Simplicity 2588

Towards the end of last year, I was very lucky to have won a beautiful dress pattern from a competition run by Professor Pincushion, (a fantastic place for researching sewing techniques and viewing tutorials online),over on Facebook. I've just got around to taking it out and making it, I've had quite a lot of projects on the go in the mean time. Simplicity 2588, by Project Runway. A beautiful dress with lots of different design options.

And here it is! I should probably explain something here. Usually when I take pictures of clothes I make, I crop them to just show the dress. For several reasons. To just show the dress, and I guess I'm a bit shy too. But I've had comments about it looking weird with the head cut off, so I thought I'd leave my head in these, perhaps it looks just as weird! Anyways! I'm really delighted with the results of the dress.

Front View

I chose a really lovely fabric I saw in Hickey's Fabric shop, in Dublin. It was quite thick cotton, I'm not entirely sure of the exact name for it, but it is white cotton mixed with some kind of denim, I think. It's reversible, so the back of it is blue with white patterning. Which is great because it means that it is not see-trough like a lot of summer dress fabrics. It holds it's shape nicely and drapes well too.

Back View

I really enjoyed making this, it all went together smoothly and the pattern was simple to follow. I love the neck detailing, it's sweet and a little bit different, and it fits just right, which I'm pleased about. There are lots of details that come together and make it a really interesting dress. I chose to make it with the side tabs and I left out the pockets. With the tabs, I used the reverse side of the fabric, which is simply a negative of the front side.

Close Up View of fabric and tabs

 I think I'd definitely make this again, although I'd be slightely more adventurous next time. I'd add pockets and I'd change some of the design features, just to make a different dress. I like how the skirt is pleated. There is an option for sleeves, a full belt and a slim skirt so with a few different pattern pieces, I could have a completely new dress.

Side View

 I want to make a little shawl to go with it next. To wear it in the summer, even when the weather turns a little chilly. I'm so pleased with the results and will definitely wear it out. To see more pictures of the dress, and some other things I make, please take a look at my Facebook page and "like" it to keep an eye on what I'm making! And if you have any comments, I'd love to hear from you! :)

New Look 6704

I'm finished!! New Look blouse/shirt pattern 6704. I am so pleased with the results!!

I wanted to try something different. I've made a few dress patterns at this stage, and I wanted to test my skill by making something other than a dress. This pattern involved buttons and a collar and fitting sleeves, so I decided to try it out. I am so glad I did!

Although I chose a pattern that would allow me to try new things like adding buttons and buttonholes, I chickened out at the last minute and used snap fasteners instead. I tried out some buttonholes on some scrap fabric, and they just were terrible, so instead of ruining the finished thing, I went for the safe option! But they went in so well, and evenly! There's no gaping and I am so pleased that they went in!

The material I used was a lovely printed cotton. It's heavy enough, not too heavy, but not flimsy. It's a rich green colour, with little lime green circles with lighten it up nicely. The collar went so smoothly, and everything just went together like it should have! The pattern instructions were clear and I think this is the first thing I've made that didn;t give me any hassle while sewing it up.

I like a lot about this blouse, but my very favourite thing has to be all of the top-stitching!! I want to use it on everything from now on! It gives it a really fine, professional finish to the whole thing, I was so impressed at the difference it makes to the finish. I definitely want to try this again. I was expecting so much to go wrong with this project, but I honestly have to say that nothing did!

With the dresses and other things I've sewn before, which admittedly isn't much as I'm still very much a novice, I've been a little nervous to wear anything out in public. But I would easily wear this out as an everyday top, and be quite proud to do so! There are no darts, I didn't have to adjust anything, it just fit. With a little room, but not too much. With the nice weather coming in, I'm going to get plenty of use out of this top! :)
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