Colette Moneta Dresses

Hello guys, today I'm bringing you some double Moneta action in the form of blue Moneta and blue zigzag Moneta (I might start naming the clothes I make - the names are not as inventive as Roisin AKA Dolly Clackett's makes, granted, but it's better to have names for them right?) Do you name your makes? 

Blue Zigzag Moneta

I sewed up my first Colette Moneta dress (pictured below) so long ago I can hardly remember making it. I think it was in January?! Anyway, it was a test one in this lightweight blue jersey (I can't remember where I bought it from or for how much, but it was either Hinckley or Leicester market). I cut out a medium size and graded to large at the waist. It mostly fit, gaping a bit around the shoulders and at the bodice side seams. I 'fixed' this somewhat by turning the dress inside out, putting it on and pinning out the excess around the shoulders and sides. I then sewed the adjustments straight away. It was fiddly, but at least the dress gets a bit more wear now!

Blue Moneta

The gathering with the see-through elastic took me a few attempts to get right. Even then it's a bit more gathered in some places than in others. The twin needle also created a bit of tunnelling, as you can see from the picture. I've had a suggestion from Anne from BelleMegan and Vintage Belle about how to deal with this; by changing the bobbin tension. I never even knew that you could adjust bobbin tension (these's no mention of it in my machine handbook and I'd not come across it before in my searches for a fix to the problem; but then I googled 'bobbin tension' and realised that there is a lot of information about it and it's just a tiny screw on the bobbin case itself that holds the key to this magic here! I've not yet tried it out, but will give it a go on my next knit project. Thank you for the tip Anne. 

I wanted to make the second version of this dress quite quickly after the first. This time without sleeves and with some flat pattern adjustments to improve the fit.

I followed Devon from Miss Make's tutorial on how to fix armhole gape. I think that the adjustment worked well. I could take a little more off the side seams maybe on my next version.

I forgot to amend the pattern piece with a forward shoulder adjustment...it was only after making the dress and trying it on that I realised - doh! Never mind, the next one will be better.

It took some time for me to cut this dress out, as I did try to pattern match where I could, but it was hard for me to work out where the collar would sit exactly in relation to the bodice pieces, so that's a little off. It doesn't bother me though. The bodice into the skirt is matched quite well in the centre & I like how the zigzag runs the length of the dress.

One thing I dislike about this particular dress is that I lined it with the same main fabric (it says lightweight on the pattern). I'd not got a suitable lining fabric in my stash & didn't want to wait two whole days for the shop to open! It's far too thick! The blue zigzag fabric, a ponte, was from my local shop in Hinckley - The Sewing Cafe. I have a few knit items in the planning for Autumn, which it most definitely feels like now (these photo's were taken in the middle of August, it wasn't especially warm, but it was a lovely sunny day). 

I do really like this dress and it's been worn a lot during the springtime usually with a thin cardigan. I have some fabric picked out for another sleeveless version. And I have bought some fabric to line it with this time too! It will also be collarless - I get annoyed by the collar at the back. With the lower neckline it just becomes very bulky under a cardi (although, again that might be the choice of lining fabric...!). I may also lower the neckline on the front bodice as I think that this will be a bit more flattering on me.

If you haven't tried this pattern yet and are thinking about sewing a knit, I thoroughly recommend it. The instructions, as you'd expect from Colette, are clear and there is a sewalong to help too. There are plenty of inspirational Moneta's out there too. I particularly like Naomi's. You can find her dresses on her IG feed this one she has swapped out the gathered skirt for a circle skirt instead - lovely. 

Happy sewing x

Maria Denmark Stripy Kirsten Kimono Tee

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Hola people! It feels like it has been a busy month, but really I have been on holiday, which was lovely and then catching up with housework, washing and the like, ill children too. I started making a full circle skirt (if I was naming clothes it would be called One of the Seven Circle's of Hell skirt). I still love the fabric, but I'm not enjoying the process of levelling the hem! We're also planning a major redecoration our living room, including a new fireplace, new lighting, re-plastering... so lots to think about there. If you follow me on pinterest you can see some of our ideas on there. 

My prize of 2m of fabric from Sew Over It arrived too. I had to change the fabric I picked orignally as they didn't have enough left and couldn't source any more. Instead I picked this lovely Chambray. I have no idea what to make, but just really love the fabric! 

Little Petals Chambray from Sewoverit.com

Here's today's offering a Kirsten Kimono Tee. I love this top so much! I've had lots of wear out of it. It's so comfy, very casual and pairs very nicely with jeans. I've also worn it to my pilates class a few times.

Having an overlocker meant that this was a quick sew for me. I made it in a couple of short sittings at the end of May. It's the second garment I made on my overlocker. Which I bought from The Sewing Cafe in Hinckley (Leicestershire), along with the fabric for this top. The fabric is a stripy grey and white jersey. I love the feel of it, it's very soft and obviously, like all other fabric I've bought recently, it has got a good drape!  

So to the pattern. It's by Maria Denmark and is free when you sign up to her newsletter, which I did! I took advantage of a 10% discount and bought the Edith blouse/dress, which I have had my eye on for a while, but still have not yet made (perhaps the Chambray fabric?). The pdf pattern for the tee was quick to print and stick together. I remembered to add seam allowances to my tracing. I used the medium size. I have plans to make a pyjama top with this pattern and maybe copy some of my existing pyjama bottoms to make a cute set.  

Sewing the front and back was straight forward. And I managed to get all matchy matchy with the stripes. The neckband was the first I have ever attempted and I have to say I did mess up a little and had to unpick some of the overlocked edge (how annoying!) and realign the raw edges of the neckband and front. But it worked out fine really, it looks a little stretched if you're looking hard at it, but a successful first attempt at a neckband I think!

Then came the hemming on my standard sewing machine using a twin needle. This was a huge pain. Skipped stitches and tunnelling!! I managed to correct the skipped stitches by re-threading with Gutermann instead of Ikea thread (which in my defence I bought to make curtains with and bought WAY to much, so was just trying to use it up). I wouldn't have thought it mattered that much, but it does. You can visually see the difference between the types of thread (or you would be able to if these photo's weren't taken on my phone). 

Thread - top left photo the Gutermann thread is above the Ikea

The Ikea is very wispy with a lot of lint, the Gutermann isn't! It looks thicker and is stronger when I pull it. The skipped stitching stopped once I switched threads. Then I fiddled round with the tension on my machine to try to get it to produce flat twin rows of stitching, but alas my machine just couldn't handle it! It can cope with twin stitching, but I fear it will be only ever manage it in thicker fabrics (it did so with my second Moneta in a ponte, yet to be blogged). 

In the end I decided to try out using fusible interfacing on the hem to see it this would help to stabilise this thin and very stretchy fabric. It worked enough to get the hemming completed and it's wearable too. Colette have a helpful tutorial on this. Next time I use this fabric (and I might just have enough to get a Moneta dress out of it), I will try overlocking the raw edge too. 

If anyone has any other tips for sewing with a twin needle, they would be much appreciated;-)

Grainline Studio Tiny Pocket Tank top for Made Up

Hi there, last week was a bit of a strange for me, but in a good way. My kids went back to playgroup last Tuesday, so I've had a bit more time in the mornings to get some jobs done and some sewing! But the boy's were extremely tired on that Tuesday evening after playgroup and swimming lessons. It took longer than normal for me and my husband to put them to bed and I was feeling really tired. I cheered up A LOT when I realised that I had won the Sew Over It Show Off competition for August!!! Thank you Lisa and Team! I was very shocked, but obviously delighted:) I'd made the 1940's Tea Dress a while ago and finally remembered to blog about it on Monday. When I posted about it on Instagram I tagged it with #SOIshowoff.

#SOIshowoff competition - photo from sewoverit.com

I won 2m of fabric, so I have been browsing their website for ideas and trying to narrow down the selection. I have decided upon this crepe fabric called Adelaide. I've not given much thought to what pattern to make with it yet, as I'm preoccupied with packing for our holiday. Suggestions for a pattern are most welcome.

Image from Sewoverit.com

Karen from Did you make that? began her Made Up initiative at the beginning of August. I joined many sewists in making a pledge and donating to the National Literacy Trust.  Karen writes: 

"Did you know that one person in six in the UK lives with poor literacy? Some children never have a parent read to or with them. Many households can’t afford books. Literacy can be a game of luck, and it’s a game with high stakes. It can make or break lives. With the help of my fellow creatives, I’d like to sway the odds.  

I’ve set us a simple goal – to raise £1,000 in a month-long fundraiser, hosted at a Justgiving page."

Image from didyoumakethat.com

I have always loved to read. My parents love to read too, and I think naturally their enthusiasm was passed on to me and my siblings. My husband and I both love reading to our son's. We have read, as part of their bedtime routine, since they were tiny and I read to them in the daytime too. Their favourite books include 'Superworm' by Julia Donaldson and the 'Alfie' series by Shirley Hughes. One of my favourite's growing up was 'Fantastic Mr Fox' by Roald Dahl and although they are perhaps a bit young still (three and a half), I have just read it to them! They were excited to listen to a story which lasted more than one sitting and had chapters in it! 

I have donated and pledged to make a top. I purposely didn't stipulate which top I would make, because I hadn't decided at the time of pledging. Though I had an idea it might be a tank or cami top as these have been on my 'to make' list for such a long time. The Tiny Pocket Tank by Grainline Studio was the pattern I settled on, after much researching on pinterest!

Tiny Pocket Tank

I made it in a size 10. There are a couple of things to amend on the fit of this top, but I had finished the top before I realised some of the issues! And, I'm writing this the day before I go on holiday and 3 days before the deadline for Made Up, so alterations will have to wait! That's also why I'm not modelling it. That, and the lack of time to set up the tripod.

I really do love the style of the tank top, so I will definitely sort the fit issues out and remake. 

The top gapes a little around the back neckline. It also has a lot of ease, so I think I should have sized down to an 8 and done a FBA. I had to take in the side seams a little to help with the ease issue. I imagine if I size down I wont have to do this again though. The neckline is quite low, so I will raise this by a couple of centimetres. 

The pattern itself is lovely. I love the clean lines of this style. And the instructions are clear and detailed. Extra information is added via a tutorial on the Grainline website. It is all very easy to follow. And there is additional tutorials on the website; I really liked Jen's tutorial for adding a bias facing to the neckline.

The fabric is from Sew Over It. It's a lovely drapey rayon/cotton blend called Starfish. I bought it a few weeks ago, along with a cotton chevron print fabric which I also plan to use with this pattern. 

I am very pleased to be able to support such a worth while cause and have something to show for it too. Have you finished your Made Up pledge?

Sew Over It - 1940s Tea Dress

I completely forgot to post this one! This was my Spring for Cotton make, as mentioned here way back in April. I wrote some of this post before my laptop died and have only just remembered it....

I had been thinking about a 1940s style dress for a while and when Spring for Cotton came along it was the nudge I needed to buy a pattern. I couldn't find an original vintage pattern that I liked in time for the challenge, and having never sewn sewn from one before I decided to purchase the Sew Over It vintage style 1940s Tea Dress. I'm glad to say I did, because the style is just what I was after.

The fabric came from Stitch Fabrics, it's called Sea Shell Lawn. My sister bought tickets for a girly day at the Sewing for Pleasure & Fashion Embroidery & Stitch Show at the NEC in Birmingham in March. I got it then along with a few other lengths of fabrics. The fabric was really lovely to work with. Nice and crisp when it needs to be, but soft and not easily creased too.

I was a bit of a late comer to Spring for Cotton and although I initially didn't think I would actually finish on time, I surprised myself by being able to complete the dress (minus the hem and buttons on the front) with enough time to take a photo and post it to the Spring for Cotton flickr page on the last day of the challenge. Yay! I'm feeling really bad about not managing to post this now:-s

The alterations I made to the flat pattern didn't really take too much time once I'd made the first muslin of the bodice. I only made two bodice muslins and there were enough panels in the bodice to make any final fit alterations if there were any.

I made the first muslin cutting a size 12 at the bust and hips and grading to a 14 at the waist. After the first muslin I made the following adjustments:

• Hollow chest adjustment (a tuck of about 2cm along the neckline). But I think I would only do a 1cm tuck on the next dress as it pulls a little. 
• Lowered the centre front bust panel by 4cm. And took the same out of the lower bodice panels.
• Added an extra 2.5cm to the length at the shoulder (adjusting the facing with the above alterations.
• Moved the bust gathers more to the centre front, otherwise I had gathers where I didn't need them and it all looked very strange,
• Took 1.5cm out of the width of the front bodice from the middle of the shoulder down to the waist, not at the centre front (as the shoulder was a bit out too - yes, perhaps a 10 would have been better - I think I may go back to compare my altered pattern pieces to the size 10!).
• Altered the sleeve pattern to be a cap sleeve using the first half of Heather B's tutorial here.

After making the whole dress up I also made the following alterations:

• Took in the dress by 4cm at the centre back (as I was inserting the zip), grading out to the middle of the back bodice (which should remain a 12 on me) and taking more in at the skirt hem (9cm in total!). Perhaps I should have graded from a size 10 out to a 12 at the waist
• Hemmed the sleeves and skirt with black bias binding.

I enjoyed making the dress and felt confident in the adjustments I'd made. The instruction booklet was clear. I used the Sewalong pages too, which were helpful when I needed a bit more information. I knew how to put in the invisible zip and did it on the first go. Although I wish now that I had run down the zip one more time to get a bit closer and to get the zip a bit more invisible!

:-( Invisible zip, not so invisible

Hazard of taking your own blog photo's - trying to get yourself in the shot!!

I struggled a bit with the facing - especially the point on the 'V'. I think I aligned the centre front at just the edge of the fabric, and not with the seam line oops, I wont do that again! It was rather fiddly and had me cursing for a while. But it looks fine in these photo's.

The one thing I am really annoyed about is my decision to not pattern match the fabric. Because the fabric is busy, I thought I could get away with not matching it. With hindsight I see I should have definitely matched on the centre front of the bust panels. It just looks like I badly matched it rather than actually not bothering!

Tusk! no pattern matching going on here.

The idea with Spring for Cotton is to use 100% cotton fabric and to try to use 100% cotton, or vintage notions. Well, I managed with the fabric, but not so well with the zip and buttons. Although, maybe in the 'make do and mend' style of the 1940s I did reuse buttons from a ready to wear item which came with three spare buttons (very generous!), which I always collect in case I might need.

I love the idea of 1940s style, vintage and dresses. I'm not 100% confident about wearing this one. I do really like the dress on me. Maybe it's just not within my comfort zone and I will need to wear fitted dresses more often for me to feel comfortable in them...

I think I was twirling round, I wasn't falling over, honest!

Dahlia summer dress

A while ago (June!), I wrote that I would keep my blog more up to date with regular posts...What happened?! Well, mid-way through writing a new post my laptop died a horrible death and was never resurrected, that's what! Hmmm, obviously I still have that blog post, hanging about in my drafts, but my photo's were, stupidly, saved to the desktop and therefore lost.  The good news is that I have a new (to me) computer and desk (made by me and my husbands fair hands, no less!) and I've retaken the missing photos so I can start posting again. 

Whilst on my 'break', I only managed to make a couple of items of clothes because we've been busy with constructing a desk, upcycling other furniture, gardening, and trying to enjoy a bit of the summer! Then (playgroup) school was out for (7 whole weeks, we've still got 2 to go!) summer and my sewing time has almost vanished! I missed blogging a lot, so here's my first post after my 'break' - a Dahlia sun dress.

I love reading Heather's blog and I've followed her for a while on IG, so I was easily swayed into her Sundress Sew-a-long when it popped up in my IG feed! You still just have time to join in if you want to... I decided a summer dress was just thing I needed to make for my holiday in September.

I used the Colette Patterns Dahlia dress, which I have made before, but not the sun dress version. Unfortunately I haven't worn this sun dress yet because the summer hasn't really shown up! However, there was some sunshine this morning and I did get some photos done, although, I had to change into something warmer afterwards! It's COLD!

Dahlia Pattern. Image from Colettepatterns.com

OK, the pattern used mostly different pattern pieces for this version (2) of the dress. I think I prefer the skirt of version 1, which is three pieces, not six, and has some lovely gather details where the skirt and yoke meet. Not sure it would have worked for this fabric though, as it's not as drapey as the rayon I used for the version 1 dress. 

Alterations:
I re-drew the front and back bodice pattern pieces so that they would cover my bra straps. I made a muslin and adjusted on this and transferred my adjustments to the paper pattern after.

I lowered the neckline on the back bodice by 5cm. However, I didn't curve it enough - not sure this straight line across my back works on me! But it does cover (most of) the bra straps up!

I sewed the bias binding around the arm and neckline in a different order to the pattern. I decided to do it differently, because of the more angled join of the straps to the back bodice piece. However, I wouldn't do this again. I would redraw the curve of the back bodice neckline and then sew the bias as directed. This way the front straps won't gape (it's only a slight amount, but it matters to me!).

I lowered the the front pattern piece neckline by 1.5cm. Also, I feel like I have a long body, I'm not entirely sure if this is true (except that swimsuits never seem to have enough length in them!) Anyway, for this reason I thought it a good idea to add 2.5cm to the length of waist yoke. Looking at the photo's, I'm not convinced it works. Although it looks better than the muslin did according to my husband!

I cut a size 8 for the bodice, grading from an 8 to a 10 at the waist yoke, then a 10 at the top of the skirt to an 8 at the hips. I also took the skirt side seams in by 5cm at the hem. I just seemed to have some extra fabric, perhaps more than I like to wear, maybe I would only take 2.5cm out next time.  

Colette Patterns Dahlia Dress Version 2

Fabric:
It's from The Sewing Cafe in Hinckley. They don't sell on-line, but if you are local to Hinckley (Leicestershire), it's worth a visit as the service is excellent! It's a very floral cotton (maybe not 100%?) fabric, it feels like a lawn, but it also feels like it has a very slight horizontal stretch. Hmm, I love looking at it, but, I'm not sure it's entirely me. But I tried something different and I will wear it. I do love the shape of the dress and will probably be making another soon, maybe the top of version 2, bottom of version 1. I just need to find some 'me' fabric. Maybe a solid colour would work well and would let the gathers sing out. The fabric was lovely to work with and my bias binding was beautifully easy to make (just the sort of practice I needed).

Neckline detail

I overlocked my raw edges on my new overlocker! I made the purchase a few months ago and I'm still getting used to it. I do love how speedy I can sew up clothes now though!

I do really love our garden. We've worked hard to make this border this year. It still needs loads more plants in it, but we're chuffed with it so far!

I'm very much looking forward to wearing this in warming climes (Spain!)...before September I've got a bit more holiday sewing planned. I've nearly finished a skirt, maybe I will fit in something else, I'm not sure what though. Have you been sewing for a holiday or are you bypassing and beginning your autumnal sewing already?!!!

Me Made May '15 Round Up

I'm a bit late with my round up - I blame the children for getting ill after the half term holidays had finished!

This was my first time joining in with Me Made May. I haven't got the biggest handmade wardrobe, hence my pledge:

'I, Amy, of sewnintheattic.blogspot.co.uk, sign up as a participant of Me-Made-May '15. I endeavour to wear two garments made, adjusted or refashioned by me each week for the duration of May 2015.'

I really enjoyed the month. I got to wear all my casual makes and a few of the RTW items that I had adjusted/altered to fit me. I did find it a challenge, but I met my pledge  - phew! Here are some of the photo's:

Top row from left to right - RTW altered top (elasticated hem which I chopped off and re-hemmed, taking in the sides too and RTW skirt which I took in on the waist; Blue modified Simplicity 1620 top; RTW altered top (as 1st photo).
Middle row - RTW top with elasticated waist which I chopped and hemmed with lace; Zigzag Colette Moneta dress; Floral Simplicity 1717 A-line skirt.
Bottom row - Blue Colette Moneta dress; Stripy Maria Denmark Kirsten Kimono Tee; Blue modified Simplicity 1620 top.

The only part of the month that I'm a bit disappointed by is the record of it all. It was quite a busy month for me at home and I probably should have taken more pics of me and posted to instagram. But I didn't, so there we are! So some of the repeats of garments, and a few other RTW items which I have altered I haven't got a record of, so you'll just have to take my word for it! Currently I'm managing a blog post every 3+ weeks, which is not really where I want to be as I have quite a few unblogged garments queuing up. I also like to gather my thoughts before I write too, so I don't know how some of you bloggers manage to be so instant, I'd like to be like that too! Last week the kids were home with me and we enjoyed the half term holidays with little day trips and activities. One highlight was St. Lawrence's Wood, at Hartshill Hayes Country Park in Nuneaton - the bluebells were out, the sun was shining and the kids were little angels!

St. Lawrence's Wood at Hartshill Hayes Country Park

Another highlight was visiting to the Herbert Art Gallery in Coventry to look at the Story of Children's TV. My two boys were probably a bit young for it (3yo), but slightly older children would love it, especially if you all go with a grandparent too, as we did; there was much reminiscing about shows like Andy Pandy, Thunderbirds, Sooty and Sweep, Blue Peter, Play School...I wish I'd had a bit more time to explore, but the boys like to whiz round at the moment!  

On the left - a couple of photos from the Children's TV exhibition.  I loved Play School - used to watch with my mum and we always had a cup of hot chocolate!
On the right - One of the Shaun sculptures from London - my two don't do posing for photos!

Finally, at the end of half term, we spent some quality time visiting family in London. We planned a 'three's and under' sightseeing trip round London - a first for our kids, but not their cousins. On Saturday we took overground and underground trains from Woodford to Tower Bridge and walked over the bridge and past HMS Belfast (which we will definitely visit when the boys are a bit older). We found a couple of Shaun the Sheep sculptures along and over the Thames too. Then we hopped on a river bus and cruised up the Thames to Westminster Bridge. A spot more sightseeing - taking in Big Ben, Parliament Square and Westminster Abbey. With four children three and under this was quite an undertaking! We finally headed back to my sister-in-laws for a well deserved BBQ and a glass of fizz!

On the Sunday we went to the V&A Museum of Childhood in Bethnal Green. If you like Dolls Houses, they have a fantastic collection, along with many childhood toys and I did find a few sewing related items too! The museum is, of course free, and it's well worth a visit if you're in the area and have young kids as they have free activities including an indoor sandpit! 

Excuse the terrible photo's! The quote on the left says it all really!

The kids also started to get ill over the weekend and I had a child at home for the first three days back after the holidays, so I'm a bit behind with cleaning duties (haha, when am I not behind on this kind of stuff!)! But I did make a few things in May - Zigzag Moneta and a stripy Kirsten Kimono Tee. SOOO loving that Tee pattern. I also treated myself to an overlocker (serger). Which helped with the speed of these makes! I've just taken pictures of them for the blog - I'm trying to be a more organised blogger! I might get round to writing up the Spring for Cotton post one day too!

Ok, back to MMM stuff. I did find the month challenging because I don't have that many makes, and a couple of items I've recently spent making were more occasional wear. And even though it was my husbands birthday at the start of the May and then my brother's, there were no fancy dinners outs, just evenings in with friends and family, so nothing I dressed up for. Maybe this month I will get to wear them more. Although as I type, the summer has kicked in and so now I feel like I need to make a summer dress/ skirt/ top and my wintry makes might be redundant until October!

It's been fun seeing all the photos and reading many of your round ups about Me Made May and I already know that I will be taking part next year AND making more of an effort to document and record it.

If you have any suggestions for summer top patterns please send them my way!