THE DRAPERY BLOG

One of the great things about sewing blogs is learning from the experience of others. Good and bad. In this occasional (well, we hope not too often!) series we will share our errors and disappointments. After all, mistakes are okay so long as you learn something from them, right? Friends, I (Jane) made a wadder. In international sewing parlance, that's a project you just want to wad up into a ball and throw across the room. I made a wadder, in silk. Gaaahh! Project: Colette Myrtle in woven fabric. Yes, it's all dodgy mirror photos for this one, which reflects (geddit?) how I feel about this dress. Mistake #1: Deviating too far from the pattern's recommended fabrics. Remember Fiona's Colette Myrtle she made in our Black Organic Cotton Ribbing? I wanted one; who wouldn't? But I thought I'd try a woven fabric. I tried on her black frock and the fit was large on both of us, but the fabric is quite heavy and has considerable stretch. So I made this up in ...

As soon as I saw the new Tessuti pattern, Alice , I knew it would be a great match for the  linens we have here at The Drapery . It's summery and loose fitting, perfect for linen weather. Alice can be made as a dress (with in-seam pockets - yes!) or the top. The pattern is a nice straightforward sew, with no closures or potential fitting woes. There's a decent amount of understitching on the bodice and arms, and the finish is worth every minute spent. I found the sizing in this pattern to be generous. I was on the borderline between small and medium according to bust measurements, but decided to go the medium to be on the safe side. Perhaps I should have used my upper bust measurement instead? In any case, next time (and oh, there will definitley be a next time) I will size down - perhaps even two sizes given all the lovely roomy gathers in this top.  Yep - there's a little too much room under the arms there! For this version of the top I used Vilnius Fog ...