Vogue 1314 Close Fitting Dress Review

This dress pattern is from the Tracy Reese collection, it's a very simple design, pull-on with draped sides, long sleeves and a round neckline. Designed to be sewn using a stretch fabric, I decided to use a super fine wool jersey and line it with the same fabric.

The grey wool fabric I used was bought from Mcculloch and Wallis, it's very thin and was challenging to work with, as the cut edges had a tendency to roll. I found the best way to manage the rolling edges was by frequent ironing, I tried using starch but that wasn't successful.

I quite like the finished dress, but feel the style would suite somebody with a less angular shape than I have. I tried to keep it loose across the waist to balance this out a little, but I think it looks a little to baggy. 

The instructions were easy to follow, although it is more difficult to make adjustments to the side seams once the fabric is gathered, if you do need to adjust the pattern it is probably easier to do this before cutting and sewing the gathers. If I did make it again I'd make it longer and choose a thicker fabric that was easier to work with. 

Long Skirts - Review Simplicity 1782 and Vogue 8241

I really do love the silhouette a long skirt can create. They are great for wearing in summer, they look casual with flats, and are comfortable in the heat, practical and easy to wear to the beach or pool, add heels and accessories and they can turn into elegant evening wear. 

I made this skirt, pictured above, using the Simplicity easy-to-sew pattern 1782. I like the wide waistband, which sits below the natural waistline. and the gathers are at the front and back and not on the sides of the skirt, which is more flattering for my shape. It does up with a side zip, I used a concealed zipper. The printed polyester fabric came from John Lewis. The fabric is thin, ideally I would have lined it but realised this once it was complete so I wear it with a nude petticoat underneath, I didn't include the split either, there is enough fabric in the skirt to be able to walk comfortably.

This pattern is really easy to sew and highly recommended. I would make it again.

This maxi skirt (above) was an adjustment to a dress I previously made, but wasn't entirely happy with. It was created using Vogue pattern 8241 (below) however the top did not fit very well and wasn't flattering on me. I may attempt this pattern again but I would make adjustments to the top - possibly fitting it around the torso rather than having it loose...

When making the dress into a skirt I decided to use the waistband pattern from Simplicity 1782 and attach the skirt adjusting the gathers to fit. The skirt from Vogue pattern 8241 is not as full as the Simplicity pattern and has a split at the back, I think the amount of gather is ideal to show off the large scale flower print which would have been lost if it were more tightly gathered. The dress pattern included lining which improved the drape and wearability. The polyester print fabric was from John Lewis. I now need to make or find a top to go with it.

This chiffon skirt was created for use in the summer, however it could be used as a winter garment when worn with, tights, boots and a warm knit on top or cropped jacket. I made it, again, using the waistband pattern from Simplicity 1782, using stretch, satin cotton off cuts and the skirt was made from black polyester chiffon with polyester lining underneath. I used the pattern v8241 as a guide to the width of the fabric for skirt and lining.

Short Sleeved Batwing Top - Kwik Sew 3720

I decided to make the short sleeved version, View B, of the Kwik Sew pattern using this silver knit fabric from Fabricland. On an earlier post I wrote about the long sleeved version I made in sweatshirt type jersey. The 'B' pattern is designed for using two contrasting fabrics, but I decided to align the two pattern pieces and make it out of a single piece of fabric for the front and back. 

This is a really quick and easy pattern to make, I think the choice of fabric really does determite how casual or dressy the end garment looks. The top looks best when worn with skinny jeans or leggings.

A Classic Dress - Vogue Pattern Review 8280

The ubiquitous Galaxy Dress by Roland Mouret as seen on Victoria Beckham and so many other celebrities, first appeared on the catwalk as part of his Autumn Winter 2005/6 collection. Here is a picture of Halle Berry wearing one. 

It is similar also to a current dress, in black, by Dolce & Gabbana, it’s used in the adverts, modelled by Claudia Schiffer (43!). 

Vogue 8280 pattern, now discontinued, only just (at the time of writing) however, so there may well be some stocks about… 

You can buy an original iconic Galaxy, right now, for a touch under £2000, these dresses are cleverly lined in power-mesh to accentuate the hourglass silhouette.

I've made three of these dresses, so far, the first I disassembled and turned into a skirt as I wasn’t completely happy with the top half, it was a long sleeved version the same as the one pictures in the wool crepe (pictured below), the construction certainly wasn’t easy for me - complicated shoulder flanges. The second (pictured above) I made in a satin, stretch midnight blue cotton from Fabricland the fabric was inexpensive, it was a test really to see how I got on a second time, with lessons I had learnt from the first attempt. This time I decided to go for the short ‘origami’ style sleeves as the cotton fabric was more suited to summer wear. The top is lined as instructed on the pattern.

I was pleased with the way this dress turned out and decided to make a warmer version with long sleeve, in a luxurious 100% wool crepe from Truro Fabrics - the drape is beautiful and, unlike the cotton, it won’t crease. Apart from the sleeves it is fully lined, for improved drape and comfort of wear. I do love this dress and have had lots of complements when wearing it. I made a few adjustment to the pattern - I lengthened the body and sewed the arm flanges to the body of the dress as they gapped otherwise and I made both the dresses slightly longer than the pattern.

I would certainly recommend this pattern, it's such a flattering design with lots of options.

Wide Legged Trousers / Pants Review - Vogue 8751

Once apon a time I have some lovely wide legged trousers, well, apart from the fact that they didn't fit around the waist, so I had to wear them with a top that covered it. Trousers with a wider legs, that is, where the legs fall at least straight from the widest part of the hips, suit my shape when worn with a fitted top. I decided to try Very Easy Vogue V875, view B, this would be my second attempt at sewing trousers. I bought some cotton fabric with a slight stretch to try out the pattern, and see if my skills were up to the challenge.

The pattern was reasonably easy to sew, I found them easier to sew than the tapered leg trousers as they did not need crotch adjustments. I did make some adjustments to the hips and waist at the side seams, this was easy to do. The crop-top in the above picture is from River Island.

I do like this pattern and I'm going to make it again in a fabric with a more fluid drape than the cotton, perhaps a crepe.

Mock Wrap Skirt Review - Vogue 8711

Inspired by the draped and gathered outfits created by Donna Karan, I decided to try to make some asymmetric draped clothing myself. I especially liked the strong, warrior women Donna Karan sent striding down the catwalk for the Autumn / Winter 2013 show. I'm drawn to the powerful yet feminine aesthetic which she does so well.

Donna Karan does produce some patterns which come under the 'Vogue' pattern family. I had a closer look at Vogue 1259, (pictured below) however it appeared particularly complicated, I imagined getting into all sorts of trouble with that high neck...  The reviews I read seemed to confirm that it wasn't an easy pattern to sew. I was also looking for something with sleeves, or to which sleeves could be easily added. This pattern looks like a dress but is actually a top and skirt. I like the idea of creating an outfit with a top and skirt as it gives the option for wearing them separately also.

Whilst looking at some of the shows for Autumn/Winter 2014 and Spring/Summer 2015, I noticed a trend for front and side splits in skirts and also draped fronted or wrap skirts. Isabel Marant showed some beautiful sequinned wrap mini skirts worn with textured knit jumpers, click on the link above to take a look at one example.

Whilst browsing for patterns I came across this skirt with a draped front, Vogue 8711 (pictured above).

The pattern is for a mock wrap skirt designed for a stretch fabric with an elasticated waistband. I thought I could cobble together a draped top to end up with an outfit that looked something like this...

The instructions on the pattern include 'underlining' - I decided I would use the same fabric and basically double it up and sew the pieces together, and then treat them as one when sewing the skirt together. I didn't do this for the yoke pieces as this would have meant they would have been made up with four layers of fabric, which would have ended up bulky and difficult to work with.

I went to London to look for some fabric, Cloth House on 98 Berwick Street in Soho, has a great selection of jersey fabrics downstairs. I chose a dark brown fine wool jersey with plenty of stretch. As the fabric was quite expensive (and the last of the roll) I decided to experiment on some inexpensive fabric from Fabricland for the top as I wasn't using a shop bought pattern and I'd never trying draping before. After cutting the pieces of fabric front and back, and tacking the shoulder seams and one side seam and used my dummy and pinned some folds in the fabric.

The skirt pattern included three folds, and then gathers on top to create the draped effect. I decided to do something similar and create folds, close to the waist, and then add gathers using two rows of tacking. The draping experiment was successful (picture above) so I decided to go ahead with making the top.

I only had enough fabric to make the top in a single layer, I would wear it with a tight camisole or one of my Heatech tops from Uniqlo (love these) underneath. I am pleased with the top and skirt - I think a different shaped neckline would probably be more flattering but having a higher neckline certainly makes it warmer to wear.

I will make the skirt pattern again, perhaps in a longer length....

A Simple Dress Review - Vogue 8665

I love making and wearing dresses, and when the weather is warm enough, it's so easy to just put one piece of clothing on...

I bought this pattern Vogue 8665 to create a comfortable day dress in a black jersey fabric. I made the longer length design. The pattern uses a lot of fabric, the first dress I made was from ponte fabric from Fabricland. I included the zipper at the back as the fabric was only moderately stretchy. 

I'm not entirely happy with the finished garment, the fabric is quite heavy and because there is a lot of it at the bottom, it tends to pull it down somewhat, which results in the the waist being pulled out, I need to wear a belt to try to stop this happening. I wanted a lighter, more 'fluid' looking dress and I think the ponte is too stiff and thick to create the look I'm after.

I did make another dress from this pattern in a lightweight, floral viscose, it certainly had the drape I was looking for. The fabric was very stretchy and I didn't need to include the zip. I used the overlocker to create a 'rolled hem', it was very quick to make. I did wear this version of the dress quite a lot, however I wasn't entirely happy with it either, even though it did fit much better that the ponte version.

This pattern is easy to make, I did make some adjustments to the seams so it fitted better around the torso, however this was very simple and quick to do. I'd also make it longer.

Trying the dress on and looking at it critically I think it would suit a body shape with narrow hips, that would benefit from adding volume onto this area - there is a lot of fabric below the waist and this adds bulk, it isn't really a design for my shape (small waist compared to hips). I think the line drawing shows the cut of the dress far more accurately than the croquis pictures on the front of the envelope. I've come to realise also that to create a dress with a tightly fitting waist, it is better to have a waist seam, with the top and bottom created separately.

If I make a dress from this pattern again, I'll adjust it to reduce the amount of fabric around the hip area so that the flare starts lower down. I'll choose a fine knit jersey fabric, and omit the zip. 

Cropped Trousers Review - Simplicity 1696

I find it particularly difficult to find tailored trousers which fit well, if they fit around the hips they are too big around the waist, even if the waistband falls below the natural waistline. Prompted by the need to own some practical and smart workwear, this year I made my first pair of trousers, prior to this I chose mainly to make skirts and dresses.

I decided on a slim fit with a modern cropped length. The Simplicity pattern 1696 is part of the Amazing Fit Collection and includes different 'cuts' for slim, average and curvy shapes. The trousers are designed with pockets, and a front fly with a zip, carriers for a belt and welts for faux back pockets (I did not include these).

The first pair of these trousers I made (pictured above) were to test out the pattern, and my abilities before trying them on a more expensive fabric. I used black cotton with a slight stretch from Fabricland. The pattern was relatively simple to sew, however fitting around the tops of the legs and crotch was difficult, I needed to make full use of the extra fabric allowance in the seam, and reduce the side seams between the hips and waist. I did not include the faux pocket welts - I don't need any extra bulk in this area.

Overall, I am pleased with the results, certainly considering they were my first attempt. I wore these trousers a lot with pointy flats for work.

Whilst in Ho Chi Minh City I decided to get a suit jacket made for me, as it's beyond my current skills to make a good job of such a complex garment. I chose a simple masculine design with a single button and pockets. My idea was to purchase additional fabric from which I could make matching trousers. 

The fabric is a fine wool / cashmere mix, the fabric has a slight sheen to give it a 'tuxedo' feel, inspired by the, ubiquitous, Saint Laurent suits. the jacket cost about £90 and was made by Dung (pronounced more like 'yung'). Their main shop is on Le Thanh Ton in District 1 near the market. The silk blouse is from And Other Stories.

Whilst I'm on the subject of buying clothing and fabric in Vietnam, if you are considering it, be aware tailoring tends to be on the 'tight' side, have a look at some of the clothes the locals are wearing to see examples. Also, much of the fabric is not what it is sold as, polyester is often sold as silk, wool and cashmere suiting fabrics also don't contain the fibres they, or the seller specifies.

Once back in the UK I used this pattern to make the trousers to match the jacket. I decided not to include the belt carriers, or welts for rear pockets. I also narrowed the legs slightly, this pair are slightly longer than the first. 

I don't think I'll make this pattern again, I don't feel the cut suits my shape and the adjustments were difficult. I expect I need more practice at trousers to get a real understanding of the construction to be able to tailor a better fit.

Beginner's Project - a Simple Skirt

If someone, who had never sewn before asked me how to get started I’d suggest attending a class or workshop - it is certainly faster to learn with help at hand. Some shops that sell sewing machines and/or fabrics hold classes.

An unlined pencil or A-line skirt is probably the easiest garment to make, therefore is a good one to start with. A simple skirt will be made from three or four pieces of fabric - one front piece, two back pieces and a waistband, if included. You will also need a zipper, I usually use concealed zips. Some good patterns for beginners include McCalls 3341, Simplicity 1465, New Look 6843 and Burda 8155.

The basic pencil skirt pattern I use instructs sewing all the seams, both sides and back, and then inserting the zip, which closes to waistband and then the waistband overlaps and fastens with hooks or similar.  However, I've found this can end up quite bulky so latterly I've attached the waistband before the zip and run it all the way up to the top so it is symmetrical and there is no need for a bulky overlap. 

Choosing Fabric

Chose a fabric that is easy to work with, i.e. does not fray too much and holds it's shape, cotton is a good choice. If you choose a printed fabric be aware that stripes, or geometric patterns will need to be lined up more carefully when placing the skirt pattern on the fabric, so a small, irregular pattern is probably a better choice. 

The floral print skirt in the top picture was made from stretch drill cotton, I like a wide waistband that sits on the natural waist, many patters the waistline sits a few inches below the natural waist. The second picture is of a grey stretch suiting fabric purchased from Fabricland, this skirt has served me well and put up with being used whilst riding a scooter. The tops are from Uniqlo, I have three in different colours and absolutely love them. The shoes are Mary Portas for Clarks.

Equipment - Overlocker (Serger) Machine Janome 9300DX

If you take a look at how modern clothing is constructed you'll often find that it has been sewn using a conventional sewing machine, and overlocker (called a serger in the US) and a coverstitch machine, which finishes hems. Some machines can function both as overlockers and coverstitch machines.

An overlocker does not replace a conventional sewing machine but provides some different features that can be used in addition to a standard machine. It can however be used as the sole machine in the construction of particular garments. An overlocker will sew the seam, trim the excess fabric with a blade, and neatly cover the raw fabric edges, together, inside of the seam. The result is a neat seam that does not fray. Another characteristic of an overlocked seam is its ability to stretch, making it ideal for use with knit fabrics.

Sometimes an overlocker is used to prevent fraying of the raw edge and a conventional machine is used to sew the seam, as the case with my beloved Agnes B shift dress. The seams of the lining were overlocked for neatness. The raw edge of the hem of the dress was overlocked and then turned to the inside and secured with a pick-stitch (prick-stitch). The hem of the lining was finished with a conventional machine

I decided to buy the Janome 9300DX, I was very happy with my Janome sewing machine and this overlocker had good reviews so I ordered it from Sewing World in Bournemouth, it cost about £250. The machine comes with an instruction DVD, which I've found very useful and referred back to numerous times, look past the comical music and dated fashions.

The machine uses three (standard) or four (wide) threads to create the stitch. I usually use three threads which uses one needle and two loops.

I've also found the machine really useful for creating, what the manufacturers refer to, as a 'rolled hem', this is basically a very narrow hem with the thread encasing the raw edge, ideal  for thin fabrics such as chiffon or silk or lightweight polyesters. 



The stitching can be used to simply make a decorative edge to a hem, contrasting colours and weights of thread can be used to create different effects. In addition to seam stitching the machine can be used for creating pin tucks, gathering and joining differing fabrics such as ribbing and lace, I'm yet to try theses.

The machine comes pre threaded with four white spools - which is very useful as it is awkward to thread from scratch, I recommend when you do change the spools you snip the existing thread and knot it to your replacement thread, the manual suggest this method also.

Thread is sold especially for using on overlocker machines, the fibres of the thread are less smooth than standard sewing thread, apparently to help cover the raw edge.

Easy Bat wing Top Review - Kwik Sew 3720

I bought the fabric one Saturday afternoon, and by Sunday midday I was wearing this top, it really was quick to make.

Great for wearing with skinny jeans or leggings, I've worn it a lot and the band that fits over the hips is now starting to stretch. I'll definitely make another one - maybe in a lighter weight fabric which has more drape. 

One of the looks in the Blumarine A/W 2014/2015 show is a similar shape, worn as a dress, in a black satin fabric. To have a look click on the Pinterest box on the right, the images is on the 'Ideas' board.

All the sizes are in the same envelope, I made the S size.

I made the top in a subtlety patterned, stretch 'sweatshirt' type fabric. The top is pull-on and needs to be made in a stretch, knit fabric. There is a guide on the back of the pattern envelope indicating the minimum amount of stretch recommended.

Why Make Your Own Clothes?

There are a number of reason someone might want to make their own clothes - fit, style, cost, expression of individuality, the enjoyment in making them, the pleasure of wearing them and the sense of achievement in creating them. 

My personal motivation for making clothes is driven by a combination of the above. I've always found it difficult to find ready made clothes that fit well. I’m slim with broad shoulders, a small waist and comparatively wide hips. However, I do also buy clothes, usually in stretch fabrics which are more forgiving, and like to wear them with home made items.

I've made a few garments just to use in photo shoots and for fun also, the picture below is an example of one of them. You can't see much of the dress I'm afraid, I don't have it any longer so I can't take any better pictures.

This is a picture of Ellie modelling a dress from the Vintage Vogue Pattern V2960 in red shot silk - it was too big for her as you can see. It wasn't difficult to make, although it was time consuming, covering the buttons was quite a fiddly job.

Whilst matching outfit on twins is cute, surely one of the worst sartorial nightmares is walking in to a party wearing the same outfit as somebody else! Having made your own outfit you know that's not going to happen. A lot has to be said for creating unique garments as a way of expressing your personal sense of style and identity.

And there's the cost - I've seen some beautiful dresses that cost over £1000 and created my own versions. Even spending over £100 on a dress would feel extravagant. However, when it comes to coats and jackets, I know creating my own, quality items, is beyond my current skills, so I'm happy to buy them and spend a reasonable amount, justified by the lower cost per wear.

Wool Jacket McCall's 6441 and Vintage Skirt

For the past few seasons there has been increased use of textured, woollen fabrics tailored into feminine shapes on the catwalks. Dolce & Gabbana showed some double breasted jackets with nipped in waists. Nina Ricci showed some zip fronted jackets with matching skirts in mixed, textured fabrics.

Here is one of my recent projects, the navy fabric is a stretch wool purchased from C&H Fabrics. Both the jacket and skirt are lined with a super stretchy black mesh fabric from Fabricland. The lining improves the drape and makes the garments more comfortable to wear as they don't 'grip' whatever one is wearing underneath. Also some wool fabrics can be terribly itchy to wear, and the layer provides extra warmth which, for me, is always welcome.

As a suit, I think it should be styled with killer heels to stop it looking frumpy.

For the jacket I used the McCall's 6411, the fit is shown as quite loose on the envelope but judging from the line drawing on the back I knew it would be simple to tailor into more fitted version. I didn't use interfacing as the pattern suggests as I wanted to retain the stretch and keep it reasonably soft. It was simple to make, the most time consuming part was marking and taking in the extra fabric on the jacket and then marking the same measurement on the lining. 

The skirt is based on this old (over 20 years) pencil skirt pattern, I used this pattern so many times now, just changing the length. The skirt sits on the waist, some would say it was high waisted, and has a vent at the back and fastens with a concealed zip. I made mine longer than the pattern, falling below the knee. In order to reinforce the waistband and stop it from stretching I used a wide webbing tape. The waistband part of the pattern went missing a long time ago so I measure each time and cut a new one 13cm wide. I put the concealed zipper in after the waistband was attached, and run it up to the top, using no other fastenings - I find it too bulky making an overlap, it would be especially bulky in this thick fabric I used.

The idea was that the jacket could also be worn casually with jeans, and as a top layer over skirts of different colours and textures.

I think the heavy duty zip gives the jacket a more modern feel.

Neither the wool fabric or the lining frayed making hemming and general working with the fabrics much easier.

I would make the jacket again, originally I was thinking about using boucle, however I'd read about some of difficulties of working with boucle and decided, at least initially to make the jacket in an easier fabric. 

Equipment....

Some of my most used pieces of equipment.....

Over the years I've enjoyed making (and adjusting clothes) I'm mainly self taught often referring to the Complete Guide to Sewing for instruction. Quality fabric scissors are essential, I was told never to use them for anything other than fabric.

Just over two years ago I need to replace my old Singer machine and decided to purchase the Janome 2032 from John Lewis, which was on offer at the time and cost £89, the price included a two year warranty. It's a simple machine, but for my needs, perfectly adequate. I've been really pleased with it.

Janome is a leading Japanese manufacturer, the Japanese have been designing and building quality sewing machines for many years. Toyota started making weaving looms long before they started to manufacture vehicles. Juki is another high quality Japanese manufacture producing industrial machines used the world over, below is a picture I took in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam of a tarpaulin maker using a Juki machine.

In this blog I'd like to talk about my experiences and thoughts, and hopefully, help and inspire others to be creative and to enjoy fashion. I'd appreciate feedback and happily answer questions.

Thank you for reading this, I hope you enjoy Over Fashion.