French Navy - An Orla Affair

I am so late to the Orla party most people have gone home apart from the guy who's drunk in the corner! 

The Orla dress is a pattern by French Navy and get this guys its FREE! Yep as its her first PDF pattern the lovely Sarah has decided to give it out for free and well you guys know how I love a free PDF. Even if I do hate taping together all of those blooming sheets of paper! And as an added bonus me and my printer had a row again [Seriously considering couples counselling for me and that bloody thing] So it probably took me about an hour just to get the flaming thing to print!  

 

But less on me and my printers marital issues and onto the dress! The pattern comes in sizes xs, s, m, l, xl, which is a bit of a change from the standard numbered measurements. Now the pattern is drafted with a 1cm seam allowance which is clearly stated in the instructions. Typically I use a 1.5cm seam allowance and I was tempted to add on the extra 0.5cm but I'm lazy so instead I just decided to cut a bigger size. Now I measured as a 14 which is a L so that left me cutting a size XL, using a 1.5cm seam allowance and hoping for the best!  

It did not work! The bodice is meant to be quite loose fitting and well mine fits pretty darn snugly! So next time I'm going to stick with this size but use the 1cm seam allowance and see how that goes! Although part of me does wonder if some of the snugness is down to the fact I decided to over lock the whole dress and I had to cut off my side seams and re over lock them because I'm an idiot! Long story short I had already decided to set my sleeves in flat but sort of forgot....? because as I said idiot!    

I also didn't have a 40cm zip like the pattern says you need so instead I improvised and went for a keyhole back and shorter zip. The neckline closes with a small button and loop. Which is actually quite nice for using up odd buttons!

This one was a lil faux mother of pearl button. I have no idea where its from, probably one my mum found in a charity shop or a friend gave me.

I also didn't use bias binding for the neckline instead I just overlocked it and folded it over. It looks neat and it lays flat so it works for me! 

Here you can see the overlocked insides, which look all pretty and tidy! 

Bodice wise its got front and back waist darts but no bust darts. Its got cute lil cap sleeves and a gathered skirt. One thing I do really like is that the skirts not too full. Its enough to create a slimming silhouette but not enough that you need yards and yards of fabric, 

The fabric is the same drapey viscose that I used for my Blitz dress I think it works for this type of dress but I am a bit worried the the strain on the seams might mean it falls apart quite quickly!

So yeah all in all I love the dress and its a brilliant free pattern [which you can find here]

In other news!

The weather is messing up the TV signal and I'm half way through "a street cat named bob" Which I'm a bit too invested in to turn off but I'm not sure if I can cope with the jumping and stuttering.

Lil man has yet another cough and can't get to sleep bless him.

And I'm pretty sure I've broken my lil toe. Basically I stubbed it on the ironing board [which just goes to show that no good can come from ironing!!!!] and now it hurts like the dickens and is turning a lovely shade of purpley blackish blue. So yeah that's fun!

Anyways Much Love

Frankie x