Whoa! OOP Butterick 4243 Tilly does it again.

Do you remember Tildy's fabric choices during our latest trip to Melbourne?
She has done it again.

Tilly loves colour, she loves clothes, she has a lot of fun planning outfits.
I gave her free rein in the remnant bin at Eliza Fabrics and she picked up some wild stuff.

This fabric is a neoprene, digitally printed with a snakeskin print over aqua background...

The deal is, she chooses the funky fabric, I get to choose the patterns.
I offered her a few vintage pattern choices and she liked this one.

Tilly is all about the sleeves.
Fabulous sleeves (or 'fabbalus' if you are Trixie)
There was just over a metre of fabric but it was printed down the middle so there was a uneven white strip down each side.

I could have made it sleeveless but it is a very warm fabric, not really a sleeveless type dress choice.
Tilly was open to a contrast and I had a scrap of coral pink neoprene in my stash.
The neoprene from Eliza Fabrics was a much nicer quality than the Spotlight stuff. Much like the digital printed fabric from Tilly's last dress it is lovely stuff, I would love to know their source.

The lace collar is a cheap-y off of eBay. I had purchased them for 'Oliver Twist' costumes, they were around the $1 mark.
I felt the dress was very 'busy' around the face and was wondering what to do when I had a Tim Gunn flashback.
I remembering him telling a young designer to tone down a busy fabric with a lace over lay.
Now, how can adding more tone it down?
I have no idea but it seemed to work and Tilly loved it!

I used a scrap of the coral neoprene to ad a piping band between the dress bodice and the full, circular skirt.

It is a pretty wild dress.
Lidia helped her style it with her biker boots and black ribbed tights.

Tilly loves it!

The sleeves are fabulous.

~My Verdict~
I love the pattern, this skirt is so full and twirly and the sleeves are divine.
I very much look forward to sewing it again.
The pattern was very old, no pattern marking stamped, just some holes perforated in numbers but it was pre-cut.
The instructions were good.
It is a size 8 and a good length on Tildy (age 9) but too full through the body. She definitely has room to grow.
I do not like this dress, I just don't. I don't dislike it as much as I thought I would but it is not my thing at all.
I noticed Tilly pulls it out to wear to the city but firmly rejected it for Casual Day at school (uniform free day, usually last day of term).
The  printed material was $5, the notions and fabrics  were from my stash, so there was little outlay.
Sewing for my children can be tricky. I would love to give them full carte blanche but they can choose things that I know won't work/they won't wear/unpractical.
It is a definite collaboration most times but every now and again, you just need to sew the out there piece.
That you don't like.
But they do...

~Tilly's Verdict~
When I saw the fabric at Eliza's I thought wow I really would like that and when I saw the pattern I just said yes please!
When mum started I was so excited .
When it was finished I was just so excited.
I love wearing it to Adelaide but don't wear it so much in Tintinara.

Thank you for reading... xx N

Lekala #5204 #5638 for Zara

Zara asked me to sew her a new outfit for the first day back at Uni.

Super cute, isn't it?
You won't believe the pattern she chose...

Lekala #5204 which is designed for a sequinned fabric.

But Zara requested corduroy.
I picked up 4 metres of this honey coloured cord in an Op-shop in Bendigo for $2.

The original dress is quite fitted but Zara wanted it to be more of a shaped, pinafore style so we just added a few centimetres ease to her measurements before printing the custom fit PDF.

We knew it would be way too long so we cut the pattern back but left a generous hem which I hand sewed up for a nicer finish.

The under shirt is another Lekala custom fit pattern.

Although the body fit was spot on, the neck was super high and is just turned and topstitched. 

Neither of us liked it so I cut it off and made a separate neck band.

It is sewn up in poly/cotton ribbing, all of it!
I wasn't sure about the durability but Zara says it is washing up a treat!

I had previously sewn the pattern up in stretchy mesh.

It makes a cute little sheer top over a lacy bra.

~Zara's Verdict~
This white T is exactly what I had in mind when I asked mum to make the perfect, white, versatile T.
It is the perfect fit, nicely snug around my arms and torso but not too tight.
I love the higher neck and the fabric chosen.

The pinny is just too adorable, the pattern and the fabric just work together so well. It is such a cute fit and looks cute over the white T.

~My Verdict~
I love Lekala when sewing for Zara. Although she was home when I sewed this outfit she isn't that often.
I did check the fit but it was perfect (apart from the neck of the tee which blind Freddy could see wasn't going to work)
There is no way I would have chosen that dress to be sewn as a pinafore but it is not the first time the girls have challenged me, sewing wise and been proved right!

Thank you for reading xx N

Aime Comme Marie Mister for Hugo

Just a few shirts for Beamish Boy...

The Aime Comme Marie Mister shirt

Which I have sewn at least 13 times.

I have the cutting out down pat, from 2 metres of Liberty I can cut a shirt for Hugo....

A 2+2 blouse for Trixie 

and a lovely, good sized, baby bib.

Little Things to Sew baby bib. 

I have my sewing time down to six hours flat.

Spotlight linen/cotton with lawn facings.

First I interface the cuffs, both sleeve plackets, the front placket, one side of the collar and one (or both if lawn) of the collar bands.

Christmas 2017

Then I sew the front plackets, the collar, baste the neck bands, the cuff edge, sew the back yokes together, sew the back darts and pre-iron and sew the first step of the sleeve plackets in place.

Liberty Capel

Back to the ironing board and press all the sewn edges, trimming the seam allowance from the top neck band after pressing the seam allowance along the basting line.

Liberty Wiltshire

Then I sew the cuff pieces, sew the second step of the sleeve plackets, sew one of the back yokes to the back piece and top stitch the collar after basting the raw edge together.

Spotlight Japanese lawn

Back to the ironing board...
Press all sewn seams and then sew the second yoke and the next step of the sleeves placket.

Liberty Capel

Iron again...
Press the back+yokes seam and top stitch, sew the sleeve pleats in place.

tosser

Sew the shirt fronts to the back with the twisty burrito method.

Spotlight Japanese lawn

Press and top stitch seams, press again and then stay-stitch neck band from the centre back to the front, taking care not to stretch the neck.

Pin and sew the sleeves to the body and the inside neck band to the neck.

Trim the seams, press the collar seam up and clip into the curve of the sleeve and then over lock.

Press the seam towards the sleeve, pin the collar to the neckband.
Top stitch the sleeve and sew the collar.

Pin the side seams, pin the top collar in place marking the sewing lines at the edge.
Sew both.

Trim the collar and turn pressing and pinning in place.
Trim the side seams and clip under arm curve.

Topstitch the collar and over lock the side seams.

Pin and sew the inside cuffs to the wrong side of the sleeves.
Press and pin a narrow, double hem, sew.

Press the hem, press the cuff sleeve into the cuff, flip and top stitch.
Another good press and then buttons and button holes.

Done!
If I have someone to mind Trixie I can sew a shirt in under six hours.

I absolutely love sewing this shirt. It fits Hugo perfectly, it is a joy to make. After coat sewing, shirt construction in my absolute passion.

Thank you for reading xx N