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Pattern Review: The Joni Dress

Post author:clobbercreations
Post published:September 1, 2019
Post category:Dressmaking Sewing Stash Busting Videos
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I am gradually getting through the book Stretch! which came out last year! Most recently, I made the Joni Dress.

Details

Pattern name: Joni
Variation/Style: Flared short sleeves
Design House: Tilly and the Buttons/Tilly Walnes book Stretch!
Size I made: 4

Fabric

I have used a simple two colour floral fabric from a local haberdashery a year or two ago. It is quite thin but substantial and opaque and as a result the skirt section hangs well.

Difficulty

It is a bit more challenging than a simple knit dress, but I think it looks more complicated than it is to actually make it. I’d say it is suitable for confident beginners who have had a go with knit fabrics before.

Clarity

Like all the other TATB patterns I have tried out, the guidance is very clear. However, I did follow Sewisfaction’s video tutorial on making the front bodice twist rather than use the book instructions. Next time, I might try out the original instructions just to see how much difference it makes.

Design and Fit

The design of this dress is great. The twist detail adds interest and the volume in the skirt section along with the subtle dipped hem makes this dress look more complex than it is.

As it is a knit dress, I found that I didn’t make any adjustments. My bust size was a bit bigger than the guide for the size 4, but with this fabric it did not matter and fits fine. As it has a dipped hem, and it has more of an empire waistline, I did not bother to adjust for my sway back.

Time Taken

This was a relatively quick make or a slightly more detailed knit dress. I took a bit of extra time drafting the flared sleeves and choosing the sleeve length but this was still fairly fast as the instructions are clear.

Conclusion

I love this dress! It’s so comfy and easy to chuck on for the day. I definitely want to attempt making one with stripes soon.

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Craft Haul: Summer 2019

Post author:clobbercreations
Post published:August 25, 2019
Post category:Dressmaking Inspiration Sewing
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I’ve acquired quite a bit of fabric over the last few months as well as some patterns so I thought I would log them here and share my initial ideas.

Making your own beach towel poncho from two towels

Post author:clobbercreations
Post published:August 18, 2019
Post category:Dressmaking Sewing Upcycling Videos
Post comments:12 Comments

I’m excited to share with you something I made with my mum a few months ago – the beach towel poncho!

Pictured above is my mum showcasing our efforts on the beach!

If you fancy making a similar poncho, you will need two towels measuring 100cm by 150cm and a small amount of bias binding.

Pattern Review and Upcycle: Cleo Pinafore

Post author:clobbercreations
Post published:July 28, 2019
Post category:Dressmaking Upcycling
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This is arguably one of my faourite makes of 2019 so far – the upcycled cleo!

Details

Pattern name: Cleo
Variation/Style: Knee length
Design House: Tilly and the Buttons
Size I made: 4

Fabric

I made this completely out of two pairs of size 16 jeans which were gifted to me the other year. I had my sights on transforming them into a pinafore towards the end of the year but Sewisfaction’s Great British Sewing Bee challenge brought it forward.

The denim of the jeans is lovely and thick and and as a result it is a real treat wearing this pinafore. Best of all is that it doesn’t crease – yes!

Difficulty

The pattern is beautifully simple. I did not have to make any adjustments as it is loose fit, but you may wish to grade between sizes if your measurements vary.

The most challenging part for me was topstitching as I wanted to use a contrast thread colour and I struggled to get the tension right on my machine. If your fabric is thick and your machine is not suited to heavy weight materials, you may struggle going over seam bulk. However, I found that using a denim needle for the sewing up and a top stitching needle helped, along with the trusty walking foot.

The hardest part was cutting out all the parts from the jeans. I am not convinced that I cut the front sections perfectly on the grainline, and unpicking the seams took hours!

Clarity

As I have mentioned in other TATB pattern reviews (and many others have said the same), the instructions are very clear and guide you step by step.

Design and Fit

Cleo is a loose fit garment and as a result, is easy to fit. If you use buckles and don’t stitch down the straps, it even leaves room for adjusting in this area at any time.

I decided to put the front slit at the back. I think a slit is needed for the knee length version or your walking gait might be a bit restricted. I really like the hip pocket detail as well. I was tempted by the bib pocket but it seemed a shame to not use two of the ready made back pockets from one set of jeans!

Time Taken

It is really difficult to evaluate how long it took me to make this garment. The sewing up was pretty quick and didn’t take long. The main time sink was unpicking the original jeans construction as they are made so well! However, if you made these from a piece of fabric it would not take long at all, especially as the pattern is designed for use with stable woven fabrics

Conclusion

I have always had reservations about the Cleo. Like many of the TATB patterns, I’ve always felt that I like the look of them but that they might not suit me. However, having made it and worn it many times, I am really happy I went ahead with it. It has soared to the top as my favourite pinafore to wear and I really feel that repurposing the jeans has made it such a satisfying make to wear that is likely to last a long time. The fabric of the jeans is so substantial and feels so nice – I suspect it would have cost me fair bit to find the equivalent in a fabric shop!

In particular, I love the blend of the two jeans. They are a similar weight, but I like the fact you can see the medley of the two types of denim.

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Pattern Review: Kinder Cardigan

Post author:clobbercreations
Post published:May 17, 2019
Post category:Dressmaking Sewing Stash Busting
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Having made two of these cardigans, I felt it was time to write a review on this pattern.

I got Wendy Ward’s Beginner’s Guide to Sewing with Stretch Fabrics as a gift about a year ago, and while a few designs appealed to me, I didn’t get round to tracing any patterns until around Christmas time.

The Kinder Cardigan is definitely the one which stands out for me in the book – especially the long, almost coatigan, version. However, the first make was for my nan for Christmas. It didn’t begin well as I accidentally cut it out in the wrong fabric (a sure sign that you need to use up some of your stash if you have two similar ones…) and I had issues as I was using my mum’s machine (which was my nan’s machine incidentally) which was not too happy and was demonstrating this with unbalanced tension and tight stitches. Still, I got there in the end and the end result inspired me to make one for myself.

Spring 2019 catch up

Post author:clobbercreations
Post published:May 15, 2019
Post category:Dressmaking Goals and Time Management Stash Busting Videos
Post comments:0 Comments

It’s been a while since I have mentioned anything I’m making on here, so here is a whirlwind tour of 2019 for me so far!

Pattern Review: Gable Top

Post author:clobbercreations
Post published:April 5, 2019
Post category:Dressmaking
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I realised the other day that I never reviewed the Gable top pattern. Better late than never! Also, it means that I have lots of experience in wearing it!

Details

Pattern name: Gable Top
Variation/Style: View 3 without the cuff
Design House: Jennifer Lauren Handmade
Size I made: 12

Fabric

Stripey stretch fabric remnant from The Knitting & Stitching Show in 2017.

Difficulty

This is a really simple top to make consisting of only 4 pieces of fabric. The main challenge for me was the fabric I chose as it was very stretchy. You may wish to take extra care on the neckline, which I would argue is the trickiest part.

Clarity

It is very simple although I did get a bit confused at the neckline. However, Jennifer Lauren has a video to help you on this to use in tandem with the written instructions.

Design and Fit

The top has come out quite tight. I am not sure if this is the pattern or the fabric (or both). I am not used to wearing very fitted garments so this is probably where most of my discomfort stems from! It’s also very long but I may have stretched it or the fabric I have chosen has encouraged this. I will have to see how much negative ease the pattern has if I make it again.

Design-wise, it is the perfect staple to go under a pinafore or dungarees – such as the Ivy Pinafore by Jennifer Lauren!

Time Taken

I’d say you can make this in half a day. It’s very simple and super quick if you don’t have any stripe matching to do!

Conclusion

This version feels a bit too fitted for me so I will probably make it in a larger size next time, or perhaps choose a different fabric which is not so clingy. However, I have worn it lots with my pinafore collection (yes, it has turned into a collection… expect more pinafore reviews!)

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Pattern Review: Jarrah

Post author:clobbercreations
Post published:November 9, 2018
Post category:Dressmaking Sewing
Post comments:1 Comment

This year I was fortunate enough to be a pattern tester for one of Megan Nielsen’s new patterns which came out on 1 November 2018. Here is my pattern review of Jarrah.

Details

Pattern name: Jarrah
Variation/Style: A
Design House: Megan Nielsen
Size I made: 10

Fabric

I used a grey medium-thickness knit fabric – a bit like a ponte? I found it in a charity shop in Helston and it was just what I was looking for! The lighter grey is ribbing which was also from a charity shop (but has been in my stash for years…)

Difficulty

I would say that this pattern is a nice easy one for beginners. The only real challenge was the neckband for me.

Clarity

I found that the instructions were clear. I did go on auto pilot at one point (the neckband) and almost do it wrong, but when I actually read it, it was clear!! The pattern provides markers for attaching the neckband rather than advising you to ‘quarter’ the neckband and neck opening yourself, which is great, you just need to read it!

Design and Fit

I made a straight size 10 – it’s a loose fit design and I’m a fan of baggy jumpers!

The design has grown on me – especially now that it’s cold enough to wear it here in the UK! However, if I made another, I’d go for the funnel neck version.

Time Taken

I completed this make in a day. The hems were easy as I was attaching the ribbing and the fabrics were stable knit fabrics which helped. Also, I didn’t need to adjust the fit.

Conclusion

Overall, it’s a great classic staple for your wardrobe, with some lovely variations to try out. Due to the different variations which come with the pattern (high-low hem, tie knot, funnel neck, as well as this one I’ve done), you get a lot of value for money out of the pattern.

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