A loose-fitting tent dress with dagger collar
Working from a 1970’s Style pattern, turning craft cotton to the job of dressmaking - here’s how I got on. Main lesson: oversized is still a fit….
TOTAL TIME COMMITMENT: 18.5 hours including toile (note this dress is unlined)
Toile (without buttons, lining, interior seam finishing, basting stitch removal or hemming): 7 hours
Cut out & transfer all pattern markings: 2.5 hours
Main construction: 5.5 hours
Lining construction: none
Finishings (buttons, hem): 3.5 hours
SEAM FINISHING & DECORATIVE EXTRAS
Around all raw edges – overlock
Handworked buttonholes
VERDICT & LESSONS LEARNT
Oversized is still a fit – while I might not need the kinds of amends that make a garment fit closely to my body, I still need to pay attention to things like dart placement and length, size of armscye, position of shoulder seam etc. If anything, the precision of these details is what makes it look purposefully oversized, and not just a baggy shapeless mess. More so than with fitted garments, I also found myself considering how elements like proportion, fabric drape and hem depth contributed to the overall visual and ensuring that these design aspects offered balance, purpose and structure to the oversized fit. Overall, I loved fitting this oversized garment; it was such an enjoyable experience where I could try out some pattern adjustment techniques and exercise my ‘design eye’ at the same time.
I adore this pattern and the finished garment. As a petite, oversized is a very tricky thing for me to buy ready-made – they tend to swamp me as they aren’t proportionate for petiteness - and has led me to believe it doesn’t suit me but this project has disabused me of that notion. Being able to proportion the oversized-ness for me personally, I now have a garment that suits me well.
I don’t like the instructions for the interfacing on the inside of the button placket, but haven’t figured out a better option.
VARIATION IDEAS FOR ANOTHER MAKE
Use the facings as a guide to make a version with a cutout back
Make this in a liquid, drapey silk (Crepe-back satin silk?! Dare I?!) with smaller buttons up the front
Eliminate some of the fullness in the skirt, turn the side seams into slits, and make it into a long tunic for a co-ord set with a matching pair of wide-leg trousers
Make it a mini
Other Sewing Projects in Cotton
A cropped jacket in cotton twill from 1980’s New Look 6007 pattern
Using a 1980’s cropped suit jacket pattern as the starting point. Details on total make time, adjustments, seam finishes, and lessons learnt.
TOTAL TIME COMMITMENT: 16 hours including toile (note this jacket is self-lined in the same fabric)
Toile (without buttons, lining, interior seam finishing, basting stitch removal or hemming): 6.5 hours
Cut out & transfer all pattern markings (both main fabric and facing): 2.5 hours
Main construction: 7 hours
Lining construction: none
Finishings (buttons, button holes, hem): none
PATTERN CHANGES
I added a waistband and cuffs – attach to the outermost layer, fold to the inside then stitch-in-the-ditch from the outside
Since I didn’t want to make this with shoulder pads (which the shoulder is designed for) but still wanted a ‘slouchy’ ovesized shoulder fit, I reduced the shoulder length by 2.5cm at shoulder head, grading down the armscye by 15cm
Since this pattern has no lining, I chose to self-line the bodice by simply cutting extra pieces of the main bodice, and applying them in reverse. This very neatly hides all the interior raw edges
SEAM FINISHING & DECORATIVE EXTRAS
Armscye – overlock together
VERDICT & LESSONS LEARNT
This is a fantastic loose fit on me, and is excellent without the buttons. It’s a brilliant summer jacket option in the cotton twill fabric – serves all the same purposes as a denim jacket but a bit different.
These sleeves were incredibly difficult to set in, but I managed it without a single pucker. I took a very long time gathering and pinning in place before sewing, then sewed from the side of the gathers to control that better. The extra careful effort was worth the smooth result.
One thing to note on fit, is that I still think the arms are a little too long for me, which is disappointing for a made-to-measure, and I think it is because when ‘sizing them up’ before sewing, I hadn’t pressed the cuffs down, so they were a little ‘springer’ and higher before sewing and pressing.
I think the cuffs and waistband I added were GENIUS – they really finish this jacket off for me, much more in-keeping with my style at the moment
VARIATION IDEAS
Add just two buttons at the waistband, double-breasted style single row of buttons
More 1980’s style
High-waisted trousers in linen-rayon blend
Working with a 1970’s Vogue Basic Design pattern, sewing a pair of single pleated trousers in loosely-woven rayon.
TOTAL TIME COMMITMENT: 25.5 hours including toile (note these trousers have been interlined)
Toile (without zip, buttons, lining, interior seam finishing, basting stitch removal or hemming): 12 hours
Cut out & transfer all pattern markings (both main fabric and interlining): 3 hours
Main construction: 9 hours
Lining construction: none
Finishings (hooks, hem): 1.5 hours
SEAM FINISHING & DECORATIVE EXTRAS
Outside leg seams – overlock together
Inside leg seams – overlock together
Pocket bags – overlock together
Crotch – overlock each side separately
Attach waistband - stitch-in-the-ditch
VERDICT & LESSONS LEARNT
This fabric was surprisingly difficult to work with, and very very wandering when cutting. I think it was the open weave. On the upside, it has made the most gorgeous pair of trousers – a lovely fabric for a fluid and classy drape
Interlining in the same fabric feels like a great idea! Added weight and depth to the trousers, without having to figure out a lining, or how a lining might change the garment drape. I would do this again, definitely
WAISTBAND THOUGHTS!!
For the first time, I didn’t fold the waistband exactly in half lengthways as the instructions tell you to, but just a little less than half on the outer side of the waistband, and a little more on the half that faces inside. This meant that the turned up edge on the inside easily covered the waistband seam and raw edges, and I could easily stitch-in-the-ditch on the outside without fear of not quite catching everything on the inside. This worked really well – I should do this on every waistband with similar instructions
This is the second made-to-measure garment where I have ended up with the waistband being too big by the end. I am not sure why this is – is it because the fabric has stretched slightly? Have I sewn a slightly smaller seam allowance? Due to the fabric wandering under the scissors, did I cut it too big in the first place? Not sure, but I have thought of three options to ensure a correctly sized waistband by the end:
Measure and draw out the waistband on the wrong size of the fabric with tailors chalk before sewing
Ignore the instructions and wait to sew the back darts until just before fitting the waistband; similarly, do not backstitch the side seams near the waistband so that I can unpick more easily if I need to take it in there later
Baste the waistband to the trousers before final stitching to check the fit
I sewed the belt loops in the wrong place, which also didn’t help with the waistband fit as it started to dictate the waistband placement – in the future, I need to ignore the instructions to follow the above steps first before applying the belt loops
Other Trouser Sewing projects
A drop-waist skirt from 1990’s Style 4987 pattern
Making a drop-waist skirt for a petite frame with high waist-to-hip ratio. Lessons learnt.
TOTAL TIME COMMITMENT: 28 hours including toile (note this skirt is unlined)
Toile (with buttons but no lining, interior seam finishing, basting stitch removal or hemming): 12 hours
Cut out & transfer all pattern markings: 2 hours
Main construction: 8 hours
Lining construction: none
Finishings (buttons, hem): 6 hours
SEAM FINISHING & DECORATIVE EXTRAS
Front to back skirt seam – French seam
Narrow double hem
Handworked buttonholes
VERDICT & LESSONS LEARNT
I have a high waist-to-hip ratio with a generous booty. Drop-waist skirts are not typically something I can buy ready-made so what a dream to be abl to make one for myself. I love the final product.
I also learned how to handwork button holes on this project and I’m so glad – this opens up many many more garment-making opportunities now, and it is something I have been putting off learning and the result is that I have shied away from some patterns.
This fabric I chose is a beautiful thing, and the resulting finished skirt is bold, dramatic, and holds its shape well. However, it is medium to heavy weight, and sewing several layers together means that some seams were both difficult to sew and a bit bulky in the end. In addition, the sturdiness of this fabric could also possibly accommodate a slightly more snug fit, as it won’t be stressed in the same way as a more delicate one would.
There are two interior seams that I had to leave raw as I couldn’t work out any better ways to finish them. One, I pinked; the other I left completely raw. I don’t think this skirt should have a lining so figuring out a neater way to finish the interior will take some thought.
I graded between size 14 and size 16 between the waist and hip line but the fit is still not absolutely perfect. I still find the waist is a little big and for some reason still unknown to me, I found that the yoke was too big for the waistband and had to sew the side seams again to a slightly smaller size before attaching the waistband. Perhaps next time I make this, I should just make the size 14.
I also learnt a little struggling to ease the fullness of the circle skirt into the bottom of the yoke – the pattern piece that needs easing can use a slightly smaller seam allowance and when sewing, I should always sew from the side of the fuller piece to control and prevent puckering.
My machine seemed to really struggle with the tension of the top stitching thread. It always seems the top thread was too loose with lots of loops showing on the underside. The topstitching thread gives great sheen but I might try the upholstery thread next time, see if my machine can handle it better
VARIATION IDEAS
I would like to try it again in a much more lightweight fabric (perhaps even a slightly sheer in a double layer?)
A wool dress from Givenchy 1970’s Vogue Paris Original 1950 pattern
Main lesson: get more knowledgeable about fabric weights and gsm…..it not enough to know the fibre…
TOTAL TIME COMMITMENT: 31.5 hours including toile (note this dress is unlined)
Toile (without buttons, lining, interior seam finishing, basting stitch removal or hemming): 12 hours
Cut out & transfer all pattern markings: 5 hours
Main construction: 10 hours
Lining construction: none
Finishings (buttons, hem): 5.5 hours
ADDITIONAL SEAM FINISHING, CONSTRUCTION NOTES & EXTRAS
4x side seams, armscye & pocket bags – bias bind together
Pocket-to-dress seam – French seam
Underarm – French seam
Shoulder seam – bias bind each side separately
Sleeve seam – French seam
Handworked button holes
VERDICT & LESSONS LEARNT
This fabric I chose was a poor choice for both my petite frame and personal style – it felt too dark and heavy for me to wear as an all over colour, especially in a loose-fitting dress like this. I felt my frame was ‘weighed down’ by both the colour and weight of the fabric.
In addition, it was ill-suited to the dress design in two ways; it was quite thick for the tucks which added lots of bulk to the bodice; it was heavy and structured so lacked the fluid drape that I think this design is better suited for.
When a panel is going to be button-holed (like the front of this dress), the interfacing should blend into the fabric colour-wise, otherwise it will show through when you cut for the button holes
Other Wool Sewing Projects
