the bodice.  

This is sewn with a similar technique to the Tova inset placket. As my fabric was delicate, I added a little light cotton fusible interfacing on the reverse and then reinforced the corners just inside the seam allowance (just like a Tova). It strengthens the fabric for carrying the weight of the skirt in that corner and for the snip that releases the seam.  Having done this for this version I would repeat it even with a stronger fabric.

I added side seam pockets- this style was practically begging for them.  I used the pockets from the Darling Ranges dress.  There is a seam notch on the Alder pattern that works as a natural marker for pocket placement.  I used Liberty lawn for the pocket facing.  I try hard not to make the pocket close-ups look like lady parts but its hard not to think it, especially when I have put the idea in your head...

I used the same fat quarter of Liberty to make bias binding for the armholes and I also added it at the hem.

I seriously love this dress.  There is an everyday wearibilty about the style that works perfectly for me.  It is fitted enough for me not to feel frumpy but loose enough to work in and travel in hot weather carrying bags and wheeling suitcases.  It is my go-to travel dress.  The sew along which includes some style variations starts this Wednesday.  I am planning to make a turquoise green Betsy Liberty lawn version for this summer using an ebay yardage bargain and also contemplating a darker maxi version in this as an Autumn transitional dress that I could slip a skinny jersey top underneath. I can also imagine some gentle tweaking to make a fitted shirt- I might end up buying the Archer so I can combine the two in a well fitting shirt. Happy days x