Drape Drape takes flight with a Batwing Dress!

Posted on May 23, 2014 by sewbusylizzy

No. 7 from Drape Drape 2 - Batwing dress. Sewn by Sew Busy Lizzy from rayon knit from The Fabric Store, Sydney

No. 7 from Drape Drape 2 – Batwing dress, back view. I do love the peek-a-boo shoulders.

I’m on the fence about this one… and I think it’s perhaps I’m not so happy with pictures or the fabric feels a little too slinky for this particular style. I do love the style and the colour. So it’s a 50/50 debate at the moment.

The fabric is a lovely rayon knit from The Fabric Store during the Sydney meet-up in March. I think a slightly heavier knit, less slinky & more matte, would work better. While the drape on this is gorgeous for the top, it’s not ideal for the skirt. The weight of the folded skirt pulls downwards and I need to hitch it up in the most unladylike fashion – you know… with a wiggle and a giggle (I’ve not always been famed for my decorum so I’m OK with that). The fabric slithers over my hips, I think something more matte would cling more to my hips (this must be the first time ever I’m looking for hip-clinging properties in a fabric LOL) and the dress would tend less to pull downwards.

No. 7 from Drape Drape 2 - Batwing dress

No. 7 from Drape Drape 2 – couldn’t crack a smile for the camera 😦

Finishing

I found it impossible to match this shade of bruised blue and any overlocking thread looked dreadful – so I did all overlocking stitches on my sewing machine. I know you can’t see the overlocking stitches but it bothers me… I can handle hot ‘n’ bothered but not sew bothered.

The Neckline…

Once again with a Drape Drape make I found the finishing instructions on the neckline near impossible to achieve. Perhaps my knit was too soft, however the directions for finishing the neckline made it impossible to achieve a neat finish.

I found this impossible to achieve neatly with a rayon knit.

I found this Drape Drape suggested finish impossible to achieve neatly with a rayon knit.

I attached a very narrow band as per a Sewaholic Renfrew and I think this finish is much nicer.

No. 7 from Drape Drape 2 – the neckline finish

Sleeves

The book has you overlock the edges of the sleeve openings and then turn them over once and machine them down. As the sleeves fall open you do see the inside finish of the sleeve. I felt it would look terribly messy so I machine overlocked the edges in a matching thread and then turned them under twice. I pinned them, hand basted them and then machined them. Yes sounds fussy but the finish was much neater.

The Skirt

The wonderful effect of the skirt is achieved by large downwards folds at the sides – I love it and could have the side benefit of concealing significant VPL sins (although I made wise underwear choices here – enough said…)

I made the S/M size of this dress (it only comes in two sizes and this is the smallest size). I took the skirt side seams in considerably – sewing seams of about 30mm instead of 15mm. If I had left the seams as is, the dress hangs like a massive sack from my shoulders and is most unflattering. The shoulder seams are quite narrow to support 2m of fabric and I think the skirt needs to cling for the overall design to work.

Preparation

I used tailor tacks to mark all the folds etc on this fabric – no chalk or pen would mark it well. I hand basted all the skirt folds and cuff pleats into place. Pins slide straight out of this rayon knit. Despite all that basting – this is a relatively quick dress to put together. It’s got slightly whacky pattern pieces but it’s not too much of a brain bender.

No. 7 from Drape Drape 2 – Batwing dress. Still undecided about this make… it’s not for the ‘junk trunk’ shy.

On a positive note, it’s quite demure compared to some of my other Drape Drape dresses… this is about as risqué as it gets…

No. 7 from Drape Drape 2 – Batwing dress. This is as about as revealing as this dress gets – apart from the clingy factor of course!

Most of the versions I have seen omit the open sleeves – however I love them. It could be a gigantic sack on me and I love that my shoulders and arms can be seen now and then. I do find that the dress wants to slide forward and I think it could benefit from bra-keepers to help the dress stay on my shoulders. I adore how the fabric drapes in such fine folds across my back. It’s like water.

The ‘caboose shot’ however I do love how the fabric falls and folds across my back and arms.

I do love the feel of it and it’s quite wearable. I think it feels better on than it looks through a camera lens – so either my eyeballs are lying or the camera lens is being cruel. At least my legs are not hanging out everywhere like this memorable number… and while this one may have been short – I have worn it a lot…

I think I would love it in matte black knit as a work dress with boots. I work in a cultural centre so my wardrobe choices are sometimes a little less conservative.

I’m very tempted to chop off the skirt, add a lower band to the top and turn this into a highly wearable batwing top. The colour is lovely…

Perhaps I was having a general ‘blah’ day, bad hair, sea breeze to deal with, sun fast disappearing… perhaps I’m too self-critical…

These were taken on the river in my lovely home town of Port Macquarie, outside the venue where my wedding reception was held… many, many moons ago!

Pattern: No 7: batwing dress from the book Drape Drape 2.
Fabric: Rayon knit from The Fabric Store, Sydney

Also see: Cyber Daze | Small Things | Ancien Nouveau | The Somnolent Dachshund
Note – this dress does awesome things when made out of a stripe… tempting…

Giveaway: and I forgot to add a close date for my giveaway so let’s make it midnight, Sunday 25 May 2014 – I will draw it on Monday night.

If I seem to be absent lately – May 2014 has been hardcore busy. ELH was away fishing for nine days, I work fulltime, I have two young daughters. I have volunteered for 6 hours at Ironman on an aid station (until 10pm at night), helped run a school fete stall (this takes HOURS over several weeks – and then a whole weekend – the fete raised $25,000 so I’m happy to have contributed). My daughter is competing in a dance eisteddfod so I’ve been taking her to rehearsals, out of town for a solo performance and this weekend we are at the ‘dance group weekend’ competition for the Eisteddfod out of town – where I have ‘ballet mother duties’ ie shovelling 20 children into ‘circus’ lycra outfits at 8.30am on a Sunday morning… I’m tired just thinking about my schedule this month… I’m not quite sure how I survived it…
Massive apologies that I’m not commenting on blogs at the moment. I am reading everything – I’m just rather knackered at night & typing is tough. Sorry!

The SewDollyClackett that wasn’t… and a giveaway…

Posted on May 11, 2014 by sewbusylizzy

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(but there is a dress with bare-chested sheilas instead…
and I think Dolly Clackett would approve of that!)

I really did want to sew a SewDollyClackett dress. I’d love to tell you I have a great excuse. In all honesty, I am the busiest and most exhausted I’ve been in some time… but I always sew through those dark patches…

I love Roisin. I love her style. I love her sass. She’s an awesome sheila. She knocks out dresses like nobody’s business. She can be funny, blunt, honest, thoughtful… and always beautiful.

And you know what I love most about her? She’s Roisin – without apology. She sews exactly what she likes. She’s got crazy fabulous shoes, owns enough divinely feminine dresses to clothe a small nation’s Olympic team and has her very own quirky style. She’s intelligent, quick witted and sometimes soft & vunerable. And I bet that’s why Nic loves her so and wants to spend the rest of his life with her – because she is Roisin. There’s no one else quite like her.

And that’s why anyone loves us – because we are unique souls.

I did try to make a Dolly Clackett dress. Oh lord I did try. I sewed a great dress… the stripe matching was fierce and the print choice was perfect… and then the back gaped. Ever so slightly but I hated that.

SewNotDollyClackett – this is a Burda pattern (sorry can’t remember and I’m too tired to look it up)

So I took off the bodice. Unpleated the pleated skirt. Added a Cambie bodice… added a gathered skirt… and I still haven’t hemmed it… and I don’t know if I will…. because I’m not Roisin. And I felt bad about that for ages – because the whole point of the sewalong was to sew something in her style… but the inner SewBusyLizzy beast was roaring…

I tweeted rather cheekily if I could sew something else (ie not a SewDollyClackett style) – and Roisin said yes 🙂 (another reason why I love her so). I also think myself blessed enough with fabrics and patterns from other bloggers, designers and stores that I didn’t want to win any prize. However I did want to sew a dress for Roisin. I heaved a sigh of relief and decided to salute Dolly Clackett in SewBusyLizzy style.

Fortunately there was a hoard of fabulous, clever stitchers around the world that truly got into the spirit of SewDollyClackett – and paid her tribute in amazing style. Check them out! And congratulates to Sarah of Rhinestones & Telephones who organised this global sewing salute.

If I was going to be a wedding crasher, what better with a classical print featuring semi-nude ladies, knit fabric, self-drafted/frankenpatterned dress?

I’ve made this four times now… including a ‘lounge about at home animal print one’ which I knocked up because I had to re-drafted the back pattern piece… because it is MIA in the sewing room. It’s a very hacked blend of the infamous Vogue 1250 and Maria Denmark’s day to night dress – I also chiselled out the sides and shortened the midriff – it’s a perfect fit. It takes 40 minutes to make from scissors to hemming.

Still SewNotDollyClackett (wondering about the weird pose? I’m taking my sunnies off – because I always seem to have them on…)

The print is not cute quirky ‘Dolly Clackett’, instead there are a stack of classical ladies with bared chests so I figure it’s a nuded-up classical version of a Dolly Clackett novelty print…

Gallery Fabric from Tessuti Melbourne

I first saw this fabric on the Tessuti online store. Then I saw it in person at the Sydney March meet-up… and everyone looked at me like I had three heads and no brains in any of them. When I got home I realised that whilst I may not have any brains, my little dark heart wanted those nude ladies in my life. Fortunately it was still available in the Melbourne store! I chose this pattern as there are very few seams to break up this extraordinary and very busy print!

Wedding Crasher alert – and she’s got no shoes on!

And in case you are struggling to see the ‘ladies’ – here they are…

there’s a set of knockers on my stomach…

another set on my hip…

and another on my back…

My nine-year-old daughter has deemed this dress ‘very inappropriate’ – which of course makes me love it more (I’m guessing it’s a concern when a pre-tween daughter starts tut-tutting at her mother’s wardrobe). I’ve even worn it to work 🙂 I work in a cultural centre… why not?

I love this picture - not because it's a great one of me - but that 'window' in the print looks like a peephole into my soul... or belly button LOL

I love this picture – not because it’s a great one of me – but that ‘window’ in the print looks like a peephole into my soul… or the ocean behind.. or just my belly button LOL. With a print like this there are always going to be placement issues. My major concern was to get as many naked ladies as possible onto the dress LMAO

I wore this to High Tea (I’m sitting at the front like Lady Muck) when I popped up and stayed with Busy Lizzie in Brizzy in March (who a delightful host and felt like a long-lost sister – and her husband Josh put up with a million and one questions about beef-jerky making – awesome people).

I’m just me. And Roisin is gloriously Roisin… and that’s the way it’s supposed to be.

Love you madly Roisin – and I’m sending you every best wish for a fantastic, interesting, slightly crazy and very happy future with your lovely Nic. Mwah.

And my posing super coach has some wedding photo tips for you…

She’s happy to travel if you need wedding photography advice… I will of course need to accompany her as she’s a minor (with a major personality)

although if you want to travel for your wedding photos – we have plenty of scenery on offer…

Shelly Beach, Port Macquarie – pretty even when it’s overcast

oh… and the giveaway?

I had a second blog birthday last month – and typically of me – I missed it.

So comment away – and send your wedding wishes to the perfectly one-of-a-kind Dolly Clackett (and Nick of course!)… because we wouldn’t have her any other way…

I’ll send the winner a package of something… not sure what yet… but things that make me smile (and some sewing things!) and might make you smile too – because what else is there?

And what two year celebration post would be complete without me typically barefoot, on the beach with sunnies on?

“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” Oscar Wilde

Sinbad & Sailor Hepworth Dress – Instant Classic

Posted on May 4, 2014 by sewbusylizzy

I’m back – and this time with a new dress and a new pattern! (sorry, think the camera lens needs a clean!). I’ve been pattern testing a new dress for Hannah of Sinbad & Sailor.

Hepworth Dress, pattern from Sinbad & Sailor

This is the Hepworth Dress by Sinbad & Sailor.

“The Hepworth is a beautiful sleeveless dress pattern with a princess seam bodice joined at the waist to a flared skirt which includes handy hip pockets. The fit and flare shape gives you a flattering silhouette while evoking the organic and modernist sculptures of its namesake Barbara Hepworth“

Please visit Sinbad & Sailor to see the line drawings as my fabric choice was not so great at showing those… although it’s perfect for illustrating the feminine silhouette.

I love the simplicity of this design – never underestimate the beauty of simplicity. The Hepworth has a classic shape, easy fit, softly flared skirt, princess seamed bodice and pockets – it’s just so easy to wear. I decided to make it up in classic navy linen. I’ve been saving this little piece of linen for about 12 months. It’s ‘just’ linen – nothing too fancy – but it’s got this lovely drape, beautiful inky navy tone and particularly beautiful sheen to it. When I saw Hepworth I thought navy linen would suit its classic silhouette.

Hepworth Dress by Sinbad & Sailor Patterns

Hepworth – a graceful shape and not too fitted, it skims over my frame and I love it.

I know some people prefer lining to facings but give Hepworth facings a try. Hannah has drafted the facings so they are slightly smaller, thus rolling in the facings so understitching is not required (unless you are an understitching junkie like myself). Hepworth also has a particularly magical way to finish the facing – by encasing the shoulder seam within the facing. It’s rather mind bending – however as I had sewn the Thread Theory Goldstream Peacoat (I couldn’t bear to blog it in the middle of summer – just seemed so wrong!) I’ve encounter this before in a slightly different form. If you get stuck I would recommend checking out the Minoru sewalong post about how to sew sleeve hem linings – the Hepworth finishing technique reminded me of this.

Of course the most sensible thing to do is make it up when Hannah has a sewalong and have her walk you through it step by step.

and with a belt…

One thing I ABSOLUTELY love about all of Sinbad & Sailor’s patterns is that there is a print-at-home version and a copy shop version. The copy shop version is A0 which means it is easy and economical to print. Many indie pattern companies supply their copy shop versions as 36 inch wide sheets – and I have found these near impossible to get printed easily and cheaply here in Australia. Most copy shops can print a b/w A0 for about $4.50 – while you wait.

It’s getting colder here… I can actually see this as a brilliant pinafore for winter with a collared shirt underneath… hmmmm now there’s a thought… It’s a loose enough fit on me that I think I could manage it in ponte with no zip… tempting…

Photos taken in a last-minute rush before ELH disappeared for nine days fishing – and the weather was turning nasty!

Pattern: Hepworth Dress by Sinbad & Sailor
Fabric: Navy Linen from Lincraft
Sizing: I made the UK 8 – I could do with a size 6, I need to take some out between my bust and shoulder (I’m shorter than I appear – trust me – LOL).
Also see: Rachel of House of Pinheiro & Winnie of Scruffy Badger (they have been far more exciting and used floral fabrics! Winnie also has some ‘inside’ shots – sorry I’ve been so busy I just don’t have time to take some!)

I’ve got a few more posts waiting… life has been frantic – I’m just concluding a nine-day sojourn as a single working mother while ELH is away trout fishing in the Snowy Mountains. Next up is helping out at the annual school fete and my daughter’s ballet eisteddfod which the weekend after the school fete – I think she’s in five group dances and one solo… argh… and I’m just off to volunteer on one of the Ironman aid stations on the run leg this evening… apparently the competitors need a drink & nourishment while running a marathon (this is after a 3.6km swim & 180km bike ride)

Drape Drape 3: No.12 Draped Wrap ‘Dress’

Posted on March 26, 2014 by sewbusylizzy

also known as ‘A Wardrobe Malfunction Waiting To Happen’

After the modest, sweet delight of Sewaholic maxi skirt Gabriola, I appear to have done a massive u-turn and created something that could barely be described as a ‘dress’. Sorry about that! The Drape Drape journey continues.

I’ve come to think of this make as the ‘wardrobe malfunction waiting to happen’. Or perhaps a ‘lounge dress’ best worn in the safety of my own home, having late night drinks on the lounge with ELH!

wrapped side view

Funnily enough my draped singlet dress was described by Drape Drape 2 as a ‘tunic’ and I easily wear it as a dress (in fact I now have three of them – sorry not all photographed!)… whereas this ‘creation’ is described as a ‘dress’ but… it covers far less than the singlet dress!

This number is No.12 from Drape Drape 3. And this is how it’s showcased in a book – yes more hamburger-hungry models with poor posture. Then again… maybe she’s stooped over trying to hide her legs… let’s give her the benefit of the doubt!

The ‘dress’ as illustrated in Drape Drape 3

This ‘not-dress’ was quite easy to put together. Much, much easier than the deep cowl-necked number. Unfortunately we have been enduring some rain (yes, not always sunny here) and the poor light really doesn’t show off the black/silver beauty of this fabric from Tessuti – purchased on my recent trip to the Sydney Bloggers meet-up organised by Made By Melanie.

The back view – somewhat more respectable.

I do adore the back of the dress and the lovely lazy draping that sweeps across my back at an angle. That’s created by gathering up one side of the skirt and sewing it to the bodice side… yes the bodice side. That’s what creates that rather ‘raunchy’ leg reveal – there’s just no fabric on one side below waist level.

I actually pinned the draped section over a little to cover more of my leg for the pictures. Yes, the draped bow helps cover my leg… almost up to my HIP! *faints*

ummmm, I think I just heard my mother faint.

The draped ‘bow’ is created by making three pleats and then gathering the whole section up, including the pleats, then sewing it across the dress and creating the ‘wrap’. It does create a lovely draped section… perhaps it just needs to be longer… much, much longer…

at least the ‘draped bow’ is covering something!

I did use my Janome coverstitch machine on the neckline and skirt hem – I still need to practice more with the beast. I did hem the ‘draped bow’ but it made it seem less fluid. So I unpicked it – massive job. Then used my overlocker to roll hem the ‘bow’ section – and I also used the overlocker rolled hem function to finish the sleeve hems. This gave the edge of the bow & sleeves a much lighter finish, slightly fluted lettuce edge hem – much better for this make that needs to retain its softness to create the lovely draped lines.

Draped side view – love this view. I feel almost respectable

The sleeves are just sewn into armhole and the underarm seam is left free – so they feel ethereal wings to wear.

I find this design quite interesting. It’s got an incredibly immodest leg line… the neckline is not much better… then these enormously billowing sleeves – it’s a fascinating mix and I do rather like it. But how to wear it?? I slapped on my old trusty black skinny jeans when I got home and it looks OK. Sorry about the foggy lens… I think that was a raindrop!

I have had some people suggest I should wear a slip under it – but I disagree. A slip would change how the dress moves and I think spoil the lines of the design – I think it’s better as a tunic.

as a tunic… now that’s better!

Pattern: No.12 from Drape Drape 3 published by Laurence King
Fabric: black/silver knit from Tessuti, Surrey Hills store, Sydney

This must qualify for the Sew Sexy Sewalong! Yes?

and an out-take with my crazy little cracker – Miss (just-turned) 9. She explaining how I could pose better as a superhero. Doh! Why didn’t I think of that!

Superheroes!

FLORA Nightshade, By Hand London – the PM edition

Posted on March 9, 2014 by sewbusylizzy

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Hello Flora Nightshade, the new By Hand London dress pattern – and some amazing fabric courtesy of Tessuti Fabrics (thank you very much!). Colette at Tessuti sent me images of a range of options – and I just immediately fell in love with this strong & striking blue/black classic print.

It’s an amazing cotton sateen with a satin finish… and I just adore black and blue together, possibly my all-time favourite combination.

While predominantly dark, the repeat does have a small amount of white – I chose to use this in the bodice and keep the skirt dark and dramatic.

BY Hand London Flora Dress - wrap bodice version

Do I take my shoes off at every opportunity? ummm… yes… oh course I trimmed just that little too much off the lining hem and now need to attach some bias tape to the hem to hide the reverse of the fabric. SewIdiotLizzy

Back view – I moved the zip to the underarm so I didn’t have to break up that lovely print

Just proving that sometimes I do wear shoes…

Just love this shot – even if it is blown out. It’s so soft in comparison to the other images

Pattern Modifications

I lined the skirt
I added elastic to the warp bodice edges
I moved the zip to the underarm so I didn’t disrupt that beautiful pattern.

Hem Alert

Please be aware that I am not particularly tall. People are often (politely) surprised when they meet me. I’m a very unimpressive 5 foot 4. I make the smallest size in By Hand London patterns (US 2 / UK 6). So I’m not just short but also have a very small frame – yes, at some point I forgot to grow in all directions – sorry about that. This skirt is quite short at the front. If you are a leggier lass than me, you might like to consider that when cutting your fabric.

Fabric Choices

I’ve said this once and I’ll say it again… you need WIDE fabric. This fabric was certainly wide enough… except the pattern repeat wasn’t quite centred… so it was either have an off-kilter pattern repeat… which would have been terribly obvious in such a strong and striking print… or centre the print and find a solution.

I was bamboozled for a while… rather than decrease the volume of the skirt, I cut as much of the skirt pieces as I could – which left a triangular wedge at each side of the dress. This needed to be filled – so I cut wedges from the remaining fabric and sewed them into the side of the skirt… see if you can spot them in the above photos!

Even I find the wedges hard to spot – one is directly below my hand in the side shot above.

The wrap bodice

I was concerned about the slight bodice gaping with the Flora AM version.

After some investigation I tried something new *faints*.

I studied Couture Sewing Techniques: Revised and Updated by Claire Shaeffer and came across a technique to prevent necklines from gaping using elastic.

While Shaeffer has you create a tunnel with herringbone stitches along the inside of the neckline which you then thread the elastic through, I was bamboozled as to whether these were in the inside or outside of the lining.

In the end I created my own little technique – well at least I haven’t seen it elsewhere.
After attaching the lining to the front wrap pieces, I then understitched the lining. Then I sewed another line of stitching in the seam allowance, in effect creating a tunnel running alongside the line of understitching. I threaded some narrow flat elastic through this. I secured the top end in the seam allowance. I let the elastic relax and then gently pulled about an inch out at the bottom end and secured it to the seam allowance.

This is no way gathers up the wrap edge but does create a slight tension which helps the bodice sit more firmly against your chest.

Do not gather the elastic up excessively or you will end up with a puckered bodice edge. I dunno that might be the look you are after – but I dare say not.

I don’t think this is a solution if the neckline is gaping massively – it just helps it sit firmer against your chest. I did find taking in the back by straightening up the centre back seam helped the front bodice fit enormously.

Is that clear enough? Or do you need pictures?

Pattern: Flora, By Hand London
Fabric: Cotton Sateen with a satin finish, Tessuti Fabrics

I took this for you Little Stone Cottage…

Lighthouse Beach, Port Macquarie

and this one is for you Begonia Sews…

Kookaburra… this one is for your Begonia Sews!

Sew Busy Lizzy

she sews by the seashore…

Category Archives: Dresses