That 50s Dress With The Collar {Vintage Anne Adams 2056)

Another irresistible choice from my rather large box (es) of gifted patterns. Oh how I love these old mail order patterns. Ordered from the newspaper and posted out to you in your size. I have 5 or 6 of these, all with a handwritten address on the front.

This one was a relatively quick sew, all over in a couple of hours. Like all old patterns, this one assumes you know how to sew so the instructions are vague at best. But it’s not a big deal, it’s quite an easy pattern (no collar stand!) and I changed the skirt to a basic gathered one which makes it even easier. I know from past experience that those narrower skirts aren’t my jam.

I added interfacing to the collar and facing pieces because that’s just what you do. The instructions didn’t mention it, but I’m not sure if that’s because sewists back then just knew too or it wasn’t a thing. When was interfacing even invented? Before that I’m sure collars etc had something in them (different fabric, maybe?).

Fabric is Birch Organic Maritime which was purchased locally from East Coast Fabrics.  This is it here if you’re keen for an online source. Funny it’s listed as very light weight because I feel like it’s a bit heavier than other quilting cottons I’ve used.

Was it a success? Well, not really. There are multiple fit issues and some weird drag lines. Part of it I was blaming on the fabric, but I have used quilting cottons for shirt dresses without a problem in the past, so I don’t know for sure.  The most obvious problem in the bust darts are suuuuper high. Also the bodice is a bit short so it’s sitting higher on my waist than usual. That’s a very strange problem for me as I’m quite short, so I generally have to shorten my bodices. The bodice has tucks too and I think maybe I’m just not used to the shape of them, I prefer darts. I do like the shape of that neckline and collar though. Plus mega angled pockets.

It feels simultaneously too big and too small in different places. So weird.  All in all, not the greatest but I’ve definitely made worse. I generally wear belts with most of my dresses, so that helps. I found a narrower one this morning which works better than the wide one in the images. If I don’t end up wearing it, I’ll save the skirt and add a waistband. If nothing else, Sid enjoyed his walk and the photos look pretty.

High five, buddy.

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That 70s Dress With The Frills {Vintage Simplicity 6396}

Remember those boxes of vintage patterns I was gifted? This dress has been sitting close to the surface of my MUST MAKE pile ever since they made their way into my home and heart. Isn’t it fun? I love the way it wraps around the bodice. And we all know I do love a good wrap. This one has a zip in the back, so doesn’t have any adjustment for food babies – it’s just a cool design feature. Actually there’s a number of different wrap variations in the 70s patterns I was given, they were getting creative back then. So there will be more. Oh yes.

I grabbed this leopard print chiffon (? I think) from the bargain table at Spotlight recently for the grand sum of $5/m – specifically with this dress in mind. I couldn’t remember exactly how much was required so bought 4 metres. As it turns out, I was slightly short on the bottom ruffle, but being a toile it’s not a big deal. I know, me making toiles again, who am I? But being such a fabric hungry dress, I didn’t want to waste 4+ metres on something that didn’t fit.

It looks like the bottom hem is so wonky hanging there, but I swear it’s not.

Obviously I made view without any changes (besides being one panel short on the bottom ruffle). Because it’s such a sheet fabric, I lined with cotton lawn – but not the full length. So I guess that’s a change too. You construct the dress bodice as you’d imagine, then the collar with frills gets added.

As you can see, my copy is for a 36″ bust. I do not have a 36″ bust, mine is more like 40 – 41″. Once again, I added 1.5cm to the side seams and hoped for the best. In the end I had to remove that because it was too big, especially around the back. So I could have just made it straight off the pattern without any adjustments. Again proving that vintage patterns have a heap of ease. And this is a dress that really has to be quite fitted, the ties don’t have any tightening effect on the back.

I did have this one in mind as another option for the wedding we’re off to in November, completely disregarding the fact that I get irrationally annoyed by most things halterneck. Especially when I have a camera hanging off my neck too. Halterneck bras and swimmers are a hard no, but dresses seem to annoy me too. I don’t get the same headaches, but I feel mildly uncomfortable.

I’d put up with it if I was totally in love with the dress, but the Sew House Seven Tea House dress is still the front runner (and I ordered some amaaaaaazing pink silk for another one today) so this one can be a back a plan if required. It’s still pretty cool. And I can wear it for a few hours if we have something a little bit fancier than normal to go to.

I’m glad I made it. I love how different it is, yet in a way still quite modern. Vintage patterns are funny like that. Take away the hairstyles, shoes and prints and you’ve got something that can be worn today without screaming “OMG LOOK HOW 70S I AM!’

I even did as I was told and did some hand stitching. I must admit, it does look a heap better that if I’d machined it.

I think a lot of the time with these old patterns, I just sew them simply because I want to. And I do truly learn something every time, so it’s worth it.

Round Two {Sew House Seven Tea House Dress}

You might remember my first version of the Tea House Top wasn’t all that successful due to my fabric choice. I vowed that I would make it again and here we are! I’m actually auditioning patterns for a wedding we have later this year in Samoa. An island wedding means the dress code isn’t very formal and because I’m also shooting said wedding, I need to be able to move around easily without worrying about what I’m wearing.

On its own this dress actually looks quite casual, but I think with the right fabric, jewellery, shoes and hair it would be suitable. I still have another couple of patterns to try though. I’ve still got a few months to decide but I’m trying to be more organised for the first time in my life.

So, fabric is Telio Crepe De Chine from fabric.com and the pattern is Sew House Seven’s Tea House Dress. I put in a sizeable fabric.com order last weekend and bought 4 yard lots of a few different fabrics specifically to see what would work best for this style of dress. Yes I bought some of the awesome Cotton and Steel tulip print rayon. I might even save that for the wedding version. Not sure yet.

If you read about my last version, you’ll recall I chose a really rubbish fabric and the front yoke facing nearly ended me. Truth is, the crepe de chine I chose this time wasn’t that much better for pressing and behaving, but I was more prepared. I decided to avoid the whole press and stitch down thing and just finished the raw edges with bias tape before stitching down. It’s still rough looking but not as bad as last time. Definitely less swearing involved.

I think the only other change I made was not tacking those sleeve cuffs up. I like the longer length. My V neck was more successful this time around too.

I love that there’s no centre back seam and the box pleat looks really neat. I cut the pockets on the bias so those little bees are flying in a different direction and don’t get lost in the rest of the dress.

I’m so glad I made this one again. I love it like I wanted to love it the first time around.

Hey Betty {Butterick 6413}

Betty because I was getting Betty Draper vibes after I finished this dress. Probably a more risque Betty, but Betty nonetheless. So I dragged on some red lippy and brought out the big black shades to channel her even further.

Isn’t it weird how one teeny tiny detail can mean the difference between strutting out of the house in your latest dress with all the confidence in the world or rocking in the corner of your bedroom with uncertainty?

This is one of those dresses! It’s only a keyhole right? But I still can’t decide. So strange for me. I generally make decisions in a heartbeat. Uncertainty isn’t my thing at all.

Let’s talk about B6413 anyway. I wrote it off when I first saw it because I assumed the top would be a nightmare to fit and the construction would be too much for my brain. Then I saw it pop up on a few clever women on Instagram and I was a bit more tempted. As it turns out, I couldn’t resist grabbing it when Butterick were having their $2.50 sale recently and I really wanted this one. Buying two makes the horrendous postage from the US worthwhile, right? Of course it does! I don’t know if these ones are even available on our shores yet, it seems to take forever for them to get over here.

So it turns out I was wrong. It’s fine, I can say it. The fit wasn’t a big deal and neither was the construction. And can I say what a relief it is to have a pattern envelope without eleventy billion different pieces and combinations inside? Very nice. Just the one dress without any variations. Of course I had to go ahead and do a gathered skirt because straight skirts aren’t my jam – which meant I only had to trace the bodice pieces, easy!

But this is another no bra dress. Do those sticky fillet thingies from the early 2000s still exist? Maybe they would work? Not sure. A regular bra definitely does not though.

When I first made it, the booby part (oh yes, I know all the technical sewing terms) was sitting too low. One false move and those wiiiide shoulders were heading south and the whole bodice was going to end up in a puddle around my waist. It all felt very precarious. After mucking about a bit, I decided the best fix was going to be taking a wedge out where the bodice meets the sleeve. Even though that meant unpicking all my hard work. WOE. I did it though. I took 2.5cm out of each one and it’s much better now. More secure. Less likely to end in a wardrobe malfunction. Actually, when I had it all opened back up I was considering working some bra cups into it, but I couldn’t figure out how to secure them without it being seen from the outside. I’m not sure how much of a difference it would have made anyway.

I haven’t told you about my fabric! I bought it from an op shop but wasn’t sure what it was. It’s very soft, like a lawn or voile. I assumed the squares were for quilting, but the good ladies of Instagram told me that they are handkerchief panels! How clever! Considering I have no use for 4 metres of hankies though, I decided it wouldn’t be a bad choice for this dress. If I hated it or it didn’t fit, no great loss. I still have over a metre of it left. I got a bit creative with my cutting. The fashion police might call the black band around my waist UNFLATTERING, but I think it’s interesting. See that bow tie look? INTENTIONAL. Proud of that effort actually.

I used the same fabric for the lining, which is mildly confusing but I had so much of the fabric that it seemed sensible. I marked the lining so I knew which was which when I was sewing. I added side seam pockets and laughed in the face of slip stitching. Forgive me. This is it inside out, which barely looks any different to right side out.

Size wise, I’m 41/32/41, which puts me in a Butterick 18 but previous experience tells me that I have to drop to at least a 16 (where finished measurements put me). My last Gertie Butterick was still too big at a 16 though, so I dropped to a 14 on this one. This isn’t the style of top that you want extra space in. It’s borderline at the waist (could be bigger) but there is still a bit of room in the booby part. I’m a D/DD too, so if you’re smaller in the bust you might find it a bit big in that part.

Ooh and if you’re wondering (I totally was) if there’s visible boob from side on, there is. Ha. Not a lot though and honestly, if someone is going looking for that, then they deserve to cop an eyeful.

Hooley dooley I can talk a lot. Sorry. I think I’m done now. And actually,  I’m done with the indecision too. I’m ok with this dress after talking about it so much. Bra be damned, I’ve talked myself around.

 

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Beetlejuice! {George and Ginger Sincerely Rylee Dress}

Sometimes it’s nice to step out of your comfort zone, right? My comfort zone generally involves sleeves and not self made, narrow binding out of slippy slidey rayon. But you know, horizons need to be broadened occasionally.

I can’t remember where I first saw the George and Ginger Sincerely Rylee dress, probably in one of the many FB sewing groups I’m part of. It’s not my usual style, but I really liked the look of it as it’s not something that looks particularly home sewn (not that there’s anything wrong with that). I knew it would be great as a beach dress. And I know I say that a lot, but considering we spend about 10/12 months of the year submerged in water here, beach dresses are something I wear a lot.

It’s another mullet dress (party in the back) and yeah, I hear you on the no bra thing. But again, swimmers or even a strappy bralette would look cool with it. Or just let the girls be free. I ain’t judging.

So even though the boho vibe piqued my interest, I couldn’t imagine myself going head to toe floral. I needed something drapey but a wee bit more me. So skull rayon from Spotlight it was. I’ll admit, I feel a bit Lydia Deetz in it, but I’m ok with the whole summer emo-goth vibe.

Did I mention that if you’re resourceful you can grab this pattern totally freeeeeee? Yeah you can. I did. You just have to get your searching fingers ready and find both the George and Ginger pattern group and Sincerely Rylee fabric group on FB. Both have half a code in their pinned posts, grab those and away you go to the G+G website.

Now, if you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you’ll know that PDF patterns aren’t my favourite thing (I failed cutting and pasting at preschool, I realise how ridiculous that sounds because yes, I sew), but you can get this baby printed as an A0 at your local Officeworks (or print shop, I assume). It cost me the grand sum of $4.10. Not bad for a free pattern. For that price I didn’t even trace it, just cut out the size 14 like some kind of rebel.

Shall we talk about all the ways I struggled with this dress? Lets.

Firstly, I sewed it yesterday afternoon, coming off the back of a huge, emotionally charged weekend away. I was tired. I should have known better. The pattern has two different skirt pieces. One is the top tier and one is for the bottom two tiers (which you cut 6 of, two joined together for the middle tier and four for the bottom tier. Yes, it’s very full and swishy). In my haze, I didn’t read the instructions properly and thought the top tier was for the top version of the pattern and the others were for the dress versions. Derp. Upon actually reading, that was more clear but I’d already cut everything else and didn’t have quite enough fabric left for that first tier. It was just long enough but not quite wide enough. So it’s not as full as it should be. I think it’s still wearable though.

The darts, they’re interesting. I’d already read in the FB group that some women had some gaping under the arms and a bigger dart is a good solution for that. I’m so glad I’d read that because I did make a wider dart and the gaping is very slight. It would have been bigger if I didn’t adjust it. But here’s the thing, I should have done a proper FBA because the darts are really short. I made the dress up as is and had to go back and extend those suckers as best I could with the armholes already finished. I almost doubled the length of them to get them in the general vicinity of my nipples. Not the greatest darts, but at least they aren’t pointing awkwardly to the sides of my boobs anymore. I’d say if you’re anything bigger than a B cup, you’ll need to adjust them. For reference, I’m a D cup.

The final hurdle was making all that narrow strapping behave itself. Which is all me and just a matter of practice. Easier to do out of something more stable like quilting cotton (not recommended for this dress as it needs more drape) than rayon. Cannot even begin to imagine the words that would come out of my mouth if I’d attempted it in something completely devilish like satin. Oh and the gathering and hemming on that last tier. Mate. My fabric was 135cm wide, which means that the last tier is 540cm. It’s never ending.

Despite the challenges though, I’m really quite happy with it. I love how flowy it is and the shape of the top. It’s nice to have a different style to wear and I definitely learned new skills. Mainly patience.

Party In The Back {Vintage Simplicity 6926}

You know I love a vintage pattern. Oh yes I do. It’s always a bit of  gamble picking them up at op shops because sometimes they incomplete or torn, but for 50c it’s worth it just to look at the cool illustrations on the envelope. I got so excited when I found this one because (a) it’s not that far off my actual size and (b) I am on such a pinafore kick right now. I think they are called a jumper in the US. And our jumpers you call sweaters. Confused yet?

I’ve actually been searching high and low to find a reissued version by one of the Big 4 pattern companies. Come on guys, do it for me?

The owl fabric is by Art Gallery Fabrics, most likely I bought it from Hawthorne Threads, but it was a while back (oooh – click on the link, they still have some!). I love it but was super paranoid about getting owl boobs due to the size of the print. I managed to avoid it though.

The buttons are fabric covered and another op shop find. I found a bag of mixed ones but didn’t have enough of the white for the front two buttons, so used pink instead. I wish there was ten of the pink ones because I definitely prefer them. The square white ones tip and tilt a lot and sort of remind me of chewing gum. I might end up changing them for something else.

Pockets!

I made version two and really didn’t change much at all besides cutting the front piece on the fold so I didn’t have that centre front seam. It would have been a shame to cut up the owls. I finished the hem with grey satin bias binding (which you can see peeking out in the pic above).

Fit-wise I cheated and added about one centimetre to each side seam after comparing the pattern pieces to my current dresses. Vintage patterns do seem to have a lot of ease. This one is for a 36″ bust and I’m about 40″. There is a slight gape under the arms but I’m very happy with the fit considering the hack job I did.

It does look slightly apron-y, but I don’t mind it at all. In winter I’ll be able to layer it with long sleeve tops and in summer it will be perfect as is. She will be known as my mullet dress, party in the back!

Killer Bees {Simplicity 8085}

I sat on the fence about this pattern for ages.

Pros: vintage reissue, cute as heck, very wearable.

Cons: No sleeves, fabric hungry, not a huge fan of the look of binding.

The decision was made after I popped into Spotlight earlier this week, three Simplicity patterns for $12. I had 5. This made it through as the 6th.

Pattern: Simplicity 8085 from Spotlight (such a horrendous website, can’t even find the pattern on it).

Fabric: Purchased a while back from East Coast Fabrics (another very rubbish website, excellent store, bloody lovely staff).

Pearl buttons and double fold bias tape were op shop finds a while ago.

(Side note: how freaking awesome is double fold bias tape?! I’ve only ever used single before. It’s eleventy billion times easier to get a nice even finish with double fold).

When I got home, I opened her up to check out the size of those skirt pieces. MASSIVE. I thought with the centre seam they’d be smaller pieces (and I’d cut 4 rather than 2). Nup. Centre front seam yes, side seams no. Oh. Let’s change that then, shall we?

 

(Disclaimer: this is my quick and dirty method. It’s probably technically wrong, but I don’t care because it worked).

First I traced off my front and back bodice pieces, then pinned the darts in place (as they would be sewn). I lined up the bodice pieces with the skirt pieces, overlapping the bodice pieces at the side seams. I then marked where the bodice side seam was on the skirt (you can see by my marking that this involved a bit of fiddling around, you have to curve those flat bodice pieces around to match the skirt). Then I marked the seam allowance either side and traced out my new front and back skirt pieces. It made them much easier to fit on the fabric and I was able to eliminate the centre front skirt seam by placing it on the fold instead. Hooray!

Side seams mean side seam pockets! Didn’t iron them. Forgive me. When I googled other makes of this dress, I didn’t like the look of the patch pockets (sorry guys). You can also see the horsehair braid I added to the hem for a bit of a kick.

Pearl buttons instead of snaps because pearl buttons. And they match the bee’s wings.

Sleeves! I added sleeves. Literally the sleeves from the Emery Dress with zero changes. Probably shouldn’t work, but they do. Isn’t sewing magic?

Let’s talk about the fit. I obviously made the short version because I already have a fair few dresses in the longer length and I wanted to be stingy with the fabric. I made the size 16, but cut the length at the size 22. The horsehair braid means the hem is pretty narrow, much like it would be if you use binding, which I was contemplating doing, but didn’t have enough.

I feel like the fit is pretty decent, especially without a FBA, but it does gape a bit in the back if I don’t do the waist ties up as tight as they can go. And even then, after wearing for a while, they sort of loosen a bit and I can feel the breeze down my back. If I pull it up at the shoulder seams, everything seems to fit a bit better, so that’s something to consider for my next one. I could take some length off the lower back pieces, but I’d have to re draw the wrap part higher because it is very close to the back band of my bra right now. Maybe a little snap there would help, but it won’t help with the gaping. Still very wearable though but I can see it becoming more of a beach dress for summer.

Still not convinced about that binding. I think next time I might fold it to the inside. Or use matching. But who can be bothered making all that binding? Not me. I’m not that dedicated.

I’ve been really mean and kept the image of the back until the very end. Because it’s that part that’s the rock star of this dress, right? Here she is!

 

 

Mmmm…mustard. {Emery Dress x Outback Wife Barkcloth}

I love mustard. Both the condiment and the colour. I also love barkcloth – I have some legit vintage stuff here that I’m a bit scared to cut into, which is very unlike me. Usually I’m all ‘Fabric is for cutting, you guys!’. But you know, this one is special and super old and it was still on the bolt.

I know you’re asking ‘what the heck is barkcloth?’, so to save you a Google I’ll steal from Wiki:

Barkcloth is a versatile material that was once common in Asia, Africa, Indonesia, and the Pacific. Barkcloth comes primarily from trees of the Moraceae family, including Broussonetia papyrifera, Artocarpus altilis, and Ficus natalensis. It is made by beating sodden strips of the fibrous inner bark of these trees into sheets, which are then finished into a variety of items. Many texts that mention “paper” clothing are actually referring to barkcloth. Barkcloth has been manufactured in Uganda for centuries^[1] and is Uganda’s sole representative on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists.^[2]

Today, what is commonly called barkcloth is a soft, thick, slightly textured fabric, so named because it has a rough surface like that of tree bark. This barkcloth is usually made of densely woven cotton fibers. Historically, the fabric has been used in home furnishings, such as curtains, drapery, upholstery, and slipcovers. It is often associated with 1940s through 1960s home fashions, particularly in tropical, abstract, “atomic” and “boomerang” prints, the last two themes being expressed by images of atoms with electrons whirling, and by the boomerang shape which was very popular in mid-century cocktail tables and fabrics. Waverly, a famed design house for textiles and wall coverings between 1923 and 2007, called their version of this fabric rhino cloth, possibly for the rough, nubbly surface.^[3] American barkcloth shot through with gold Lurex threads was called Las Vegas cloth, and contained as much as 65% rayon as well, making it a softer, more flowing fabric than the stiffer all-cotton rhino cloth or standard barkcloth.^[4]

From here.

The barkcloth I used is from fellow Aussie, Gertrude Made. What’s really special about the Outback Wife range is that the fabrics are named after rural women and each one has a story. I like that. The fabric itself is delicious and feels luxurious. It is on the more expensive side (if you’re used to buying quilting cotton), but keep in mind that it’s 150cm wide. I ordered 2.5m and got this dress out of it (and circle skirts are fabric hungry!) plus a little bit leftover.

Pattern: Christine Haynes Emery Dress

Fabric: Outback Wife Elaine from Layered Creations

Petti: Hell Bunny

I was late to jump on the Outback Wife bandwagon, even though I’d admired it since its release – but I just wasn’t sure about the floral print. I’m generally not huge on them, but I do make exceptions. In my uncertainty though, I missed my chance to grab the green colourway. It all sold out very quickly. Apparently there’s a new release coming soon though. If you like it, I’d advise you to jump on it. In the end, it was mustard for me. Which is cool, because I dig it.

So, my dress. The bodice is a straight up Emery, perhaps my favourite pattern in the whole world. Since my shape has changed a bit lately, I had to cut a new version of the bodice. It’s a 10, graded out to a 12 at the bust. I should have done a FBA, but I’m lazy and honestly the fit of this is pretty damn great. I’m happy with it. The circle skirt is from another pattern. I just lined the pattern pieces up to make sure they’d fit together properly. It was all very simple.

There is very little else to add about the Emery! I’ve made at least 10 of the suckers and there’s a reason for that – they fit well, I love the shape and they go together really easily. Now what else is a grown woman supposed to do with a circle skirt?

SPIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNN.

 

 

 

 

Where’s Wally? {Butterick 6453}

So, first things first:

Pattern: Butterick 6453

I’m not sure whether or not this is available in Australia yet, as of a couple of weeks ago it wasn’t in Spotlight – I bought it from the US. We always seem to be way behind other countries with our pattern range, damn Southern Hemisphere.

Fabric: Cotton/linen blend from Spotlight. It doesn’t seem to be available anymore, but in fairness I bought it around a year ago.

Apologies in advance if I make you cross eyed with all the foliage. The sun is blaring in every corner of the yard, so indoor photos it was. I thought matching the wallpaper would be cool, but in hindsight it’s just a bit weird.

Yes that is the worst quality printing on a pattern envelope ever.

Oh B6453. I loved you at first sight. Strange for me because I don’t really go without sleeves. Ever. But I loved the shape so much and I can always wear a cardi, right? RIGHT.

So sizing. I feel like it runs really large. My measurements put me exactly into the 18. Good start. But previous experience told me to check the actual finished measurements (they’re on the pattern pieces if you’re stuck). This pattern has 2.5cms of ease. Ok, so size down to the 16 and cut that sucker out, because I really think this style looks better more fitted. After I’d sewn most of it up, I wrapped it haphazardly around myself and it felt too big. Off with another 1.5cms at each side seam. In the end, it’s still a bit big for me at the waist (hence the belt) and it gapes a bit under the arms and at the back. Not so much that it’s unwearable, but next time I’ll cut the next size down.

 

Being the rebel that I am, I didn’t really look at the instructions. If you’re new to sewing, I’d definitely recommend it (and there’s also sewalongs for this pattern – I feel like most sewing bloggers have made at least one), but really, it goes together in pretty much the way you’d expect. I used an invisible zipper rather than the lapped version and also my skirt isn’t as full because I didn’t have a huge amount of fabric. I just cut the pieces the width of the fabric (150cm), I think I was short around 5cms, so not a lot. Also I’m wearing a petticoat in the photos for extra floof.

Because I’m a bra sewing junkie, I have plenty of rings and sliders hanging around. I used these heart shaped babies because I thought they’d look cool, but my plan backfired. I didn’t realise I’d need to adjust the straps so much, so instead of being the right way up on the back, they’re upside down on the front. I’ll shorten them next time. Actually, the most difficult part of the whole dress is turning those narrow straps. I have one of those gizmos for turning, but it was still a pain.

I generally line my dress bodices instead of using facing because I usually find them to be annoying, they flip up and move and get in the way. Not this one though! I really like the finish. It’s underlined and tacked down at the side seams and seems to stay in place really well.

Oh look, it’s my favourite angle!

The back is almost too low for me, it’s just about at bra strap height. I might have to bring it up slightly for my next one. And there will be a next one.

Secret Pajamas {Jalie 2805. Kinda}

This will probably be my shortest blog post ever. Basically I channeled my inner 5 year old and made a dress out of unbrushed fleece (I would call it french terry, but whatever. Sweatshirt fabric but without the fleece, just the little loops). If you were a child during the 80s, you had one of these for sure. Probably with a little flippy skirt and a cute animal on the front. My skirt is less flippy and the bison are probably less cute than the koala I had on mine, but I digress.

We are off to visit my husband’s relatives soon, which means a big drive. I wanted something really comfy to wear in the car and it also had to be warm as it will be dark and cold when we arrive. Pajamas. I pretty much wanted socially acceptable pajamas. I used Jalie 2805 which is a womens and girls t shirt pattern, cropped it at waist height and added two gathered skirt panels. Pockets too, of course. So easy. I paid special attention to the layout so I didn’t end up with bison boobs, the print is the perfect size and spacing to fall into that trap. The sleeves on the pattern didn’t have the cuffs, so I shortened them a touch and added them. It mostly went according to plan but I didn’t really consider the fabric’s lack of stretch (seriously, it was like sewing a woven – so easy), it barely has any. So the sleeves are a wee bit tight, but nothing that will ruin my day. Fabric is unbrushed fleece from Spotlight. I used my overlocker for most of it and it took me an hour from cutting to hemming. A super easy sew. Bring on the drive and maybe a nap.