Jumbo Bat!

I finished a custom order last night, Kandice wanted a big brown bat with a cute face and I was happy to oblige! If you want a custom order, all you have to do is email me or message me on Etsy (links are in the sidebar). I am happy to discuss custom order options and develop new designs!

I am also (slowly) working on making a downloadable .pdf pattern for the penguins.  I would make it available for purchase on my Etsy for a small fee.  I am getting burnt out on making them but still want people to have the opportunity to have one of their own! I am also thinking about making a penguin kit that would come with all the fabric pieces cut out, all you would need is the stuffing, needle, and thread.  Would you be interested in something like that?

Finished Project: Colette Pastille Variation

Yup, I made another one! But I bet you wouldn't recognize it as Pastille if I didn't tell you.

I took the Pastille pattern that I fitted for my last dress and made a couple of modifications.  First of all I took off the cap sleeves, I did that by just drawing a new outline for the armscye.  I should have also taken the outer shoulder down about 1/2 inch but I didn't. I'll do it next time though.

Then I drafted a peter pan collar by following Caitlin Clark's tutorial (Caitlin from Colette Patterns) here: The Story Girl.  I then added contrasting piping to the edge of the collar and to the waistline.  This is the very first time I've ever used piping.  I think it looks really cute!

I also modified the bust darts using the method Gertie shows here: Gertie's New Blog for Better Sewing. I fit this part to my body as I sewed it but I forgot to take into account that the skirt would pull the bodice down slightly so I feel like the darts are a little low, something I'll fix on my pattern for the next time.

On the back I extended the waist darts about 1.5 inches and I think it took out a lot of the excess fabric that was on my earlier version. (Again, ignore the wrinkles! I was sitting on the skirt at work) It's still a little weird back here but I've given up on caring!

Finally, I added a dirndl skirt. for this I just cut rectangles the width of my fabric by 23" inches high and sewed them together and gathered to attach to the bodice.  I think this version turned out pretty darn cute! Now I'm debating whether I want to make another one or to move on to my Colette Peony I just got in the mail...

Finished Project: Colette Pastille

My mom got me the Colette Sewing Handbook for my birthday in October and I have been itching to make something ever since! After the hustle and bustle of the holidays died down I decided I would tackle the Pastille dress.

Pastille is a basic sheath dress, its details are a sweetheart neckline and horizontal pleats in the skirt. I used this CRAZZZYYY cotton from Joann Fabrics, it was only $2 a yard and I wanted something cheap for my first go-round (It IS a quilting cotton, but I think that its weight and texture are ok with this pattern, plus, I'm one of those kinds of people that doesn't really care about the stigma of quilting cotton).

I also decided that I was going to do this 100% the "right" way, no shortcuts!  So I made 3 (THREE!) muslins before sewing the actual dress, finished all the seams on the inside, and did all the appropriate thread tracing/pressing/busy work.

The pattern is sized 0-18, I made a 8, but graded down to a 6 in the hips. The instructions were very easy, I hardly needed to even follow them! My major complaint is the fitting issues I faced with this pattern.  I was really hoping that this would be an easy fit, since Colette Patterns has a pretty good reputation but I had major issues with the back. It was quite baggy and I had to do a sway-back adjustment, something I have never tackled before! I went on the Colette Patterns Community Forum and learned a lot of other ladies were having this problem too. I think I have the back under control now, but it was still an unexpected obstacle.

I shortened the waist 1" first.  Then I made a 1.5" sway back adjustment. My method is delineated in the graphic below. I also graded to a 6 in the hips.  If I were to make this pattern again (which I probably am) I think I am going to lengthen the back waist dart to remove some extra fabric in the back, lower the bust darts just a hair, take the waist down just 1/2" or so (I think I took it up too high originally), and remove the cap sleeves since I think that the shoulders are too big for me anyway. I also see some bagginess on the sides of the dress, maybe I need to make a size 6 and do a FBA so that the dress fits my ribcage better? IDK. Also, I notice that my waistline pulls up at center front, what's doing that?

 

I liked that it was a simple, easy dress to put together, and that it is "no-nonsense," there aren't a lot of frills or design additions. That way it lends itself to be remade again and again, with the addition of your own details, to make a whole closet of dresses!

I think I am going to sew it again, I really want to refine it into a "go-to" pattern that I can rely on to fit every time.  I would certainly recommend it to others, but I HIGHLY RECOMMEND sewing a toile/muslin first, since the back seems to be an issue for most sewists.