Simplicity K1418 - A Project Runway Pattern in Gingham!

There's a tent drying in my kitchen. Its currently strung across a clothes horse the ironing board and some is on the floor. We didn't think we'd put it away wet but after reading a few camping blogs it became apparent that it needed to go away bone dry! And I'm not sure I trust putting it on the washing line. My kitchen floor is now also covered in mud!

Anyway this make started with this pattern Simplicity K1418 which is a pattern that's inspired by project runway. Now I'll start by saying I am a HUGE project runway fan! And I ain't never seen them make anything this simple in all of the times I've watched it. 

This particular pattern was brought form our local carboot for £1 and although I'm pretty sure it was originally a freebie in a magazine that's still pretty reasonable for a sewing pattern. 

It comes with a few different views including some sort of lace up back thing. But I decided to go for the off the shoulder version which is view b. I measured as a size 14 but knowing that simplicity patterns come with a metric tonne of ease I decided to cut a size 12.

The fabric I used is a rose and hubble cotton gingham from Minerva fabrics. You can see their wide selection of ginghams here! I am a sucker for a gingham dress I think this one is number four maybe?  And I definitely want to make others! 

One change I did make was to sway the side zip for a center back zip. I hate side zips and it was a pretty easy change! I even think it looks a bit better? Or I could just think that because I like things to be symmetrical? Although the first zip I put in this was far too short and I got a bit *ahem* stuck, and this was being made when lil man was still at school and we were running dangerously close to school pickup time so things got a bit dicey to say the least. In the end I escaped by ripping out the back seam.

Construction wise the skirt is box pleated with a slight a-line so you get the flare but the whole thing doesn't blow up at every opportunity. 

The bodice is a princess seamed, with long waist darts in the back bodice. The little cap sleeves are set inbetween the bodice and the facing and have come concealed elastic to keep them up. [Although I think I may still need to reduce the length of mine by 1.5cm or so.

Here you can see the elastic in its casing, I had to slip stitch mine to the sleeves to get a clean finish [the pattern doesn't call for the slip stitching but I'm not sure how'd you'd make the sleeves look tidy without it?]. I really liked the facing method for keeping everything tidy on the inside.

Instruction wise things are a bit unclear. There's so many variations in one pattern that I got quite muddled at some points and wasn't sure what I should be doing! None of this was helped by my reluctance to read instructions anyway. 

I was pretty proud of this make so naturally I added a label! 

For the zip I did a lapped zip because that's my favourite method. The pattern calls for an invisible zip because its going into a side seam. 

Here you can see the check properly, its a really small gingham in sort of an apple green colourway? I don't normally do green but I don't think this looks too bad. And one of the mums at football said I looked really nice so that was cool.

There's a few changes I need to make to the pattern to make it perfect! 

-reduce the width of the cap sleeve

- take an inch out of the length of the bodice

- try and remove some excess from the front bodice where there is some gaping. I'm not sure if this is down to the straps though? it sits perfectly flat when I stand put if I lean forward it gapes?

Al in all I think its a really lovely summer dress, although it does need a strapless bra underneath which sort of limits its wearability [is that a word? I'm sure its a word?]

Much Love

Frankie 

x

Red Gingham Lilou Dress

As soon as I made my first gingham lilou dress I knew I'd make another. In fact sometimes I find it difficult to not just sew the same dress over and over again if I love it. Which is why this dress originally started out as something else. I decided to challenge myself and sew a different bodice. That particular bodice was by Prima Magazine and made me look like a starter for the England rugby team. It was boxy and awful so it got scratched and I went back to my beloved Lilou pattern. What can I say if it ain't broke don't fix it.

This dress I like very much! Its not a carbon copy of my first version. This time I used a smaller check and opted to bind the edges of the placket to make it stand out a bit more. I also didn't cut the placket on the bias. Whereas it worked on my first version because it was a larger check it felt like it would be a bit wasted on this version.

That said the construction is still roughly the same, my lilou bodice with all of the usual changes [deeper back darts, and an inch off the shoulder seams] and a gathered skirt. I am debating if I need to do a bit more with the straps? My sister once mentioned that I have no shoulders so I think I may need to take a bit more off them? My other problem is the *ahem* under arm fat issue. Now I have no idea why this fat has decided to deposit itself there, I mean if your going to sit there you might as well hop across to my boob and make yourself useful. But its there and I have zero idea how to get rid of it? I looked at some pictures in a magazine [I know a stupid idea] and none of the celebrities seem to have it? Although I;m pretty sure I've read that they just lipo it out? So I guess my question is..... Can I get rid of it and do you have it? 

Other than that its a winner! The fabric was from abakhans, they have a great selection of gingham's and I sort of want a dress in every colour? I debated the pink but would that be a bit too "barbie"

By the way the buttons are from my stash and I had the hardest time finding some that would work! 

Its go a lapped zip, which is pretty neat by my standards. I didn't bother pattern matching because its a such a small check and well Life = Short. I also considered cutting the skirt as a circle skirt but by so they peeve me off when the wind blows! One small gust and its "OH HEY EVERYONE LOOK AT MY KNICKERS!" that's a lie... I don't wear knickers [No I do wear knickers, I definitely wear knickers!] 

The fit on the back seems pretty good to me there's no pull lines so I guess that means its a good fit? For some reason I'm obsessed with fit at the moment! I've even found myself look at rtw clothes on people and mentally adjusting the fit! 

This dress actually got its first outing in April to have dinner at Lil mans godfathers house with his mum and dad and fiance. We are lucky to have a great relationship with their whole family and well they do these roast potatoes and OMG. I literally have no idea how they make them taste so good! Also they have a dog which is me sold!  Anyway I felt very comfy in this dress for my roast dinner plus cake! [plus extra potatoes, and then more potatoes] I had enough room for food and the skirt is long enough for me to sit on the floor and pet the dog, and then complain when the dog left me to be petted by another human........ Dogs are so fickle!

Excuse the creases in the dress, we'll all just pretend it hasn't been sat on the bedroom floor waiting to be photographed..........

I also wore it to school a few weeks ago and one of the girls in Lil mans class asked me where I got my summer dress from....... Which basically means I dress like a child. But she liked it and after I told her that I sewed it myself she promptly told her mum to make her one....... The mother looked like she might cry and mumbled something about not owning a sewing machine!!!! [I'm so deep down the sewing rabbit hole now that the idea of not owning a sewing machine baffles me!]

In other news:

I brought a new handbag today, my old one had given up the ghost so I treated myself. Which was weird because I haven't brought something from a shop in ages! And also because I chose a relatively small one. Typically I carry a huge handbag because my anxiety tell mes I need to carry EVERYTHING. But this time I got a small one in a effort to test myself and only carry the essentials, which is far more than most women carry anyway! Three different lipsticks isn't over kill is it?

Pattern - Lilou dress from Love at first stitch by Tilly walnes

Fabric - red gingham 2m [which I used all of because of my stupid experimental bodice!!!] Abakhans 

Much love

Frankie 

Gingham Dress with Faux Button Placket

Okay So this project started out because I found this dress on pinterest and was like "ME WANT!"

I think what appealed to me was the fact its just a very lovely day dress which I'm discovering is my style! So I took a few notes on what I liked:

the use of a larger check

the gathered skirt

button front 

I knew the Lilou dress would be a perfect base to make this dress around. I did debate whether or not be make a working button front or a faux one but I opted for a faux one in the end, mainly because its easier! 

I did pattern match to the best of my ability, the checks run through the side seam.......

and across the back! I'm feeling like a bit of a pattern matching champion to be honest!!! [sorry for the wrinkles in the back, I'd been wearing the dress all day when I took the pictures!] 

Here's a close up of the front button placket. I basically cut two strips on the bias sewed them together turned them through and then top stitched them to the centre front! The buttons are from my stash. I only had four of these and I think they look pretty vintage! I used blue thread to stitch them on to add a bit of contrast.

The skirt is a simple gathered one, which I just cut across the width of the fabric. I matched across the side seams of the skirt too, and did French seams!!!!

The bodice is fully lined, which is a bit unusual for a summer dress but I'd rather be a touch warm than have to dealing with seeing facings and seams all over the place!!!

The fabric came from abakhan in Hanley and is a one inch poly cotton  I used the navy colourway but I'm thinking I now also need versions in red, royal blue and maybe the pink? or would that make me look like a giant Barbie? its only £3.85 per metre and I think I brought 2 metres so really £8 for a dress isn't too bad is it? and I've got some left so I probably could have squeezed it from a metre and a half?

So here's the two ways I plan on styling it!

So here I'm channelling my inner country girl! this ones great for wandering around and feeling comfortable!

dress - handmade

denim jacket- new look

Plimsolls - I think Primark? but similar here [I've had mine for years, these had just been through the wash!]

This one is something that I'd wear to the cinema or on a date night. 

Dress - Handmade

shoes - not a clue but they are like a red peep toe wedge!

bag - refashioned! you can read about it here 

So yeah all in all this project was a GRAND success! I love the look of the dress and I can't wait to make more versions! Ooooh I wonder how it would look in a smaller check?

Much Love 

Frankie

xxx 

Gingham Lakeside Grainline Pyjamas

I know I'm boring this is the second pair of Lakeside Grainline Pyjamas that I've made recently but I just loved the first pair so much and found then so satisfying to make I couldn't resist!

This time I used a very light cotton lawn that was given to me by a friend with this pattern. I love the warm colours of the gingham pattern its so unusual.

I used the same binding that I used for my first pair because I made too much. I don;t think it looks out of place and it saved me a lot of time [and swearing] in ironing out a whole new batch.

I made no changes and followed the instructions exactly. I still had trouble with the binding on the side seam of the shorts. I'm not quite sure what I was doing wrong but when I stopped sewing at 9.30pm to watch the GBSB final I was nearly in tears and when I decided to try and finish at 10.30pm It went on smoothly. 

No idea how that happened.

Pattern matching wise I did try, the side seams on the top aren't too bad but the shorts are a bit hit and miss. Apart from on the bum [you can see it a couple of pictures up, yes feel free to stop reading and go and have a quick gander at my bum, its okay we're all friends here]

I am pleased that I put the black stripe along the centre front though, I really debated over which colour should be at the front so I left it too my toddler. He said black and I know better than to argue with a four year old. [I highly recommend this deciding style to anyone with kids, it really takes the pressure off yourself]

The straps and everything went in wonderfully!

I turned down the speed on my machine for top stitching. That way I have to take my time and can't rush through. 

I think the problem with the pattern matching on the sides is that I flipped the pattern piece so now the colours are in the wrong order.

So in general I'm very pleased. The fabric is beautiful to wear to sleep in, its so light and cool.

The shorts are riding up a little but but I think its because I shortened the elastic a bit too much this time and they are trying to find a slightly smaller part of me to sit on, Its not uncomfortable it just means you get a saucy bit of bum cheek poking out in the morning.

It is a bit weird to see the whole ensemble in one print after making my first pair in two different fabrics. I wasn't sure I like it at first but its grown on me!

Ive also discovered that the top goes with these pj bottoms I made yonks ago! Which means hopefully they'll get some winter wear as well! Yes even in winter I can't abide wearing long sleeves in bed!

To be completely honest I've been wearing both of the pairs I made in constant rotation. Wash and a wear style!

In other news! the lovely Charlotte won the sewing bee! It was such a close call this year. I felt a bit gutted for Joyce who I'd been rooting for, after weeks of being told her stuff was a bit boring she went all out only to be told it looked like a costume. I did love Charlotte and Jades dresses though and I shed a lil tear hearing Charlotte talk about her relationship with her ex-husbands new wife, "she's such a big part of the children's lives" Isn't that a lovely way of looking at it? 

Much Love

Frankie 

xxx  

Gingham Cross stitch

I like cross stitching on gingham, I think it gives such a country feel to cross stitch, I free handed this because one day I just fancied doing some simple sewing by hand. I started with the 'F' and just worked outwards from there using two different colours of thread.

Its only small and I'm still not sure what I'm going to do with it but it kept my mind occupied for a small amount of time! Ive been toying with the idea of making a matt with some pockets that i can rest my sewing machine on , something like this.

Apart from I think I'd put the pin cushion on the side and maybe make it a little bigger with a few more pockets for feet etc? And hopefully it would reduce some of the noise from my sewing machine and stop it rattling around. One of my sewing machines runs quite smooth but the other is a rattler! And I work on a glass table so I'm terrified that one day the entire thing is going to get so fed up of the stress and the strain that its just going to shatter all over me as I'm sewing!

It might not happen but it still worries me!!!

Much Love

Frankie

xxx

Lace and Gingham Dress

This is a new make! Well I say new, I made it ages ago but it took me ages to get round to photographing it. Like my background? Santa's already started putting presents in our spare room so I've had to borrow little Knitwits wall to take these! Thomas the tank engine is super awesome by the way!

It's the princess seam bodice from the second Great British Sewing Bee book. Its used for two of the projects the shift dress and the full skirted dress. Anyway I had already traced the bodice for my shift dresses but I really liked the full skirted look. So I used that as my inspiration. But because I'm lazy I couldn't be bother to trace off the skirt pieces so I drafted a full circle skirt all by myself! LIKE A BOSS!

As I've said I was only using their image as inspiration so I left of the sleeves (well kind of sleeves more like sleeve cap things) and added a lace waistband. The lace waistband came about because I have a ready to wear dress that has a lace waist band and Mr Knitwit commented that he thought it was cute..... And he says I never listen to him! Oddly enough I didn't need to alter the bodice in any way to accommodate the waistband. I think its because the bodice is drafted to be quite high anyway [Much higher than how it looks on the model in the book]

The fabric was sent to me by a lovely lady who reads my blog. And I really love it! I don't really own too many check items but this dress is making want to expand my horizons! Even if it was a beast to try and match! 

Here's my self drafted skirt , well I say drafted I just measured myself and then cut into the fabric! The skirt is bias but the lace band and the chequered band art the bottom are cut on the grain. It was actually really easy to apply and because the bottom band is cut on grain and is straight it made hemming the skirt so easy! Even if there was bloody loads of it!

Lace application wise I just sewed it on and then top stitched the seam allowance towards the chequered fabric so you couldn't see it through the lace.

I feel pretty fabulous in it to be honest, I'm really pleased with how it turned out! I love the skirt and the lace and the kind of texas/wizard of oz feel it has! I'm also please that I didn't just play safe and make another Lilou. However I am wondering if I should alter my pattern pieces to make the neckline a bit lower. Not like full playboy low but maybe a little more cleavage? 

Here's the pattern matching, The side seam is like OMG! LOOK AT THAT ! But the boob seam is not quite as awesome, which makes me kind of sad but not so sad that I wont ever wear it again. Some of the across stripes match but the up ones are all over the place. I'm not sure if its me that's screwed up or if its just because its a princess seam?

All in all I'm calling this a resounding success! And I think I might have fallen in love with circle skirts! Which is huge! because I am such a gathered skirt kind of girl! But boy is the full circle flattering! It just skims! and I'm really please with the fit of the bodice as well.

I wonder if a half circle skirt does the same?

Much Love

Frankie

xxx