Maca-ny Peo-ron: A hybrid dress!

It’s done, finished, and I’m pooped. 

Not my dress - That’s been done and photographed for a week or more! I’m talking about my classroom. I’ve spent 10+ hours a day working on school prep for the last two weeks, and I’m finally out of time… which means I’m done! I have a long weekend ahead of me, and I refuse to do any work (ok, well, not more than a few hours, at least!) I’m so excited about the year ahead, and I can’t wait for some of the fun stuff I have planned. But for now: Rest! 

Which of course, is code for sewing and blogging! As I said, it’s been done for a while: My Macaron-inspired Peony, aka. The Maca-ny Peo-ron! 

You see, I’ve been really missing all the fun of the Colette Sewalong lately… It was so fun sewing this spring from the handbook because once we bought the book we had all five patterns ready to go. Now that the Sewalong is working through the catelogue, it’s a lot harder to justify the $20+shipping for each pattern! I didn’t buy either the Hazel or the Macaron… but darn it, I want to play along too! 

So I faked it! This is my 4th Peony, and I’ve changed the pattern every time, so that by now it barely resembles the original! To get a Macaron-inspired bodice, I used the contrasting curve pieces that I drafted for my Two-Tone Sorbettos. It’s high in the front, and curves low in the back. For references, here’s a collage of all the Peony’s and contrast Sorbetto’s that I’ve made this year: 

Gee, can you tell I like bright prints??? All but one of these garments was made of quilting cotton, and I have to say, I’m happy with the results! Do you sew with quilting cottons? I know it’s a big no-no for some people… but I like to think it works with some patterns!

As usual, I skipped the zipper… and I swapped out the sleeve for the Sewaholic Alma cap sleeve. (Remember I used it on the Go Anywhere dress too? I love that sleeve! And speaking of Alma’s, mine is 5 min away from being done… I can’t wait to finish it tomorrow! Love that pattern already.) 

The fabric is Anna Maria Horner’s Field Poppies, which is a very unexpected combo of turquoise, lime, purple, red and brown, but somehow I love! For the contrast part, I toyed with the idea of doing a bold red, but ended up going with the same robin’s egg blue that I used as contrast in - you guessed it! - the Go Anywhere dress! I’m a big fan of repeats, what can I say? 

The fabric is SO bright though that I wasn’t quite sure how to accessorize it! My photos are a bit washed out (Sorry!), but you can see that I tried it one 4 different belts… but I’m not sure any of them are a great match! Maybe with a different necklace? I like it ok unbelted though, so we’ll see how I actually end up wearing it! 

Tragically, in the last 30 seconds of sewing, I took a chunk out of the back bodice with the serger! GAHHHHHHHH!

Can you see it? (Of course you can!) Right about the centre skirt seam you can see where I bodged together a fix: I patched another piece of fabric over the whole from the inside, didn’t quite line up the print properly, and then did a messy zigzag over the edges is somewhat-matching fabric. It’s pretty bad… but I won’t see it when I wear it, so who cares? 

(GIGANTOR!!!!)

So there you have it: My Maca-ny Peo-ron. I love the dress… but I’m feeling strangely guilty about it all. I felt the same way when I adapted the Truffle dress into a Ginger-esque skirt: Like I’m cheating Colette and somehow letting people down. I would have bought both patterns if I could afford/justify them… but until I’m rolling in dough (in some mythical future), I’d rather spend my money on fabric than new patterns. I don’t want to annoy people in the Sewalong though (Hi Sewalong peeps!), by posting a knock-off… but then didn’t many of us learn to sew so that we could make whatever we wanted and personalize our wardrobe? My dress really doesn’t have many of the Macaron design elements: different skirt, waist, sleeves and design line! I can’t quite figure out WHY I feel so guilty, but I do. 

Help me, dear sewists: What loyalty/ownership do we owe indie pattern companies? Is it ok to copy design elements from wherever you find them, or is it somehow different to copy Modcloth and Anthro than it is to recreate Colette? When drafting your own patterns, what is ok?

Simple Sewing

I’ve been investing a lot of creative energy in a new project lately - Setting up my classroom for September! I’m teaching a new-to-me grade, in a new school, and cleaning out a LOT of old resources to make way for all the new ideas I want to try. It’s my 5th year teaching, but I’ll be using a completely new teaching approach for both math and language this year. On top of that, I’m trying to incorporate play-based learning (like in Kindergarten) into my Grade 1 classroom. Eeeek! 

As a result, my sewing has been improvised, sloppy, and all about quick gratification lately! That’s really how I sew a lot of the time, but the reckless abandon (with accompanying adreoline!) really increases when I’m stressed. It sounds bad, I guess, in this land of careful, meticulous sewists, but it’s how I roll! :P

Here are two t-shirts I made from my stash, both entirely inspired by other bloggers! 

#1: Remember this awesome diagonal striped Renfrew from Me Made May by SewTell?

Now I have one of my own! 

I used some thin slubbed stripe knit from Fabric.com that I already used to make my Mom a similar top. I used the same traced-from-RTW pattern that I used to make this floral top back in June. I love the kimono sleeves, which are comfy in any weather. All the edges are bound like a Renfrew. 

#2: An how about Crab’s recent colour-blocked refashion? 

A few days later I had one of my own! 

I whipped this one up with a bright pink stable knit remnant from my sister’s MIL and a leftover piece of eggplant-coloured bamboo jersey that I used to make cowls. If I had planned better, I would have placed the seam higher on the bust when I cut the pattern, so that I had enough purple to bind the neck. Oh well! Unfortunately, when I first tried the shirt on, the heavy stable knit pulled down the purple until the seam was *right* on my apex… and it gradually sagged even lower! Not a good look, as picture #2 demonstrates, so I serged about an inch off the horizontal join after the whole thing was finished. Now at least it’s wearable! :) 

Have you ripped off been inspired by anyone lately? 

Annie Bee's Cambie Dress!

Voila! It’s finally finished! My sister asked me to make her a Cambie way back in May - She bought the fabric and the pattern in June, and I… I got it 75% finished and then left it on the dressform for a month! 

It’s finally finished though, and I’m relieved to report that it fits perfectly! Anne says she normally has a tough time finding tailored dresses that fit her hourglass figure, so I was really happy that the Cambie fit the bill! 

Of course, we did make some alterations! When I did a practice run of the pattern for myself back in June, I changed the bodice into a princess seams so that it would be easier to to do an FBA for Anne. For her, we raised the waist an inch, and used Tasia’s tutorial for a straight neckline. 

The dress is made from a light grey linen, with the bodice lined with thrifted bedsheet and the skirt lined with, well, lining! 

 I love the Cambie in some ways - It’s so well planned, and it’s a beautiful shape. On the other hand, I hate not knowing if it will fit until the very end of the sewing process! I usually sew really simple garments in bright prints that hide all manner of flaws, so sewing a more complex pattern in a solid colour was a bit of a challenge! Seeing it on Anne makes it all worth it though… which is good, because we already bought fabric for a second version! 

Cottage Time!

By time you read this, I’ll be here: 

(Well, not that cottage exactly, but in fact, a better one!) 

Every year, Jamie and I join some friends who rent out a massive 100-year old cottage on a beautiful lake. It’s my favourite part of the summer, even though it usually marks the transition into work and autumn. I’ll be in at school the day after I get back… but man, those three days at the cottage will be GREAT!

In preparation, I finally got around to refashioning a plaid shirt of Jamie’s. I’m really craving cosy clothes, and this was a cheap was to make myself something new!

Honest truth? It was so much harder than I expected! It always looks so easy when other people refashion menswear, but man, this was a challenge. I used body pieces from the Sewaholic Alma blouse, since I had them all traced out.. but decided not to do the vertical darts. 

The thing is, Jamie is so tall that the original arm holes went way lower than I wanted my new ones to go. I ended up doing a ridiculous patch job in the underarm just to bring the armscye up higher! 

I took the sleeves and sleeve cuffs in, and did a terrible botch job recutting and insetting the sleeve… and somehow the horizontal darts ended up at my waist! Ummm, shapely! 

But damnit, it’s comfy, it’s cosy, and I’m excited to lounge on the dock in my brand new plaid! 

Have you ever refashioned a men’s shirt? How did you find the experience? 

Go Anywhere: Anywhere sunny!

When I started this dress, it was hot and sunny every day… and since I’ve finished it, we’ve had nothing but cool rainy days! I finally gave up and took some pics on a cloudy evening… not the tropical shots I wanted, but at least I can blog and move on! 

So: The Go Anywhere Dress. I wanted so much to love this pattern! And in the end, I… like it? I had the depressing experience of being too big in the tookus for the XL size, so  I dutifully drafted the princess seams a little bigger… which somehow made it huge. The princess seams on the side and back are easy to take in though! 

Just for fun, I colour-blocked the side panels with some robin’s egg blue. I think it really helps to break up this busy, bright print!

I wanted a small sleeve to balance the hips without being too bulky under sweaters, so I tried out Gertie’s band sleeve tutorial, which I’ve had pinned forever. Somehow though, I ended up with Star Trek sleeves! 

Eeek! I ripped it off, and used the cap sleeve pattern from Sewaholic’s Alma blouse instead. It worked perfectly! 

Overall thoughts? I’ll definitely make it again. I think a wool or chambrey version would be nice. It was quick and easy to sew up the main pieces, but as always, the finishing took longer than I expected. To get the princess seams nice and smooth, I sewed a line of stitching along each curve before matching up the princess seams. I find it’s much easier and more reliable that way! I used bias binding instead of facings, and didn’t line the dress… I wanted it to be comfy for summer. 

It fits fine, and it is comfy… but I’m so used to having a defined waist that I feel very shapeless! I’m trying to get used to new shapes though, and I’m glad I gave this pattern a shot. 

When you sew, would you rather use a tried-and-true pattern or silhouette, or experiment with something new? 

Truthy Tuesdays: Getting over a bad day

Everywhere I looked online today, people were talking about bad days. Or that’s what it felt like, at least - In reality with was only three posts, I think! The thing is though, I was having a rough day for no apparent reason, so of course, I was looking for all the advice I could get! 

(Mah Kitteh)

On the one hand, Suzanne from Notes from the Patch talked about “playing the glad game” - being grateful for all the good things you’ve got. It’s something I try to do, but sometimes knowing that I’m lucky doesn’t negate the stresses that are making me blue. As my husband’s drama teacher told him once, your own luck or other people’s misfortune doesn’t make your feelings any less legitimate! 

My name-twin, Gillian from Craftzilla Conquers the World, wrote a post participating in "Truthy Tuesdays" (more about that later!) about she cheers herself up: laugh at yourself, get out for a change of perspective, and talk with someone you trust. As I read her post I was out running a few errands to try to cajole myself out of a funk, so that’s definitely a strategy I share! Gillian was inspired to post by her friend Pocky, who also blogged some good advice!

(Have you heard of Truthy Tuesdays? I just came across it today, but it sounds cool! It’s run by the Maven Circle, who have posted a different thought-provoking discussion topic for each week. If you post about the topic, you can link back to their site to joint he wider discussion. Today was about cheering yourself up, and next week will be about finding simplicity in life.)

Reading those posts helped me reflect on what I do to cheer myself up. At this time of year, the looming return to school always hangs a bit heavy, added with the financial strain of not getting paid for 2 months, and all the other adventures of life. I know blogging is usually an oasis of positivity for most of us, but I really enjoy when other bloggers ‘fess up to their humanity from time to time. I hope you don’t mind if I do that same!

Here are my personal strategies for beating the blues: 

#1: Food, delicious food! 

Let’s be honest: Sometimes a treat is all you need to feel better. 

#2: Distraction. 

When I’m down, I love to curl up onder a feather duvet and watch TV on my computer. Today I chose one of my all-tim favourite shows: Time Team! Nothing like a bit of archeology to take your cares away! It stops my brain from circling over the same worries, and ta-da! I feel ready to handle anything. 

#3: A Cuppa. (More like a bowlful!)

My family likes big mugs… and a giant cup of sweet tea always helps!

#4: Simple crafting. 

Something foolproof and creative can be really relaxing. For me, that might be needlefelting or hand stitching. (That is, until the needlefelting needle snapped today and I couldn’t remember where my refills were!

#5: Talk. Cry. Talk some more. 

My extended family has more than its fair share of anxiety and depression, and talking is one of the ways we cope. I always know that no matter what, Jamie will talk me through anything! It’s always a big relief to vocalise what I’m feeling, and have someone put it in perspective for me. 

How do you cheer yourself up? We talk a lot in blogs about losing and recapturing our sewing mojo (or Sewjo, as Mela called it today!), but how do you recapture your general joie de vivre? 

*P.S. Bonus #6: Sounds horrible, but gently pulling back the cat’s fur around her face creates the most HILARIOUS bug-eyes cat faces that crack me up every time! I swear, no cats are harmed in the making of silly faces, and she gets plenty of treats after!

**P.P.S. I should say that I’m feeling better now! Huzzah! 

On my mind today...

Just a couple of random things:

• Victory Patterns came out with 4 new designs!  Yesterday I mentioned in my post that they have a very vintage aesthetic… well, that’s gone in the new patterns, which are very modern, chic and urban. Interesting change! The designer, Kristiann, is from Toronto so I’m hometown proud. Not sure any of the patterns are for me, but I think they are great nonetheless!


• Sarai asked for design suggestions for upcoming Colette collections - and I see some of you have already posted about some of the ideas we shared last week! If you haven’t yet, go over and give your two cents! I think it’s great that she’s asked, and I’m happy to see lots of people asking for the same things we talked about: jackets, knits, and shirtdresses! :) 


• My Sewaholic Alma pattern arrived in the mail, and I’m thinking about making a wearable muslin from the skirt of my too-girly, poorly-fitting rose Cambie! It is one of the only things I’ve sewn that really didn’t work for me, so I’d be happy to give the fabric a different chance to shine!

I’ve got three sewing goals for the next few days: 

1. Refashion a folk-festival tee for my Mom using the Renfrew pattern

2. Make a colour-blocked Go Anywhere dress using this very bright, slightly gaudy Amy Butler fabric from my stash, with robin’s egg blue side panels! I’ve never loved this fabric (bought it online ages ago) so it might be awful - but it might be fun, but it’s worth a shot! :)

 

3. Make a modified Peony/Macaron hybrid with Anna Marie Horner’s Field Study Poppy print. Since I spent my money on the Alma pattern, I definitely can’t justify buying Macaron for the Sew-Along. As I lay in bed last night though, it occured to me to use the same idea as my Two-Tone Sorbetto to create a two-tone dress with a curved line over the bodice instead of a sweetheart neckline. More frugal, and more my style! Just have to choose what solid colour to use on the shoulders… There are so many colours in the print to choose from! :) 

What do you have on your sewing table?

Which indie pattern company suits you?

Buying patterns is always a bit of a gamble - Will it suit you? Is it really all it promises? Will the instructions be any help at all? When the patterns are $20 + shipping, it can be hard to take the leap! (Seriously, I’ve been adding and deleting Style Arc Patterns to a cart for months now, but just can’t bring myself to buy.)

Reading online reviews and looking at other people’s versions can be a big help, but in the end, the pattern needs to fit your style and your body. When you find a company whose designs work for you, then hallelujah! Brand loyalty is born. 

Lizzy put it really well in her comment on one of my earlier posts: “I think we find a brand that suits our taste and body shape and become ‘part of a family’.” I love that idea of being part of a family - it really captures the warm, supportive, and reciprocal nature of the sewing community. But which indie designer “family” is a match for you? 

(Now, I won’t really deal with body type too much here, because I don’t know enough about each brand. I do have a few personal observations to share though, and I’d love to hear more from you!) 

If you like RETRO-inspired classics:

• Victory Patterns: I always think of these are seriously retro-inspired, but now that I look again, they are also pretty modern! I haven’t made any of these patterns, though I’ve heard from one sewist that the pdf patterns didn’t line up very well. 


• Colette Patterns: Have you noticed that Colette patterns seem to be veering away from strongly retro designs lately? Early designs like the Ceylon, Oolong, and Sencha really brought the retro flair, but more recent stuff like Ginger, Hazel, or Jasmine have been sort-of modern classics. Sarai’s designs are reportedly for a C-cup, which fits the national average here in Canada/America… 

(Tasia in a Sewaholic Renfrew - I’ve lost count of how many I’ve made!) 

If you like Ready-To-Wear wardrobe builders: 

• Sewaholic: Sure, Tasia designs a fabulous frock, but I think what really sets her apart is her wardrobe basics: t-shirts, pants, blouses and a coat! She’s convinced us to be excited about sewing cake, so to speak. Her designs are made for pear-shaped women, which is why they are so great for me! 


• Style Arc: Wow, talk about RTW! Their patterns look just like designs in the shops - which is both a strength and a weakness, for me. I mean, do I need to buy a $12 pattern with $25 shipping, plus the right fabric, when I could buy similar jeans/shirts/dresses on sale for less? Plus, exactly matching mall fashion seems just a little boring to me. On the other hand, wearing me-mades is much more fun, and every review I’ve ever read raves about the fit. I’m starting to think it might be time to give this company a go!


• Grainline: Jenn only has a few patterns so far, but they seem like real wardrobe builders: Shorts, tee, tank, dress. When I wandered into a mall last month, I couldn’t believe how many loose woven t-shirts were for sale! I thought it was a sewing trend, but I guess it’s a real trend! I haven’t tried her patterns, but the price is certainly right!

If you like Modern Minimalist style: 

• Pattern Runway:  Nothing cutesy here… Almost every pattern is shown sewn up in black or white! They do a lot of loose, drapy clothing… but I’m sad to report that when I bought the Kimono dress pattern, my bottom half was bigger than the largest XL size! I usually sew a 14 in Colette or Sewaholic, so I’m not too impressed that Pattern Runway is excluding anyone larger than that! (Yes, of course I can draft it larger, but should I have to?)


• Salme Sewing Patterns: Look! That Salme dress above is the one that the Sinbad and Sailor Magpie dress reminded me of! The reason I couldn’t place it before? I can’t tell Salme and Pattern Runway apart. The styling and graphic design are so similar, I forgot all abut Salme! Salme has quite a range of patterns, all very minimalist, made lots of silky, fine fabrics. Minimalist AND slithery fabrics? There’s nowhere to hide messy stitching here. 


• Wiksten: For a company with only two patterns, Wiksten sure has a lot of buzz! There have been lots of great tanks and Tovas on the blogosphere… but I’m really curious about how they’d look on someone larger than, say, size 10. Can anyone think of any examples online?

Then there are these others I don’t know how to categorize..

• Jamie Christina:  The Mission Maxi is a modern tank dress… the Miss Mozelle is definitely retro… then there is a retro wool coat, a frilly apron, and a hooded scarf! Categorize that, I dare you! Some cute stuff though, and I’ve seen the Mission Maxi work really well on a lot of blogger body types!


• Cake Patterns: Ok, so Steph from 3 Hours Past the Edge of the World hasn’t actually launch any official pattern for her new pattern line, Cake, but she has designed a few stand-alone patterns before. There’s her free Blank Canvas tee pattern, and the Downton Abbey-inspired Sisters of Edwardia blouse. Her stated goal for the new line is to make sewing everyday “cake” clothes just as fun as fancy “frosting”. She’s well known for her pants-fitting expertise, so I’m curious to see what she comes up with next! 

(Oh yeah, that’s me in my first 4 Sewaholic Pendrells… There are more now!)

Which pattern lines fit your style and body? I’m a Sewaholic/Colette girl myself… Sewaholic fits right out of the package and fills in my wardrobe basics, and Colette (with a few alterations) works well as a blank canvas for cute prints to make fun but work-friendly dresses. My favourite pattern companies all include a wide range of sizes - I spent enough time in Japan being too big for the biggest clothes, and I don’t need to repeat that ego-blow in my sewing! I don’t have a lot of spending money (who does?!), so I prefer to make and modify the same patterns over and over instead of risking new patterns. That said, I’d like to give Style Arc, Victory, or Grainline a go.

How abut you? What pattern lines fit and flatter you? If you could only sew with one designer’s work for a year, who would you choose?

Sewing, but not much to show for it!

I’ve been posting a lot about patterns lately, but haven’t had much to show for my time in the craft room! I have done two muslins of the Sewn Go Anywhere dress, and I think it’s got potential. The XL was too tight on my hips though, so I had to draft myself an XXL (What woman doesn’t love doing that?) which was, of course, too big! I’m going to try version 3 tonight, and then hit the fashion fabric. Enough messing around! 

I did finish off 4 more sets of coasters for sale… Precise sewing like this always makes me miss the gloriously long seams of making clothes! I think they look cute though, especially all wrapped up for sale: 

I have to give credit for the design to Nana Company though - Her lovely delicate coasters were the inspiration for my slighter brighter and bolder designs! I feel bad even making something so similar for sale… but on the other hand, can such a generic design be property of just one person? I hate dealing with copyright issues… We’re all so tied together through blogging and Pinterest inspiration that of course we are going to come up with very similar work! I don’t want to rip anyone off or get in trouble… nor can I ignore the voices in my head saying, “You could make that!” 

*Edited: I should point out that Amy from Nana Company made hers and sold them once, as far as I can tell… They aren’t for sale now. Mine are only sold locally in a shop, (also one time only, because I didn’t love making them!) so we’re certainly not in competition! Also, the construction is all my own design - I don’t know how hers are made or if they have padding inside, but mine do!*

How do you handle the fine line between inspiration and copying/stealing? 

Popular Patterns: The Next Generation

So, what’s next??? That’s the fun question. Colette and Victory Patterns both put out teasers this week about new patterns soon-to-be-released… and Sewaholic has been turning out new patterns faster and faster, so even though the Alma blouse just came out, I’m already wondering about what comes next! I’ve got a few ideas, but I’m hoping you’ll chime in with your predictions too! What do you THINK the indie companies will release next, or what do you WISH they’d release?

(Image from the Coletterie. The clothes above are older patterns that will be part of the photoshoot for new looks!)

Pants: Sarai has already hinted about wide-legged pants, so I’m guessing that will be one of the fall releases from Colette… and the blouses sewn above seen to confirm it! I’m not that into wide trousers, but I can see where it fills an empty niche.

Cardigans: I’d LOVE to see a draped or man-style cardigan pattern from Sewaholic. She made us love knits with the Renfrew, and now I need something to wear over top in winter!

Blazer: You know, I could see the need for a great blazer pattern. The sort of thing that could be a fall jacket, be worn over a dress, or go with trouser or a skirt at work. It’s certainly a piece of clothing that a lot of women wear, and I can’t think of a version from an indie company! (except maybe Gertie’s from the Craftsy course, but word on the street is that there are some wonky things about that pattern!)

Those are my (uninformed) predictions/requests - What do you think?

Bragging rights go to the people whose predictions turn out to be true!

Popular Patterns: An Update!

A week or two ago I blogged about how come patterns become popular, and some don’t. Since then, a few new patterns a blog posts have come out, so I thought I’d check back in with some of my observations!

Shorts: Not only do we have Colette, Sewaholic and Grainline shorts released this year, a new pattern company called Sinbad and Sailor has announced their Raven Shorts pattern! They don’t have a zipper or buttons, which will appeal to some… but the styling - Eeek! So baggy! They aren’t really selling me on the design. (BTW, have you seen their kimono dress? It looks so familiar, but I can’t place what pattern it is reminding me of! I thought it was Pattern Runway, but they only seem to have the short-sleeved Kimono dress pattern now…) Always exciting to see a new pattern company launch though - Bring it on!

Beignet: It’s back, baby! Laura Mae made a lovely version for the Sew Weekly, and Pins and Needles included the pattern in her Autumn Sewing list. Someone suggested after my last post that it is a better cool-weather pattern, and I guess they are right! (Seriously, who said that? I can’t find it anywhere in the comments… was it on Twitter?)

SEWN Go Anywhere Dress: In my last post, I was wondering why the Sewn Go-Anywhere had never caught on. It’s a cute dress from an indie designer, with great reviews from Spool Sewing Blog, so why hasn’t it caught on? Well, my pattern arrived in the mail, and, well… the packaging is definitely old-fashioned!

It comes with 7 double-sided pages of photocopied instructions, which are written as if for the complete beginner. Seriously, there are detailed, wordy instructions on how to pre-wash fabric, which way to fold it, and dont’ forget to iron it! Plus two full pages of different layout options, and a full page of yardage requirements for each and every possible version of the dress: long sleeves with pockets, short sleeves without pockets, etc. It’s kind of charming, really… but way too detailed for my tastes!

Sewaholic Alma Blouse: Here’s me earlier this week:” OMGOMGomg, new Sewaholic pattern - I MUST BUY!!!!” And I did… but the honest truth is that I didn’t LOVE the pattern, I just loved Sewaholic! I’ve made at least 5 Pendrells, and countless Renfrews, so when Tasia came out with a new blouse, I knew it would be a clever design that fit perfectly and sewed up quickly.

Oddly, I didn’t feel very inspired by Tasia’s own versions… Did you? I mean, she’s so pretty and cute, and her pictures are great, but I just don’t see myself in that business-casual styling. However, I knew bloggers would be popping up with their adorable test-sewn versions and that I’d soon fall in love. They all popped up on the same day (Good marketing, Tasia!), and oh my gosh they are CUTE! Look! Look! Look! I’m clearly a sucker or seeing something made by my favourite bloggers!

So what? Here’s what I think about popular (and unpopular) patterns and marketing.

Popular Patterns Truth #1: Pretty pictures sell us on the dream.

Pattern pictures need to be aspirational and make us believe that the pattern is the solution to all our fitting problems! The Raven Shorts might be a masterwork of drafting, but if the picture isn’t selling me on it, then I’m not buying!

Popular Pattern Truth #2: Classics will last more than one season.

A classic pattern like Beignet might not be the hot new thing any more, but when the right season roles around, people will dig it out and fall in love with it all over again!

Popular Patterns Truth #3: Packaging matters!

I’m planning to sewn a muslin of the Go Anywhere dress sometime soon, so we’ll see if the dress pattern itself is good… but certainly the packaging doesn’t give it any of the cool-factor of Colette’s little instruction booklets, or the innovation of Papercut Pattern’s packaging. If I saw it in a store, I might not pick it up!

Popular Pattern Truths #4: Loyal clients buy into your brand.

For Indie pattern designers, the branding of your “look” and marketing of yourself has become a huge factor in your popularity. Through Twiiter and blogging, we “get to know” indie designers like Sarai from Colette, Megan Neilson, and Jenn from Grainline. I love Sewaholic patterns because they fit my pear-shape, but also because Tasia is friendly, helpful, exactly my age, and from the same country! When bloggers that I admire endorse a pattern, it helps build that brand image of something fun, cool, stylish and accessible.

What do you think?

Feather-Light Meringue Skirt

Howdy! Have you ever sewn something with bird-themed fabric? Because oh-my-GAWD there are a lot of word-plays possible! Birds of a feather, fly away home, bird-brained, high-flying… How to choose just one? I can’t actually remember why I chose “feather-light meringue”, but heck, I’m sticking to it!

(What? It’s my bird pose!)

This skirt is a complete hack of the Colette Meringue pattern, mostly because it’s the only skirt pattern I own. I made the original version (sans scallops) back in the winter, and I have to say I never wear it. It sits too low on me, and if I take it in, it will become to short for school! This time, I wanted to make it sit at my natural waist. 

Fans of So Zo’ (and who isn’t?) will probably recognise her favourite skirt pattern as my inspiration: Simplicity 2451, which was the pattern she chose for One Week, One Pattern earlier this year. I liked the shaped waistband, and the bit of pleating under the yoke… but being cheap, I decided to draft something similar myself!

This was my first time drafting so many changes to a paper pattern, but after reading oodles of posts about it over the last couple of years, it was fun to dive right in and see what I could do! I’d bought the last metre on the bolt, so I had to make it work. With my wide hips, it’s hard to get either a top OR skirt out of just 1m… plus this fabric was just directional enough to make things tricky.

The contrasting yoke and pockets were a big help though - I was able to just squeeze the pieces I needed out of the feather print! For the contrast parts, I used a scrap of Japanese double gauze that I got for $1/m. It’s a perfect colour - I just hope the drapey gauze stands up to life as a waistband! 

Because of all the bulk of the pockets at the side seam, I decided to try a lapped zipper. It’s not the prettiest, but I’m happy to have tried something new!

I also dug into my collection of vintage notions.. which sounds romantic until you see how randomly I applied them inside!

The yellow bias tape helped me make a tiny-as-possible hem to stop this becoming a miniskirt… the pink bias trim with a crocheted scallop was intended to make the lining cute a-la-Scruffy Badger, but I accidentally sewed it on backwards! The grey lining is pieced together with black serging, and the inner waistband is a very babyish pink cotton. Not exactly elegant, but no one ever needs to know… except you, and me, and the internet!

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Now, I have to apologize for the photos. Everything got waaay over-exposed on a birght afternoon, and I felt too guilty asking my dear photog to take more pics so I just edited the bejeezuz out of these ones. More filters! More frames! More contrast/ambiance/vingettes! MOAR!

Isn’t it amazing how a good pic needs so little editing, and a bad one just can’t be fixed by all the photo-editing in the world? New goal: Take more care with my original shots! 

What do you do when you get mediocre pics? Take more, edit like mad, or post them as-is?