Cocoa Stripe Frankie Dress

I bought the Tessuti Frankie pattern a couple of years ago and over time I've made a couple of tops which see a lot of wear, especially Spring and Autumn.  I've been keeping my eye out for the right fabric to make the Frankie dress which is just a longer more flared version of the top and I found a Cocoa and white woven stripe in cotton spandex at Girl Charlee. I checked the weight with Mark and he said it was slightly heavier than their Bolt Cotton (220g/m2 compared to 180g/m2) (see a Bolt clothing example with these PJs) and it worked out as the right weight for this style. The fabric is a designer overstock and is lovely quality. I would use it for tops and dresses with an A-line shape or gathered at the waist like a Colette Moneta.

I used a mix of my tweaked Frankie top pattern and a fresh PDF print out of the dress laid over the top. Stripes are tricky to cut and this is a cotton with 5% spandex which means great recovery but also the fabric curls very easily when laid out flat. My solution is to mark the centre front fold with pins, then cut a vertically symmetrical half with the pattern pinned on and lay the cut-out fabric along the fold matching up the stripes on the uncut fabric. The first half acts as a pattern piece and stripes can be matched exactly. I repeat this for the back. For sleeves, I cut them one at a time and use the first face as a pattern for the second, laying the right side to right side to create a mirrored pair.  I did the same process on my Sew Over It Molly Dress.

As with my other Frankies, I used a Liberty lawn facing rather than jersey which is a departure from the original pattern; they recommend a jersey facing. I am wearing a nude colour cool-feel stretch slip underneath which I often wear under shift or jersey dresses as it smooths any underwear lines and stops bright colours showing through, plus it seems to make all dresses hang better.

Details:

Pattern: Frankie by Tessuti Fabrics

Fabric: Cocoa and white stripe cotton spandex from Girl Charlee

Size XS body, S sleeves and armhole,  3/4 sleeves, short dress length. The only alteration was the front neck is dropped down in the centre about 1/2" more than the original line. For reference, I'm 5'5" with a 33" chest. You can read my general thoughts on the pattern construction here. I pinned and basted all the stripes to pattern match the sleeve and side seams.

I'm really happy with the end result.  It's a simple shape, I really like the close fit at the shoulders and the trapeze style flare from the bust line downwards. It's incredibly easy to wear, forgiving on any belly ins and outs and perfect for warm weather, although the elbow length sleeve option is on my radar when I make another!   Girl Charlee kindly supplied the fabric for this blog make. 

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Dream PJs : Log Cabin in the Woods

 Every year, I buy my daughter cosy, jersey pyjamas for Christmas, often in grey, usually with pockets and a cute print and each time  I see her in one of her many pairs, it reminds me that I want a pair too.  When I saw the Homestead Life Cabin in the Woods fabric at Girl Charlee's stall at The Knitting and Stitching show, I knew its destiny was a set of PJs...

I used two patterns I already had. The top is Grainline Linden Sweatshirt (blogged here ). I've made four of these in sweatshirt fabrics and although this is a lighter t-shirt weight cotton/spandex knit, it's an easy and familiar pattern.  The other pattern was Hallå Lounge Pants.y  I've made these once before as yoga joggers but didn't blog them as black garments don't photograph well for sharing.  I had two metres of the Homestead jersey which was a guess quantity wise but by using a contrast navy jersey from my stash for most of the cuff bands, I managed to squeeze in both patterns with virtually no scraps remaining. For comfort, 2.5 metres would've been easier, but it was possible with less.

The contrast fabric was Art Gallery knits solids jersey which has the same 95% cotton 5% spandex mix as the Girl Charlee Homestead fabric from the BOLT range but there are some differences.  The Art Gallery has a stronger recovery, or bounce back- maybe the knit is a little tighter?  The Art Gallery jersey curls up like crazy when cutting, pinning or sewing, whereas as the Homestead fabric lies a little flatter for cutting out and sewing seams, plus it's also more drapey so it hangs nicely.

 

Construction Details:

I cut out a size 2 in the Linden and all the bands were cut at a size 2 as well so no changes to the original pattern.  I'm a 33" chest and a 36" hip to give you an idea of fit.

The lounge pants are a size 2/4 or size 36-38" on the hips. There are multiple options with this pattern, these are the higher rise option (this is pretty low on the belly, but good booty coverage), full length with a tapered cuff and I also tapered the legs from mid-thigh downwards by reducing the side seams. There are lots of additional instructions in the pattern for changing leg width, adjusting hips and much more.  The waistband relies on the stretch in the jersey, no elastic or drawstring added but you could add that. It can be folded over a little at the top or worn unfolded.  I created pocket bags from the existing pattern pieces but there are patch pockets and scoop pockets included.  It's a comprehensive pattern which works well for this relaxed jogger/ PJ pant style and like the Linden, it will get much use over the years!

I do find my overlocker tends to struggle keeping the layers even on cotton spandex so the end of the seams can get uneven by up to 3/8", even if I play with the dials so I ended up basting all my seams by hand and it did give a great finish, even if it took a while!

This pic was taken just after I'd finished them!  I am thrilled to bits as they look just how I imagined: cosy, comfortable pyjamas, ready for winter evenings! 

Disclaimer: the jersey was very generously given to me by Girl Charlee as a surprise gift for times we've worked together over the years since the launch of Girl Charlee UK.  I chose to write about my experience using it and all opinions are my own.

Mini Jersey Kielo Wrap Dress and a Girl Charlee Fabric + Pattern Giveaway

I've ben spending most of the summer enjoying my daughter being at home.  High school has ended. results are imminent and college is coming in September.  Meanwhile, I've been making more Kielo dresses including a shortened version for my daughter's 16th birthday.

The fabric is a another drapey floral kindly sent by Mark at Girl Charlee.  He was kind enough to send me samples first to make sure the drape was right for this style.   She chose Red Pink Roses on black cotton jersey blend which is lightweight with lovely drape.  

I shortened  by working upwards from the hem on the pattern  and using a jersey dress in L's wardrobe that was a favourite length.  I traced a copy off my  size 36/UK 8 pattern for L.  She tried on my jersey Kielo and she needed a narrower  lower back and waist so I reduced these areas along the back centre seam.  The front is unchanged apart from being shorter. 

Otherwise construction was like my first jersey Kielo.  When it came to hemming I let it hang and then evened out the hem whilst L was wearing it.  There's more fabric to contend with as the dress gets narrower as it gets longer but it worked out fine.  This short version used 2 metres of 142cm wide fabric based on a one way print.  If it had been multi directional or plain it could've been 1.75 metres.  Other suitable fabrics in terms of weight/drape were:

•  Floral Garden
• Taupe Daisy on black 
• Plum grey Rose floral
• Vintage Roses on Navy (v Cath Kidston feel to the print)
• Pink Mint Daisy (choice for my version)

These are all florals as that was her preference but there's other options and Mark and the team are happy to advise, they know their stock well!

Now for the GVEAWAY!

Mark has kindly offered the sort of giveaway prize that I would love to win,  a PDF pattern (lots to chose from including Wendy Ward, Named Clothing, Itch to Stitch and many more) and knitted fabric of your choice to make the pattern from Girl Charlee Fabrics UK and Europe.  As the company name suggest, entries are open to UK and Europe.  

To enter, comment below and tell me what you would choose- it's not binding, you can change your mind if you win, I'm just curious! 

For extra entries, share this giveaway on Twitter, or Facebook and add an extra comment for each mentioning where you shared.  That's it, nice and simple.  Competition closes Monday 7am GMT.  I must be able to contact you so check if you are no-reply and include email details if needed.  Good luck!

Giveaway is now finished.  A winner has been randomly chosen- number 25, Mel- and informed.  Comments are closed.

Kielo Wrap Dress in Daisy Cotton Rayon Jersey

This post first appeared at the Girl Charlee  blog and as I've now made two more of these dresses I thought I'd post it here before following up with some more info about the pattern, plus a rather lovely giveaway is coming up shortly too.  Meanwhile, this is a Named Clothing Kielo wrap dress in some gorgeous ditsy floral cotton/rayon jersey from Girl Charlee.  since Girl Charlee UK was launched last June, I've collaborated regularly with Mark and the team.  They are a lovely company to partner up with- no pressure, lots of freedom and great service.  Mark got in touch recently to ask if I'd like to sew anything up fromtheir newer arrivals.  I like having a big range of different knit fabrics to choose from and I'm a sucker for ditsy florals whether in quilts or clothing so this mint/pink daisy on navy fabric was definitely calling my name so I said yes, I had a week off work and a pattern idea...

At Maddie's bra making workshop a few week's back I met the lovely Shiona and she was wearing a Kielo wrap dress by Named Clothing  in a Ponte grey/black wide stripe.  I recognised the design straightaway but it was the first time I'd seen it in person.  It looked so elegant and easy to wear, I was smitten.  It shows what a difference it can make to see something in real life.  I always like seeing Named Clothing's new season look-books and admire the freshness and modern look of their designs but from the original pattern picture, it was not a dress I imagined on myself.  It looked narrow and restrictive  in the skirt - not what I like in a dress.  And then when I saw Shiona's I realised that is was quite the opposite, fitted at the top, flowing elsewhere and a dress that I could happily sit sewing in, walking Lottie or wear going out in the evening for drinks (a rarity but you never know!).  Girl Charlee are currently expanding their pattern range and this will include stocking PDFs of Named Clothing designs.

Stats:

• Named Clothing Kielo Wrap Dress.  Sewn in size EU 36/US size 4/UK size 8 size.  Length reduced by 6¼" measured upwards from the original hem to maintain the curved hem shape.  Mark for the top of the split moved upwards accordingly.
• Fabric used: Pink mint daisy on navy blue cotton/rayon jersey blend, 142cm wide 2.5m.  Width is just under the required 150cm but pattern pieces fitted with a little room to spare. 
• Because the pattern pieces are placed to fit together in opposite directions to make the most economic use of fabric length, this dress is  best sewn with non-directional prints, prints that work vertically in both directions or solid fabrics. This print is mildly directional but is so busy that you cannot tell the back is running the opposite way to the front.  Stripes would look good but require a lot of accurate pinning.  Drape and lightness works well with this style as it reduces bulk round the waist and hips.
• Pattern: Needs to be traced.  Pattern is nested, two sizes at a time and for the front and back you  trace the top of the dress, make a matching mark, then switch the tracing 180 degrees to match up and trace the skirt section.  There are only three pieces so the tracing didn't take long and there are only 12 pages to print and join together so although it's not for everyone, I like this method a lot! (I hate printers and printing!)
• It is a bit of a challenge to trace between sizes because of the way the PDF patterns is arranged on the page.  However on this style,  it's the bust measurement that is most critical as the waist hip area is very wide to allow for the wrap.  The lower skirt could be tapered out easily for extra width at the hem.  
• As the fabric is quite slippy for marking dart lines with chalk, I used tailor tacks and soft pencil for the front and back darts.  I have a tailor's tack video here.

Handling and Sewing the Fabric

Prewash - Always prewash clothing fabric following any manufacturers instructions if you can find them!  Some knits benefit from a light press but this one was fine.  The fabric is very drapey so it will slide off surfaces easily.  I cut it on the floor, laid out on a Durabac board equivalent to this.  Take time to get the fabric flat and even and the selvedges together- this step can take a long time with knits.  This fabric does roll at the edges.

Sewing - Sewn on a mix of Bernina record 830 sewing machine with walking foot and size 75 stretch needle and using a small zig zag (length 1, width 1) for open seams/split and a Brother 1034d serger for closed seams and edging.  It could be sewn entirely on a sewing machine and edges do not need finishing as they won't unravel, it just looks neater. 

Instructions - The pattern instructions are quite brief as is the Named style.  There is a lot of detail in the first few pages covering methods which apply to most garment sewing, assembling PDFs etc.  There are only a few pieces to fit together so not a huge amount of instruction is needed.   There are a few diagrams which are most relevant to sewing up with a woven fabric.  There are no particular instructions for knit fabrics.  I sewed the neck and arm band edges using an excellent tutorial on Colette pattern's website.  using a zig zag stitch to catch the binding. A double needle hem would've been a struggle to sew with the layers.   I raised the armhole by approx. ¾" as the weight of the wrap was showing a lot of side bra!  I was careful at all times to support the fabric as I was sewing.  The drapey fabric has a bit of weight to it so use your knee, table or ironing board to help hold up different sections as you sew.

Stages in making the back split:

• Applying stretch interfacing- ½" wide strips along length of split plus ½" above
• Serging the split edges starting 2" above the split notch/mark on each side
• Serving the centre back hem to the point where the separate serged edges begin
• Stitching the spilt down using straight stitch- following pattern instructions, then turning hem
• Adding hem using double needle, ¾"interfacing and sewing the hem approx. ⅝" from folded edge.

Extra techniques

Interfacing for knit fabrics (Perfect fuse sheer) used on split and hem.  For the hem, I cut the strip so the stretch is horizontal to create extra 'give' in the hem.

Interfacing tape (Vilene) used on back shoulders.  This has a line of stitching built into the interfacing to stop the shoulders stretching.

This seam can then be pressed to the back to prevent irritation.  You could also use woven tape or clear elastic.   

Binding tutorial: Colette's excellent 'How to Bind Knit Edges": 4 Complete Methods for neck and arm holes.  I used the 'clean finish' method and cut the bands cut according to their calculations and sewn using a ⅜" seam allowances (as is the rest of the dress).

How you hem jersey garments depends on three things:

1. The fabric- how thick, how stretchy?  
2. The hem function- does it need to be strong enough to stretch?  Straight stitches will pop one when stretched. 
3. Appearance: how do you want it to look?  Zig zag?  Copying ready to wear garments with two lines of stitching, created by using a double needle for stretch fabrics?  I use Hemline (Klasse) size 75, 4.0mm (gap between the needles) twin stretch and a wooly nylon thread hand wound on to the bobbin to help with elasticity and stretch.  For more details on this technique, see here. 

I sewed up five different hem samples to show you the difference when adding stretch interfacing, using wooly nylon, how close to the raw edge the hem is stitched, cutting away excess, using a double needle, using a zig zag.  All samples were sewn using a walking foot and Gütermann thread on the thread spool and all were pressed- click to see extra large! 

Hem details

1. Double needle

Interfaced

Tension increased.  On my machine it is a +/- wheel (see below)  Most machines have 4.5 as their average tension setting, the increase would be to around 6 or 7 maybe higher.   On my Janome Horizon, my tension is set at 9 for a double needle knit hem.  The aim is to have the wooly thread forming a well-defined zig zag stitch on the back, not pulled too tight and two lines of straight stitching on the front

Stitch length 3.5

Wooly nylon in bobbin (hand wound)

Sewn at edge of 0.75" (three quarter inch) hem turn up

Note the tunnelling- the bumpy ridge between stitching line, even after pressing.

Tension- arrow shows wear the vertical line is usually positioned

2. Double needle

Interfaced

Tension increased

Stitch length 3.5

Wooly nylon in bobbin (hand wound)

Sewn edge at approx. 0.5" (half inch) of 0.75" hem turn up

Excess hem then trimmed off

No tunnelling!  This method used on the dress,

3. Zig zag stitch

Stitch width 3, length 1.5

Interfaced

Extra thread on surface for tension whilst sewing- the zigzags sew over the top of this whilst you are holding it tautly,  pulls out for easy removal afterwards (this idea came from my  1974 Bernina 830 record handbook)

Normal tension setting

Sewn edge at 0.5" (half inch) of 0.75" hem turn up
Excess hem then trimmed off

Sewing zig zag using a surface thread for tension, removed afterwards

4. Zig zag stitch
Stitch width 3, length 1.5
No interfacing, no extra thread tension as in example 3
Normal tension setting
Sewn edge at 0.5" (half inch) of 0.75" hem turn up
Excess hem then trimmed off

5. 4. Zig zag stitch
Stitch width 3, length 1.5
Interfaced
No extra thread tension as in example 3
Normal tension setting
Sewn edge at 0.5" (half inch) of 0.75" hem turn up
Excess hem then trimmed off

It's a great summer dress, flowing because of the width of fabric at the wrap area but elegant and column shaped from the tapering side seams.  I raised the split to compensate for shortening the hem and it is easy to walk in- I am a strider!  The dress can be bundled in a ball and thrown into a case- perfect for holidays so I know it will be going to the beach with me in a few weekend's time.  I've worn it for dog walking, hitching up my skirt to scoot up a hill with no problems and in hot weather it is light and airy and benefits from the cool-to-feel touch of rayon in the blend.  It's a dress to store in a drawer or on a shelf rather than hang as the weight of the fabric could stretch it out of shape.

I would definitely sew another knit version- potentially suitable fabrics from Girl Charlee would be:

Plum grey rose floral,  

Floral Garden on Navy blue

Mint coral daisy on grey- watch out for the placement of the larger flower over the chest!

Sparrow in the woods

sherbet stripes (lots of stripe pinning) 

Sunrise Stripe (lots of stripe pinning)

These all chosen because they are lighter in weight, have a cotton component, and some have rayon in the blend. I've avoided lycra as I didn't feel this dress needed it but maybe it would work?  A lighter Ponte might be good too.  It's a versatile pattern as I've seen woven versions as well as knit and for stretch fabrics, different amounts of stretch seem to work as well as the lower stretch fabrics.  It's a flattering and forgiving fit- the ties can also work wrapping to the back or just loosely fastened for a tent-like fit on sultry days. 

Thankyou to Mark for sending me the fabric and Laura from Named Clothing for supplying the pattern PDF.    Fabric and pattern provided for free, all opinions are my own. 

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Peach Floral Undies

When Girl Charlee had new arrivals which included this floral knit fabric I knew exactly what I was going to make!

I bought some Ohhh Lulu patterns in the Black Friday sales back last December and I've seen her use this very floral knit fabric in some of her gorgeous lingerie.  

I have lots of lightweight mesh and different elastics from a lingerie supplies splurge early last year and I set to work.  First I made a sample pair of knicks to check the pattern sizing.  The Grace Hipster Panties are designed for a mix of woven  on the bias fabrics(front/back panels) and stretch fabric sides.  This floral has a small amount of stretch but no lycra so I went down very slightly in the sizing- instead of cutting my hip size which is between small and medium, I cut out small and the fit is perfect.  I love how the panels match up perfectly front and back too.

I find all lingerie making a nerve-wracking activity but this pair went smoothly.  They are sewn on the sewing machine, I used the overlocker only to finish the edge of the floating gusset (let's not dwell on that sentence too long).   The Ohhh Lulu instructions are good but I referred to the Watson bra briefs pattern as it gives specific zig zag stitch size for attaching waist and leg elastic and I need that level of hand holding for this.  There are tutorials and videos at Ohhh Lulu which are great for understanding how much you might stretch elastic when you sew it.  The stretch lace is lingerie elastic from Village Haberdashery and I heartily recommend it, soft and in pretty colours.   The best way to attach lace elastic like this is to overlay it and sew on with one line of zigzag before carefully trimming the fabric away underneath.

I then moved on to a pattern I drafted from some Uniqlo hipster briefs.  I've made these before in a stretchy cotton lycra.  However, I underestimated the difference that degree of stretch makes!  

These look perfectly wearable but in reality, the horizontal stretch is small and the vertical stretch is slight so when squeezed into, this creates a builder's bum effect and very skimpy unflattering coverage, even on my small derrière.   This is the frustrating side of sewing knickers and bras.  Fit is often late in the sewing process and you have to be prepared for failure as well as success.   Knickers take a lot more elastic or lace trim that you would imagine and having sewn all the picot elastic with two rows of small zig zag, I was not going to make myself go blind unpicking it all.  Instead, I repurposed the knicks into an eye mask with lightweight interfacing over the knit fabric, quilt wadding and a couple of layers of Kona black cotton. Result! 

I've cut out three more pairs of Grace panties with different trims and I am now summoning the courage to test out the Josephine bralette- the pieces are cut and ready...

Fabric: here.  Mine was supplied by Girl Charlee to make items of my choosing and share the process.  Out of a metre of fabric I have cut out 4 pairs of knickers, an eye mask and a bralette with lots more left to play with. 

Elastic/lace trims: here

Grace Panties Pattern: here

Recommended Eye Mask Tutorial: here

Forest Boat Neck top: Betsey Johnson for Butterick 4426

 This top came about from a generous offer of some fabric from UK knit/jersey fabric specialist Girl Charlee and a vintage pattern lucky find at a local stitching fair, both in the same week!  The pattern is a classic Betsey Johnson knit design for Butterick design, I made the top  (view B) which I shortened, straightened at the sides as I didn't want to wear a belt and  straightened the bell shaped sleeves.   The fabric is Girl Charlee cotton/poly blend 50/50 which I was interested to try as many of their prints are on this blend and I usually stay away from anything with polyester in as manmade fibres can irritate my skin and in all honesty, I am a fabric snob!

 This is Fawn Silhouette on Forest Green Cotton Jersey Blend.  It is mid weight- it makes me think of T shirts- and has 25% stretch.  That means that 10" of fabric will stretch to 12.5" maximum which is quite low so it has stability and the edges of the fabric don't roll when you cut it.    It is soft and it drapes nicely.   Mark warned me that I would need to wash it first as it feels a little stiff straight off the bold which it did when I first unwrapped it but it softened just as he said and knits should always be pre washed and dried flat to allow for shrinkage.  It seemed a good fit for this style, it matched the stretch gauge on the reverse of the pattern.   If you are new to knits, this blend is a good fabric to start with: it's easy to handle for cutting and sewing and there are lots of prints to choose from.   It's a jersey fabric that lies flat and is suitable for a style that doesn't need a lot of stretch so something like a Megan Nielsen Briar top or a Tilly & the Buttons Coco top/dress is good.  It doesn't work for close fitting styles like leggings or tight tops as it has no lycra so the recovery is mechanical rather than specific stretchy fibres. 

 This is a mid 1970s pattern guessing from the style and these tend to stress MODERATE STRETCH knits on the front of the packet.  Manmade knit fabrics were a very 1970s phenomenon,  I remember as a child wearing crimplene everything- trousers, tops, dresses, coat, and cotton/spandex blends were in still waiting to happen in the distant 1980s and 90s!  Occasionally, I will see original knit fabric garments and fabrics from the 1970s on my carboot sale and charity shop visits and although the styles are great, the fabrics are so artificial compared to what's available now.  I notice in the new series of Fargo, the costumes reflect the authentic clothing of the time rather than the stylised version of the 70's currently on the high street.

It's a simple pattern.  The neckline is the same front and back and is horizontal- no curve.  The front and back are slightly angled at the shoulder where the two cross over.  You have to go with the bra-straps-on-view look as it's unavoidable with this style!

With vintage patterns, the methodology is often different to what we would do now.  I would usually opt for a double needle hem finish  but instead, this pattern called for two lines of straight stitching.  I experimented- see below and I opened for the 0.7 zig zag as I tend to pull tops as I take them off and on!  In hindsight I think the double needle hem would've been better with some knit stabiliser tape to stop the tunnelling or bunching up of the fabric between the stitching rows. 

I added the sleeves flat but they were eased stitched and I tried to avoid stretching the fabric as I sewed them in on the overlocker.  So I avoided distorting the fabric but it dos look a little puckered around the armhole.  I used a moderate heat on the iron for pressing because of the polyester content and it worked fine.

The degree of stretch in knit fabric is such an important factor when matching up fabric to pattern.  Girl Charlee is one of the few online shops in the UK that includes the percentage stretch for each fabric.  Other shops write some beautiful descriptions and include fibre content, width and all the other info but it would be so helpful to have this extra information. 

I'm adding this into my #vintagepledge as an extra- I still have a Betsey Johnson jacket to make which is waiting for me to buy a walking foot for my Bernina!  See my other makes for #vintagepledge here and here. 

Azure Striped Boat Neck: Girl Charlee

A few weeks ago Girl Charlee Fabrics UK & Europe sent me an email offering me some fabric to try from their recently launched store.  I chose a Azure/cream stripe  with half a mind on an Agnes Top - I must have been swayed by the pattern cover picture!  The fabric is a good quality lightweight cotton/rayon blend so very drapey and more suited to a looser style so I revisited "She Wears the Pants' and made another version of the cover picture top. 

The fabric is a little tricky to handle because of the rayon and stripe matching but ballpoint pins are perfect on fabrics like this.  I needed to be very careful not to stretch it out of shape and even then, the cuffs especially looked a little wavy.  Washing and pressing seemed to even this out and the resulting top has a fluid feel and is an easy wear on these inbeween grey days that we get so many of in the UK.   These are iPhone pics during a family walk on a breezy day so you get the feel of the fabric movement.

Like their USA counterpart, Girl Charlee have a huge number of knit fabrics to choose from and its a family run business with the emphasis on choice and customer service including a rewards scheme.   Go take a browse at what they offer!