2017 Make Nine, Success and failure. Onwards and Upwards...

At the beginning of January, Rochelle of luckylucille.com posted a hashtag, #2017makenine, that really caught on with dressmaking bloggers.  I've had my collage made, planned garments with the  patterns already purchased and fabric awaiting action and started sewing.  So far, two garments and one change of plans...

Sew House 7 Toaster Sweater #1, Named Clothing Helmi Tunic Dress, Sew Over It Molly Top, Megan Nielsen Darling Ranges Dress, Sophie Hines Euler Bralette, Named Clothing shirt dress for Kotiliesi Käsityö magazine, Deer and Doe Melilot blouse. Hallå Patterns Lounge pants , Lotta Jansdotter Everyday Style Esme top.

So far, I've made a maxi Darling Ranges dress in a dark chambray, and a Molly Top in Alison Glass jersey, so far so good.  Until I attempted the Euler bralette.  A simple shape, suitable for a smaller bust and comfort wear.  As usual, materials are always a little tricky with any bra making and couldn't source wide plush elastic for the lower band so I went with the pattern alternative suggestion for a fabric band with narrower elastic inside.  I'm not sure exactly what drove me a little crazy with this pattern but the band was impossible to turn through without stretching everything beyond what was acceptable and I found the apparently straightforward instructions very difficult to get to grips with.  This pattern has been largely used through workshops so maybe that was why it just didn't work for me and it was the final straw with bra making.  

Sewing bras takes time and concentration.  Many sewists who sew the best bras concentrate on lingerie above all other sewing.  I don't think I can do that, I want to quilt and dress make so each time I return to bra making, I need to get my thought process and materials ready and find my bra making groove again and it takes time that I don't have.  I've had some success with bra making - a couple of Watson's for myself and the daughter, plus Maddie's Simplicity 8229 pattern in workshop and at home but I haven't grown in confidence with fit and construction and I find the process stressful.   I don't have to sew everything, so I cut myself some slack and sold my books and supplies.    Many of my kits, fabrics and notions were bought at a very low point in my life, a sort of escape with plans of what I would and will make - I'm sure that is a familiar activity to many of you.  I often do it with quilting and dressmaking but those supplies have more flexibility and are more likely to get used.   No regrets and an empty drawer offering storage to all my other projects.  I'll continue to struggle to find fit in ready-to-wear but it was just as difficult sewing my own.  I've seen many sewists make pretty bras which although beautifully constructed, don't fit. It's a complex business that I'll leave to others!    I'll keep sewing knickers,  they do work for me, but my dreams of matching sets of nicely fitting undies are on hold, at least for the moment. 

Many of these patterns are ones I've made before so I don't plan to blog them all but some new ones will pop up as they are made .  Meanwhile, I'll be working my way through the rest of my #2017makenine...

SaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSave

Bell Sleeve Blouse and Circle Skirt: Named Clothing for Kotiliesi Käsityö Magazine

I've had these garments photographed for a while so I thought I'd give myself  a push and get them blogged!  They are both from a Finnish magazine called Kotiliesi Käsityö that Laura and Saara at Named Clothing produce lots of designs for.  It's a wonderful magazine, a mix of knitting and sewing and whilst I marvel and admire the knitting, it's all about the sewing patterns for me.

Named Clothing always show a photo album of their designs for the current issue of the magazine- I think it's published every two months- on their Facebook page.  They also include email details to contact the Kotiliesi Käsityö magazine directly to buy a copy.   I've done this and they are very helpful.  You do have to pay online from your bank, not Paypal, and banks usually make quite high charges for this.  I have a friend in Finland who helps me out when I need a copy.  Even with the bank charge, you can end up with a lot of Named Clothing patterns for you money and I think they are aimed at a slightly older age group than the usual Named Clothing designs which suits me perfectly.  Lots of everyday separates, plus dresses, coats and jackets.

These designs are from issue 2/2016.  Sadly, old copies of the magazines are not available- there have been several I would've loved.  I have noticed that some of the clothing goes on to become a Named Clothing pattern at a later date and often with a few tweaks and changes.   These are both bell shaped designs according to Google translate- I use this and my linguistically able daughter to translate the sewing instructions.  The patterns are traced from layered and nested designs- like Burda- and seam allowances need to be added.  

I do find Named Clothing a great fit, the bust darts  start mid armhole and point downwards to the bust apex- this seems to be ideal for me.  I made a test garment and I made no changes to the darts which is very rare for me.  The only change I made was one I have made before on my second version of the Kanerva pattern, I made the size EU 38/ UK10 and reduced the centre front by ¼".  This alteration gives me a size 8 fit at the upper bodice and shoulders where I am narrow with the space and ease of size 10 armholes- I like freedom of movement here!  The same dart is used for the Kielo Wrap Dress (my blog post on this is dress will be over at the Girl Charlee blog next week) and I found it a wonderful fit on that pattern too.  I added ric-rac at the neckline to echo the print.

Fabric for the top is Atelier Brunette cotton lawn/batiste in Blue Moon.  It's gorgeous fabric, softer than a Liberty lawn and wonderful to wear, great drape for a woven cotton. 

The skirt is an A-line shape with flap detail pockets. The fabric is In Theory, Wavelength in Gold.  It's barkcloth which is a heavier weight, slubby cotton fabric that seems to hand particularly well in skirts and jackets.  I made a size 10/ Eu38 with a larger waist and with shaped waistband pieces as I find that more comfortable than a straight waistband.  I used a small piece of Liberty Capel in mustard to face and line the pockets.  The buttons were bought with a gift certificate I won a few months back for button specialist Textile Garden .  The right buttons can make or break an outfit and I usually rely on the excess of vintage buttons I've gathered over the years but the sheer luxury of spending a generous voucher on lots of amazing new buttons was a wonderful indulgence. Check out the 'Other' section to get a hint of the fantastic selection available.  

The top has seen most wear as it's incredibly comfortable and the sleeve length is well suited to the cooler days of British summer and beyond.  The skirt is quite a full-on print to wear but it does give me an instantly dressed up look when I put it on and the gold is a very uplifting colour.  Clogs are low tan from Lotta from Stockholm, check the 'seconds' out.   You can see our cat Buffy, now one year old, on look-out duty on the back of the wall.

SaveSave