Lisette Tote Bag Simplicity 1905

I have had this pattern in my stash since it was released. I was holding off making it because I knew I wouldn't use it for a long time. My hubby bought me great bag and I don't want to discourage that by not using it every chance I got.   I finally decided to use it when I chose to mix up the bag project in my most recent  round of sewing lessons. I thought that it had many elements that could build student skills: lining, a zipper, pockets, straps, carrier and pleats.  I am happy with my finished bag and my students produced great bags. I will not however, use this pattern again for lessons. Read my review below to see why.

Lisette Simplicity 1905

Pattern Description: Tote, handbag with cosmetic or pencil case.

Pattern Sizing: One Size

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes.

Were the instructions easy to follow?
I have made about 8 Amy Butler bags, so for me these instructions were intuitive. I skimmed them and used them as a reference, but didn’t really follow them.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
I love the size and style of the bag. I also like the pocket two options.

Here is the bag on my B.I.R.A. dress form

Zipper pocket

My student were overwhelmed with the process of making this bag and I may not use it again for that purpose.

I disliked the time it took to make. This was not a fast bag to construct. It looks effortless from the pattern, but this bag is a time suck! The use of sew-in-interfacing takes a really long time to stitch. (This is not a deal breaker on making the bag if you love it. Like I said, I have made Amy Butler bags and they require similar effort, but you know that going in, so you deal.)

Fabric Used:
A home decor remnant from a thrift store grab bag. It is a champagne colored polyester fabric with a black flocked mod motif. The lining and tie is from my stash.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:
I made the entire bag with one fabric and only made the tie in a contrasting fabric. I made inverted pleats instead of the three folded pleats they suggested.

Inverted pleats

 My fabric was too thick to make attractive pleats. The flocking portions when doubled were too dense.

Flocking of the design

Would you sew it again?
Would you recommend it to others? I like this, but I will not sew it again. I have many other bags I have yet to make, and others I would rather remake. I recommend this if you love it; if you are on the fence, I say pass.

Conclusion:
Do it if you love it and have the time.

There is still time to enter my giveaway!

Happy Sewing!

Paisley Border Alabama Chanin Tank Dress with Matching Long Sleeve Bolero

 The other day I was going through my closet looking for something to wear to a silent auction. I don't usually have "Nothing to Wear" days. I have "Oh, I forgot I made that!" days. It happened again! I rediscovered one of the first garments I made once I got hooked on Alabama Chanin hand- sewing. I did not review it or the matching bolero jacket I made to go with it, so here we are.

It is a short length tank dress with a applique border along the lower half of the skirt. For this single layer dress, I used tan jersey fabric as the base and a plum colored jersey fabric for the top layer. It is hand stitched with natural colored button and craft thread.  I did not have an airbrush at the time, and used a spray bottle to apply white paint with the paisley stencil. I used this stencil because I liked it, but also because the large scale stencil could be sewn up quickly.

I can admit now, that my workmanship was not the greatest. I was eager to get it done and did not take as much care as I could have. My stitches were wider than they should be on the applique. The herringbone stitches on the binding on the bolero are stretched too far apart. Those "flaws" did not stop me from wearing this outfit! I hand stitched it, I am going to wear it!

This dress is the large size that I made before losing some weight so it is not fitted to my body/ B.I.R.A dress form as the small/medium I would cut now, should be. I like the extra ease in this dress now that I am smaller. I could see myself making this in the large again if only the lower portion is embellished, but not the complete dress. The single layer of jersey is thinner, so having it not cling works for me. The double layer of a full dress feels better with a closer fit.

On this dress, I did not adjust the low neckline as I didn't get Laura's tip on raising the straps until recently. This low neckline made it necessary for me to cover up with the bolero. I made it with a single layer of jersey cotton and appliqued the wrists. I secured the binding with a herringbone stitch. The bolero is a size large and I think it is too big now. The straps from the dress keep it in place, but I think the smaller size in it would be more flattering when worn.

 

Pattern Description:
Hand-stitched four panel tank dress with long-sleeve bolero from Alabama Chanin Studio Sewing and Design
 
Pattern Sizing:
 
S,M,L,XL I made a size large in this dress.
 
Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?
 
This specific dress design is a not featured in the book, but the elements I used are. This is the Short Tank dress that I embellished with the paisley stencil that can be made from the book. The bolero is the long sleeve version that I appliqued the wrists with the paisley stencil.

Were the instructions easy to follow?
 
The books give very clear instructions and inspirations for creating multiple garments. The garment construction is not difficult, but it is time-consuming. (Does time-consuming have a negative implication? It is engrossing, time-dependent, addicting, and repetitive.) The garments in the book require a great deal of work and the results appear complex because of the details, but broken down into smaller parts, easy.  
What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?     

I love everything about the patterns in this book. The paisley stencil is large so it stitches up faster than some others in the book. With this stencil, you feel like you are making progress especially if you are working with a running stitch. 

I don't like the depth of the neckline in the front and back. They are too low for my style. By raising the shoulder straps by about 2 inches on each side, I get the modesty I require. (I did not shorten the straps on this dress.)  
Fabric Used:
 
Jersey Cotton in Tan and Plum.

Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made:
 
I made the tank dress in the short length with not alterations to the pattern.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?  

Yes and yes. I plan to make another with an all-over paisley design in hunter green.

Conclusion: Great books and start to an awesome addiction. 

Information regarding my custom dress form and PDF giveaway can be found here

Happy Sewing!

Meet B.I.R.A. My Custom Two-way Dress form

I used to own a sewing dress form. It was one of those mass produced numbers you can adjust to fit your size and height. I fiddled with the knobs on the bust, but the waist would shift. I would widen the hips, but the rear would shift out of whack. It was a good guideline for garment fitting but, it did not adjust to fit MY body. I sold it to someone on Craigslist. She could use it more than I, and I was happy to get rid of it. 

I continued to sew without a form and did okay until I recently lost about 25 pounds. I was able to cut and sew a pattern from the big four US companies and know it would fit based on history. Since losing weight, I have found it difficult to determine the correct size to cut and sew. My mind sometimes gets stuck on the larger size despite the objective data of my measurements. It occurred to me that a dress form would come in handy for tissue fittings and adjustments as I went along. That said, I couldn't see purchasing another like the one I had.

I did some research on other brands and types of forms that provide a more realistic replica of ones' body, but the cost was prohibitive. I did some Pinterest looking and found paper tape, duck tape and plaster cast D.I.Y options. After reading a multitude of methods, I did not find any one that suited my needs. Some were armless or legless, options that did not allow for sleeve or pant fittings. Others were not pin-able, or durable to last long term. Some instructions omitted key steps or were lacking visuals that I thought necessary for my success. 

I made a list of key features I wanted in my form and decided to design a form to suit my needs.

• It would have arms for sleeve fittings
• It needed to be more than standard torso only, or "one-way" dress forms
• It would have hips and legs for lower body garment fittings for pants, shorts, swimwear, etc.
• It would have a stand for dresses, but be easily removable to fit lower body garments.
• It would be an exact replica of my body
• It would be pin-able for draping and alterations
• It would be fairly easy to make and could be done in a weekend or two

I got to work and made B.I.R.A (my Body Image Realignment Aid). This custom dress form is fantastic! She meets all the requirements I specified and more. I love her!
 

 Here is B.I.R.A in my Passport Dress

Here I am in the same dress!

Here she is wearing a pair of jeans and my Anna's Garden Fitted Tunic.

 Here I am in the same garment!

 Pants can be fitted from the hanging position

 

Or Shorts can be fitted on the stand. B.I.R.A is wearing my Cynthia Rowley overlap shorts.

  

I have documented the creation of B.I.R.A in a 15-page  pictorial digital PDF download. It is available for sale in My Etsy store.

It is also available on Craftsy.

For the next week I will be hosting a giveaway of this PDF instruction booklet. 

Enter to win a copy below! Please spread the news!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Alabama Chanin Anna's Garden Fitted Tunic

 What is it about summer viruses that are so heinous? We have been going round and round with a bug in our house, and city. Our pediatrician says it is everywhere and we have to let it run its course. So as I, and our kids have been down, I have been hand stitching another Alabama Chanin creation. This time I have ventured into making the fitted tank top from the book Alabama Chanin Studio Sewing and Design.

For this tank, I used a baby blue cotton jersey fabric for the top layer and a lime green jersey cotton fabric for the bottom. I used the lime fabric for the bias binding secured with Slate colored button/ craft thread. The front is a a double layer of fabric and the back is a single layer. I stitched the design on the front only, using the Outside Reverse Applique technique. With this technique you stitch 1/8 of an inch outside the painted and stenciled shapes. When done, you cut the shape out removing the painted parts. 

This is a good project if you do not have an airbrush or if your painted images are less than perfect. You cut that part out anyway, so it does not matter. As a matter of fact, you can probably stencil using a pen, sharpie or crayon (well, maybe not a crayon)! If you have a great airbrush and equally great painting skills, this project might sting a bit. It hurts to toss your fabulously  painted shapes into the trash!
  

Alabama Chanin Fitted Tunic with Short Skirt

For this tunic, I cut the size medium and sewed a 5/8th seam allowance into the shirt when I constructed it. I found that to be the perfect sizing for me. Because I find the neckline too low for my tastes, I took a suggestion from a blog reader to shorten the straps. I fitted it before adding the binding and I took out about 2 inches off the straps. I secured the layers with a running stitch, so it went together really fast. I didn't have to start and stop the stitches as often as in the negative reverse applique.

Anna's Garden Fitted Tunic

Back details

I paired the tank with a modified version of short skirt pattern from the book. I simply added width to the panels and cut it into six panels instead of four. I liked the idea of the extra seams up the front and back so I just fiddled with it until it worked.

Here is my review of the pattern from the book.

Pattern Description:
 
Hand-stitched tank tunic from Alabama Chanin Studio Sewing and Design.

Pattern Sizing:

S,M,L,XL I made a medium with a 5/8 seam allowance.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?
Yes, in that I followed the instructions. My color choices were my own.

Were the instructions easy to follow?

The books give very clear instructions and inspirations for creating multiple garments.
 
What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?

I love everything about the patterns in this book. I do not like the depth of the neckline on the pattern, so I raised the straps about two inches.

Fabric Used:

Jersey Cotton in baby blue and lime green.

Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made: 

I only embellished the front of the top.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
 
Yes and Yes! 


Happy Sewing!

Ready for a vacation with the Passport Dress

As a nursing mom of a little one, I have to be wise about what I wear. I need clothes that allow comfortable and easy access to feed my little guy. When choosing what to sew, I have had to keep that in mind. The Passport Dress has been in my pattern case since it was released in 2011, but I was pregnant, then feeding on demand. Now that Little Man is getting older and nursing less frequently, I can choose different options to make.

Last Fall, I took advantage of a fabric sale at Joann's Fabric and found this fantastic, retro, wavy, print for a steal. It is a cotton with a little stretch from I guess, a bit of spandex. I decided to use this fabric for this dress because I figured that it would be very forgiving as there is only 2.5 inches of ease. I had a bit of concern about the dart details being lost in the print, but I love the print so much I decided to forgo that concern.

Here is my review and completed project photos.

Pattern Description: Misses' Passport dress & jacket. Lisette Sew Your Style pattern.

Pattern Sizing: 6-22, I made a straight 12.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes.

Were the instructions easy to follow? Yes and the illustrations helped when the words confused.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I love the pattern design; the pleats in the shirt and the V pleat in the center. I love the placement of the division of the bodice and skirt, not at waistline, not empire. Very flattering placement.

Fabric Used: Stretch cotton from Joann Fabrics.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: I made no changes whatsoever! This dress went together great and I didn't need to change a thing.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?  Yes! You will have to stop me from making too many. It is rare to find a pattern that comes together so well and looks great too! I have another cut and ready to sew and a green linen that is calling for a passport dress! I will add an invisible zipper next time, though the lapped zipper worked fine here.
 
Conclusion: I love this pattern! Love my dress!

Pleat details

Got my bag, and ready to go!

I love this dress!

I am ready to take a trip. Where to go...

Happy Sewing!