OOP Style 2195 Frock for Beatrix

I apologise for the photo heavy post but...
I just made Trixie the prettiest dress.

Trixie is growing so fast and her last posh frock was getting a bit small.

Awww, Tiny Trixie.

We chose OOP Style 2195, a circa 1978 vintage pattern.

Even though we are coming into Summer, the fabric is so light, I decided to go with long sleeves. I couldn't resist the shoulder ruffles (I am a sucker for ruffles)

I decided to self line the bodice, placing the pieces wrong sides together and then treating as one.

The skirt would have been too grippy to self line (plus I didn't have enough fabric) so I used the leftover Bemsilk from Tilly's posh frock (to be blogged).

The time I finished the two skirts separately, the placed the wrong sides together and basted together at the skirt top.

I zigzagged the back opening edges together almost all the way down the opening. I leave a gap at the bottom to poke the end of the zipper through. The zipper is installed after the main dress is completed.

I used an invisible zipper, although not a fan (I have problems with them breaking) but it was my best colour match.

I was also concerned the fabric would tuck and look unsightly with a regular zipper.

I hummed and hawed (and Marco Polo-ed my sewing mates) over what to trim it with.

A black and white gingham bow, three little black buttons at the neck, a stem stitched fawn outline on the front?

 In the end, I decided on a simple, grey, grosgrain sash and a little silver 'E' charm.

On to the fabric.

It is a baby muslin, an unusual colour, not brown, not pink, sort of a mixture of both.

It features a tiny fawn print, in black.

Trixie found it in the remnant bin at Spotlight and was entranced.

It was not the easiest to sew, it puckered and stretched very easily and I am not entirely sure it was meant to be a dress fabric. I think it was meant for baby wraps.

It may fall apart at the first wash.

Or it may wash like a tea towel.

But Trixie loves it so much, I just don't mind a jot!

~Trixie's Verdict~

I like the reindeer, I like the reindeer a lot. I like the reindeer on the mask, I like the reindeer on the dress.

I like the mask, a lot, Mumma, a lot.

I like the colour, it is like a rose.

I like the feel it is soft and softer than my old dress.

The petticoat (lining NMK) is swishy and feels nice.

The is a good dress for going to Town.

~My Verdict~

This is such a lovely pattern. The chest ruffles are so pretty and the full sleeves are elegant but perfectly play appropriate. 

The four panel skirt has swish but not excessive amounts of fabric.

I did run into a problem when attaching the bodice to the skirt, I had over an inch too much bodice. I am not sure whether the fabric stretched out ( it was incredibly delicate to handle) but the bemsilk lining was too big to and that would not stretch....

I am really not sure so I made a note on the pattern and will check the pattern pieces. To rectify this, I gathered the bodice, at the side seam, between the ruffles, at each side and then slowly basted the bodice to the skirt. With the sash in place you really cannot notice it.

The fabric was challenging. It tucked and twisted and Trixie had not been so excited to wear this dress I may have put it aside.

It did make a lovely face mask though!

I used this pattern by Atelier Scämmit 

As I was sewing the dress, South Australia was in a strict 6 day lockdown and face masks were mandatory. It was quickly discovered that a chuckle head had lied about his employment and the restriction was relaxed. 

I think I will still sew masks with the scraps of my garments as I am sure they will be used.

Thank you for reading and stay safe..... xx Nicole

 

OOP KwikSew 1235 jumper and tee, and Mini Hudson pants for Trixie

 

There are two patterns that live permanently in my cutting trolley.

Kwiksew 1235, a very cute 1980's pattern with puff sleeves and ruffles.

This jumper (and tee) is a great scrap buster as it is quite slim through the arms and body and not overly long. The ribbing band adds length.

True Bias Mini Hudson pants.

I keep them close to hand, as they are drafted in small sizes, perfect to ninja cut up those scraps when you are making a larger garment.

As I am cutting a small size, I find if I lay out the pieces when cutting another garment I can jiggle more bang from my fabric buck.

This pattern would be my most frequently sewn pattern and I always try to ninja cut as you waste very little fabric that way.

*PS save those scraps when you are cutting tees for the pocket bags on Hudsons, they are less bulky than cutting from the main fabric.

I have made both these patterns before, for Trixie, and they are well loved and worn frequently.

We have spent a lot of time at home this year so leisure wear has been the go to outfit.

This little ensemble was put together from the scraps of an outfit I was sewing for Jed. (To be blogged)

Trixie LOVES matching Pops!

The fabric for the jumper is a remnant from Bull Rush  , back when the lovely Kerry used to sell off her fabric.

It is a lovely, thick, unbrushed cotton knit in a gorgeous emerald green. The ribbing is very, very old. It came from my Mother's stash and I remember her buying it to make stripe-y stocking legs for cloth Strawberry Shortcake dolls.

The pattern directs you make wee shoulder pads from polar fleece but I omitted those. I may try them next time.

The silk screen is my plaid stencil kit which I purchased from Fabric.com. It's no longer self adhesive and I have to tape the letters in place. I have almost used up all my Plaid paint so I have been trying the Tulip paint from Spotlight. It is okay but does not have the colour intensity through the mesh of the stencil. I dare say it is meant to be applied to bare fabric.

Trixie chose the wording.

The wee shoulder ruffles melt my heart.

Trixie calls them her 'wings'

The Hudson's are sewn in some navy, cotton, un-brushed knit I purchased in bulk, from Lloyd Curzon in Adelaide.

I purchased a 25m roll fifteen years ago and needed an ABN to buy from them.

It is not overly thick but washes very well. Trixie is wearing track pants I made Hugo!

I sew a double elastic channel, leaving an opening in the back of the waist band for adjustments.

When constructing the waistband, I stitch the two short edges together, 1.5 cm then leave a 2cm gap, then finish sewing. Press the seam open and then fold in half and baste the long edges together. You just need to make sure the opening is on the inside when you attach the waistband to the pants.

Beatrix's tee is also from Kwiksew 1235, I cut it at the same time I was cutting Zara's Lekala polo  

I cut the size 6, which was the same pattern piece as the jumper, and it has lots of room.

The fabric is also Bull Rush, a very stretchy, thick cotton/lycra knit.

I didn't have quite enough fabric to make long sleeves so I sewed a casing and threaded elastic through it for a sweet puff sleeve.

I added an elephant iron on transfer, Trixie's choice, I purchased it from Spotlight where they are frequently on sale.

~Trixie's Verdict~

I love that tee, I hope I can wear it Monday.

I am happy with it, the elephant looks really cool.

I love the jumper, I really, really like the green colour. It makes me think of plants.

I like the trackies, I wear them to school, I feel really cool when I wear them.

~My Verdict~

I am not a huge fan of sports wear. If I am honest, I much prefer sewing pretty dresses. But, needs must!

I try and make the same effort with knits as I do with woven ie pressing, topstitching and trims, it makes for a more satisfying project for me.

It is a bit sad Trixie is almost in the largest sizing of this pattern, I will definitely use the ruffles and trims on a larger size Kwiksew.

I am a fan of 'ninja cutting'.

If you cut multiple patterns at the same time you can make the most of your fabric.

It's also a nice little challenge for your brain, playing fabric Tetris.

Thank you for reading .... xx Nicole 

OOP Simplicity 5538 Posh Frock for Matilda

 Hallo, I have missed you!

I think I have mastered the new Blogger....

And.... I have made Tildy a new posh frock.

*Let's take a moment to be astounded at how grown up she is all of a sudden*

The pattern is the vintage OOP Simplicity  5538. A floaty, youthful style from 1973 that is still very much in vogue now.

The fabric is a gorgeous, hail spot muslin with a deep, embroidered hem in a khaki green.

So soft and floaty!

I purchase it from a favourite eBay seller massdestash 

Do have a look, Andree is lovely and has some beautiful fabric for sale from her and her friends huge stash.

I have made a very similar style dress, for Elsa, a good six years ago.

So I knew the waist panel was interfaced but not lined which I was not happy with.

So I self lined with the fabric.

I also used a layer of Sheer-weft interfacing on the outside panel.

Because the fabric was so sheer and Tilly wanted some swish, I lined the dress with some good quality Bemsilk. 

I chose to lay my pieces, wrong sides together, and then treat them as one, it makes it easier to fit and adjust(in the future) as well as avoiding puckering and visible stitching lines from outside the finished garment.

The skirt was finished in the traditional, 'raw edges on the inside' finish and I 'tweaked' the invisible zipper to tuck it to the inside.

 The finished dress was so pretty!

I had enough of the embroidered hem to include it in the front, waist panel.

I chose not to do any topstitching to play up the 'bespoke' feel of the dress.

I am not a huge fan of invisible zippers. I find them too delicate and often have to replace them but I decided to use one for this dress and I was pleased with the result.

I applied a thin strip of interfacing alone the back edge before inserting the zipper.

Such a pretty, pretty dress.

(Photos taken at beautiful Port Elliot )

~Tilly's Verdict~

I love the short frilly skirt.

The fluffy dots and the gorgeous colour, I really like khaki. I love the embroidered style waistband and skirt hem.

I felt so very cool, grown up and pretty when I wore it.

I love the deep neckline but it still covered up my moles (Matilda is extremely sun smart)

I love the silk lining, it is floaty and very comfortable. I do like the arms being unlined as they are cool. (To wear)

It looks great with my Converse and other shoes.

~My Verdict~

I embrace every sew before Tildy becomes a teenager that wants to wear only t-shirts and cut off jeans shorts.

This is was relatively quick sew, as I remembered the waist panel that I disliked, from Elsa's dress, so I lined that from the beginning.

As I constructed the dress when Tildy was at school, the 'two as one' method of treating lining as main made a quick fitting when she got home very easy,

A lovely, lovely sew that I would happily make again.

Thank you reading.... xx Nicole