Tag: Dress

Review Fibre Mood Agatha Dress with Rayon

Over the summer, I was in a rush to make this Fibre Mood Agatha dress for the first wedding of 2021 and I completely forgot to write it up until now.  Let’s be honest though…most of my blogging was set aside while managing my family during the pandemic!  I was still sewing to save my mental state and am trying to catch up now while I have a little extra time 🙂

With the warmer weather approaching and vaccines coming out, I knew this was going to be one of the very first “big” social events for the family.  After a year of just sweatsuits and leggings, I really wanted to make something special and use up some fabric in my stash.  If there was any perspective gained from the pandemic, it was to use up all the “good” fabric and not let it sit on the shelves!

PATTERN

I’m not sure exactly where I saw this silhouette, but I wanted to make a flowy long dress with flutter sleeves for the midwest heat.  After a good bit of research at my typical spots – IG, Pinterest, and Google, I finally found the closest pattern to what I wanted.  And that pattern was the Fibre Mood Agatha…However, it was drafted for knit fabrics and of course, I wanted to use woven.  In the website description, FM says the pattern can be used for wovens, but I was pretty skeptical.  They mention that you “only” need a side zipper and I’m here to say I made a lot of extra adjustments to account for ZERO stretch.  Since I couldn’t find any other options, I still bought the pattern knowing I would have to muslin the bodice and be fully committed to a few days of fitting.

Although I measured a US 8, I cut a US 10 knowing that everything would have to be adjusted later on.  It gave me a base point to start without going too high and throwing off other fit (like the shoulders and sleeves.)  With the muslin, the armscyes are very generous, so I didn’t need to make the sleeves.  I just had to sew the bodice and waistbands together.  Even after cutting a larger size, I still needed 7/8″ added onto the front and back of the waistbands.  Then I slashed the back bodice in three spots (dividing the back evenly) to account for the new waistbands and created a new back bodice piece.

With the help of hashtags, I found Jessica R. (@mom.maker.model) who had made a few woven Agathas.  She had some good tips and mentioned she had to add about 2″ to the length of the bodice (towards the side of the bust) to make room for the ladies (I am a B-cup and you would have to add more for any size larger.)  Since the bust is gathered, I didn’t have to add more width…but just evenly spread the gathers along the new front waistband.  I had to play with the gathers and the added volume a little bit until I found the fit I liked.  The V-neck is pretty deep and I ended up overlapping the front bodice pieces by 3/4″ for a little extra modesty. With the added length of both the waistbands, I then widened the skirt opening to match.  *The pattern doesn’t mention stay-stitching the waist opening of the circle skirt, but I would HIGHLY recommend it so your skirt doesn’t stretch while making this dress.

For Jessica, she didn’t need to add a zipper, but I definitely had to in order to get the dress over my head! This was such a mental challenge for me because not only was I adding in an invisible zipper, but with the light colored fashion fabric I was using, I also had to account for a lining…and adding pockets!  I really set myself up for a challenge…eek!  I ended up sewing the invisible zipper to the fashion fabric and then hand-stitching the lining into place.

While adding in pockets is normally not a huge issue (but all designers should add them to all patterns anyways!) I, again, had to account for a slight sheerness of this fabric.  The pockets had to actually go behind the lining so they wouldn’t be seen through the front of the dress.  I know some of you are wondering why I didn’t use the lining as the pockets.  But with the slash style, I wanted to use the same fashion fabric to blend the pockets right into the dress whether my hands are using them or not.  To account for this interesting issue, I left openings in the side seams of my lining so the pockets could pop back.  I’ve never seen something like this in a pattern and was proud of my MacGyver sewing idea!

FABRIC

I had this Rifle Paper Co. Citrus Blossom rayon challis in my stash for a good year.  I’m normally not a yellow person, but these prints are always SO beautiful and I definitely needed the color in my wardrobe.  When this collection first came out, I bought enough fabric for a shirt or maybe a short dress….but then I came back to it just a month or so later and bought more.  I’m so glad I did because this circle skirt style uses a lot of fabric!

With rayon challis, it is a light and breathable fabric. I love it for the summer since it has a soft cool hand and drapes well. However, it can be slippery and pretty shifty when sewing.  So I use my fine pins and end up using twice as many as I would with a quilt cotton.  My machine is pretty hardworking, so I also have to switch down to a 70/10 needle when working with rayon.

As I mentioned earlier, I had to use a Bemberg rayon lining in the skirt to keep the dress from being see-through. I cut the lining the same shape as the skirt, but cut off an extra 2″ off the hem so it wouldn’t been seen as I wore the dress.  While I was at it, I also added a lining to the waistband (along with light-weight interfacing) to keep it more structured for a lean look.  Luckily, this was also in my stash and it’s definitely a good fabric to have around to line lighter fabrics.

Overall, this was probably one of my most laborious makes with the added steps of a muslin, adjusting for woven fabric, adding pockets and also adding a lining.  After the wedding and 6 additional months, I can still say that all of this work was WELL worth the effort and I have all of the adjustments ready for a future dress!  I’m so happy with the wearability of the FM Agatha.  While it’s light and flowy for warm weather, I love that my shoulders are covered for those shots of extreme air conditioning in the summer.  Keep a lookout for a new one in 2022!!!

 

Hugs and Stitches, friends!

Cristy

 

This post may contain affiliate links.  You can read about my Disclosures here.  While I am a Fibre Mood ambassador, this pattern and the fabric was purchased by me and not part of any promotion.

M7429 Pine Crest Velvet by Love You Sew

Holiday Dressing with Stretch Velvet

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Nothing says “Happy Holidays” more than some velvet. There is just something about this fabric that conjures up feelings of wintertime mixed with luxury…especially in deep royal blue. Luckily, it is also one of the hot fabrics of the minute with odes to the 90s still in full fashion swing.

Fabric

The nap of velvet gives the fabric its trademark characteristic. The soft texture lends some weight, which makes it a great fall/winter substrate. With the popularity of velvet, there are a lot of options currently out in the market. There are non-stretch and stretch varieties which is great based on what you would like to make…whether it be a structured blazer, tights or a dress.

I was able to get this gorgeous Royal Radiance Velvet Spandex from my friends over at Pine Crest Fabrics. When they asked if I wanted to try out one of their velvets, I just couldn’t say no (even with a month full of other sewing commitments.) I knew that this velvet would be special since Pine Crest is a company that specializes in high performance fabrics…and friends, this Royal Radiance did not disappoint. You can find similar fabrics at Fabric.com here.

What makes this fabric incredible is the base cloth. I’ve made a few garments which you can read about here, using other Pine Crest athletic fabrics and I knew the velvet’s “wrong side” would be silky smooth…and it was! The 4-way 10% Spandex stretch made it ideal for a form-fitting dress and it has great recovery – so the dress keeps its shape. Even with the heavier weight of this fabric, it remained cool and breathable which is key when wearing this fabric out to a party.

Velvet Tips

  • Pay attention to the nap. Make sure it feels smooth running down the garment and cut pattern pieces with this in mind…because you know you will want to pet yourself!
  • If you do need to iron, use a towel as a pressing cloth to avoid crushing the pile. (There was hardly any wrinkling with my dress, so I luckily didn’t have to press often.)
  • There is a little mess cutting into velvet. Run a sticky roller on the velvet immediately after your cuts to keep the fuzz at bay.
  • Use a stretch or jersey needle with stretch velvet.

The Pattern

For my holiday dress, I used McCall’s #M7429. Variation B was exactly what I wanted for my stretch velvet. I wanted something more form-fitting, but NOT body-con. (I am not a skin-tight kinda gal.) This front knot and half-wrap design is perfect for camouflaging one of my trouble spots, but is also visually appealing. Only a solid fabric could really show off this design element and using my Royal Radiance just made it SO much better.

No lie…I was definitely tripped up by the knot. I was able to get pretty far with the limited illustrations and instructions known with the Big 4 pattern companies. Luckily, I found this video by Brittany Jones to help guide me through.

These Big 4 patterns also tend to allow more ease into their recommended sizes, so I was a bit concerned on what size to cut. I went with the pattern’s recommendation and feel like I could have probably gone down one size because there is quite a bit of fabric hanging under my arms and into the bust. The shoulders could be cut in 1″ on each side as well. Other modifications I made:

  • Graded out one size in hips down to the hem, including the back pieces
  • Narrowed the sleeves 1″ (folded) at the wrist and graded to the elbow
  • Shorted sleeves by an additional 1″
  • Increased hem by 1.25″
  • Deepened the neckline by an additional 1/4″
  • Tacked the wrap skirt into the knot with a few hand-stitches to keep it straight

What do you think about velvet for this holiday season? There’s still time to make this dress for Christmas or New Year’s!

Happy Holidays!

Cristy

*Fabric for this post was provided by Pinecrest Fabrics. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Fall Sewing: Alix Dress in Télio Rayon Slub

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After making a number of practical everyday garments likes jeans and sweatshirts, it feels good to make something that’s a little extra special.  I’ve been dying to make a Boho maxi dress for the days I want some statement style but still have a light relaxed feel.  Then Télio asked me to collaborate and I already adore their fashion-forward garment fabrics.  How could I refuse an opportunity after seeing this gorgeous border print?  The fabric along with By Hand London’s Alix dress pattern were going to be THE perfect match!

Fabric

The first time I used Télio fabric was here.  I was impressed with the high quality and how the fabric washes well.  So, it’s no wonder I fell in love with this Télio Kahlo Rayon (#39801) for its gorgeous double-border print.  Look how the three different patterns are layered to give an impression of a tiered dress without having to actually sew one!  It gives so much visual interest and I was able to play with the design with my fussy cuts of the dress pattern.

The fabric is 100% rayon with an incredible slub texture.  The feel of the natural fiber knobs adds to the character of the Alix Dress and Boho vibe.  As with all rayon, the fabric is still lightweight with beautiful drape and movement.  It is also completely opaque.  After adding linings to my last few makes, I’m happy to leave that step out!

Pattern

Initially when I chose this fabric, I wanted to make a long shirtdress.  But when I received it, I knew I wanted something else to show off this print.  After going through dozens of other patterns, I remembered how the Alix Dress caught my eye awhile back.  I’ve sewn up the Holly Trousers before and By Hand London writes up a great pattern.

I really love this dress silhouette.  It’s relaxed all over with a beautiful tie-back to show off the waist.  This allows a nice shape without having me look like I’m drowning in fabric….especially, when I’m petite.  The tie-back also allows for weight fluctuations, which is VERY much appreciated in a handmade wardrobe.

One of the features that drew me into this pattern were the peasant sleeves.  I have heavy arms and usually have to make a bicep adjustment with woven patterns, so the ease in the sleeves looked pretty attractive.  I ended up not having to make any adjustments to the sleeve pattern.  The darts at the top of the shoulder allow full range of motion.

However, I still did hack into the sleeve to change out the elastic casings.  I wanted a clean look and went for a slim button cuff with a 2″ long placket made with 1/4″ bias tape.  Since the cuff is only 1/2″ wide, I didn’t want to make a buttonhole and opted for a loop with my fabric covered button.  This a small detail, but I love being able to make my own custom buttons.

The other change I made to the Alix dress is the addition of pockets….because all dresses need pockets!  Amirite?  I used the in-seam pocket pattern from Christine Hayne’s Derby Dress (it’s my go-to pocket) and marked them about 4″ down from the top of the skirt.  If you ever wonder if you should add pockets, do it!  You won’t regret the extra work 🙂

Since I was working with a border print, I was limited to the 56″ wof and had to cut off 5.5″ from the skirt just to fit the pattern piece onto the fabric.  I was worried this would have to turn into an ankle or midi-length dress, but it was worth the sacrifice to show off the design.  For once, I was thankful for being 5’3″ because the dress turned out to be just long enough!  I created a 1 1/2″ hem and it just hits the top of my foot.  Phew!

There were two choices to either make a dart or gather the fabric under the bust.  I opted for the gathers and made sure to push them more toward the center of each breast.  This helped eliminate any sagging fabric around the sides into the bodice.

It maybe hard to see (which is good,) but I also added two fabric covered buttons to the front yoke.  My fussy cutting into the border left me with too much negative space right at the bottom of the V-neck.  Unfortunately, I didn’t have much fabric left and couldn’t cut out another piece.  So I made due with what I had and added the buttons to balance out the print a bit more.  Do you think it works?

I’m in LOVE with this make and it’s the perfect relaxed statement dress.  I can wear it with clogs (shown here,) flat booties and then sandals in the spring.  I’m thinking this may come with me to Thanksgiving….

Project Summary:

 

Happy Sewing Friends!

Cristy

 

Fabric was provided by Télio Fashion Fabrics for this blog post.  Pattern was purchased by myself and as always, all opinions are my own.  There maybe affiliate links in the post.  

Highlands Wrap Dress

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Yay!!!  I knocked off one of my 2018 “Make Nine” goals with this Highlands Wrap Dress by Allie Olson.  I haven’t blogged about all my completed projects, but I’ve sewn 6 out of the 9 patterns I selected the beginning of the year.  With just under five months left, I think I’ll be able to make everything on my list!  You can read all about my 2018 garment goals here.

I made the Highlands dress earlier in the spring, but just haven’t had a chance to blog about it until now (blame it on my kids and other sewing commitments!)  This dress has been worn on so many occasions already and has lived up to my expectations for sure.  The slim column silhouette makes my 5’3″ frame look so tall and the length adds to the sophistication.  I love how the Highlands dress covers the body, but still has a bit of sass with the high slit skirt and deep v-neck.

For the fabric, I chose this Telio stretch chambray with a crazy cute pineapple (!!!) print from Fabric.com.  You can see this dress, plus read up about this substrate on the original Fabric.com blog post I wrote for them here.  After a few months of wear, I can say the fabric still feels great and still has nice stretch and recovery.  However, I did have to wash it twice to get all of the extra dye out of it.

My wardrobe doesn’t have many short-sleeved dresses.  They are mainly long or sleeveless altogether.  So, I wanted to make the sleeved version so I don’t necessarily have to bring a cardigan with me everywhere!

I’m heavy in the calve area and I don’t like dress hems to hit me at one of the widest parts of my legs, so I’m not a “midi” length lady.  That’s why I also chose the maxi length.  After following a few people on IG who made this dress, it was safe to say I would need to shorten it by 5″.  But beware – There are two shorten/lengthen points on the skirt (one for the rise and one for the leg length.)  Make sure to shorten at the lower of the two lines or you end up raising the slit like I did. (Doh!)  That was one mistake I made which I didn’t realize until I had a slit high up my thigh!  Since I already sewed on the facings, I had to hand-stitch the slits together a few inches.  That was a hard lesson learned!

What I love about this wrap dress pattern are the two button tabs (one inside and one right under the ties) to keep the bodice secured.  If you have ever worn a RTW dress that just uses ties, you know that they will end up untying at the most inconvenient…er..most embarrassing times…even when you double-tie.  I know I’m not alone here, right?  With the two tabs AND the tie, this wrap dress feels VERY secure.

Project Details:

  • Pattern:  Highlands Wrap Dress by Allie Olson
  • Fabric:  Telio stretch chambray
  • Sizing: I measured 6 in the bust and 8 in the waist/hip, but made a straight 6 so there wouldn’t be as much bunching around the back elastic.  I also used a 10% stretch fabric.
  • Alterations:  Shortened skirt by 5″
  • Thread: Gutermann Polyester
  • Machine: Juki TL-2010Q

 

Happy Sewing!

Cristy

This post may contain affiliate links.  If you make a purchase, I could receive a small commission which helps to keep this website going.

Feliz Pattern Blog Tour

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I love Straightgrain patterns.  That’s it…’just gonna put it out there.  You know I can’t stop making girls’ dresses and An’s designs are always at the top of my list.  She creates children’s garment patterns with beautiful clean lines and they are just so chic!  You can read about my previous Nova dress here. 

Straightgrain patterns always includes several variations to give you a number of different styles and the Feliz is not different. You can choose from a PDF or paper pattern from her online store here.  With the pattern, you can make a tunic or dress with 6 different sleeve options, two different back closures, and two different skirts.  It’s great to get so much versatility out of one pattern and I think An’s are a great value for all which she provides.

Of course, I picked the dress version. I make all my dresses as gifts (since I’m a boy mom) and dresses count as a full outfit 🙂 It makes me happy to work on a tiny garments (purely because of the cute factor) and my nieces are happy to get some custom clothes.

Did you see the flutter sleeve options?  SO cute!!! The soft waves are so feminine and really soften out this silhouette. It was hard for me to choose between the narrow and wide options. But I settled on the wider for just a little more arm coverage.

With the back of the Feliz dress, I knew I wanted to make a button closure. But instead of buttons, I used KAM snaps. I have quite a collection in my stash and they make for very quick dressing and undressing.


I happened to have Cotton and Steel’s yarn dyed gingham in Sky and was able to make this dress with just one yard of it!  There wasn’t enough left for lining, but Kona Snow worked in perfectly.  I’m so glad I saved the fabric from becoming a scarf (like I initially planned) because the Feliz is just the such a darling pattern and pairs well with this sweet fabric.

I think my model agrees! She would not take off this dress after our photo shoot.  Can you blame her at all?  I’m thinking I need some gingham love in my wardrobe soon…

The sizing is spot on with this pattern.  My model is a 3T for length, but is still pretty slim, so the 2T fit her well…and of course, I pre-washed all the fabric so there is no surprise shrinkage.  The dress hits her at just the right spot on the knees and is the perfect for some playtime!


I like the lift on the sleeves with a woven fabric.  It adds a little more drama 🙂  But if you used something lighter, like a double-gauze, it would be more draped.

I really love the versatility of this pattern and can’t wait to make a few more!  What combo would you make?

If you need even more Feliz eye-candy, please check out #felizpattern on social media and visit all the bloggers part of the blog tour:

Happy Sewing Friends!
Cristy