Mirroring Suzy Bee Sews - Life So Strange It Should Be Fiction

This poor pattern has been totally hacked and changed from the original this time. I sit a lot in my job and I found the original skirt was quite poofy when I was sitting but I also hated the full circle skirt version I made (I never even wore it after the photos, gave it to the salvos instead). This is maybe a 1/4 circle skirt and it seems to work really well. I had trouble fitting this dress, it seems the combination of a changing shape and using a knit that has 4 way stretch made it too long. I'd basted it together for a try on and I'm glad I did because I ended up unpicking it more times than I'd like to admit to get it to fit better! I changed construction order too - so the side seams were the last to be sewn up. This is my new favourite technique, makes it so easy to adjust at a later date. Pattern details; Size 12 knit yoke ( got the idea from Patty the Snug Bug ) Size 18 bodice with the darts converted into princess seams Skirt is from N...

I didn't get this pattern when it first came out because I didn't think the gathered waist would be that flattering. Since then I've seen a lot of great verisons online and I downloaded it! As always with Colette patterns, the instructions are fantastic and the fit is pretty good too. This is a XL at the shoulders graded out to a 2xl from the bust down. Its a bit too tight, I'll do a FBA next time, I think that what causing the drag lines at the armholes, it also needs the armholes dropped and a bit of length taken out from the back bodice. I went for sleeves half way inbetween the 3/4 length and the short sleeves. Otherwise everything else is straight out of the printer. I did drop the neckline down, its very much a boat neck but I like more of a scoop and I added binding to the neckline as well to help lift up the back neck height and because I just don't like the idea of turn and stitch for a knit neckline. This fabric didn't stretch enough...

Everytime I sew a Colette dress I wonder why on earth I use any other brand of pattern! This is a straight sz 18 with only taking it in at the sides on the bodice and shortening the bodice by 1". I didn't even muslin it, I feel so naughty saying that! Fabric is a sateen from Spotlight same with the contrast fabric. I found the skirt a bit short so added the band to the hem. The skirt has a kick pleat but I don't think its needed and wouldn't bother sewing it on other versions. The bodice is finished with facings but I used bias tape instead. I really don't like facings, they seem bulky and never seem to sit as smoothly as bias binding. 

The Facts Fabric: Cotton sateen from Spotlight Notions: None Pantone Challenge colors: Emerald, Mykonos Blue and Turbulence Pattern: Colette Macaron dress with a full circle skirt Year: 2009 Time to complete: Way too long, about 18hours First worn: Today Wear again? When the weather warms up! Total Cost: $20 I became interested in sewing through sewing blogs and read a lot before I actually dusted off my sewing machine. One of my favourite blogs was the Sew Weekly and it inspired me to sew something every week, regardless of how it turned out. I'm a big believer that the best way to get better at something is to do lots of it!   Having said that, this dress gave me the fits! This is the third bodice that's been sewn onto the skirt, the first was a NewLook 6048 (like my copy cat dress ). The neckline stretched out and looked awful though and the waistband looked all crooked. So that was unpicked and chucked aside. Next version was the bodice from the Tiramisu dress,...

  *Autumn SWAP* I started making a pendrell blouse as the first top to sew up out of my fashionary sketches, I adjusted the pattern and made a muslin but in the end I just didn't like it on me. I felt really blocky and square in it so I scrapped it and made this top instead! Same as the dresses - Its a sz18 with the Éclair front bodice and a sz12 knit yoke. I used the leftover Sateen from my Christmas dress and some of the knit from a garage sale (think its polyester or at least a cotton/poly blend). I liked the idea of using a peplum but stuck with the pleated skirt this time around. Heres the completed outfit (Winnie Trousers and Macaron Top);

I've been loving reading about the Christmas dresses everyone has planned and decided to make one too. I'm still in love with this pattern - I've worn my first version heaps and have been itching to make another one. Same adjustments as last time - size 12 knit yoke and sz 18 dress with the eclair bodice. I also took a tuck about 1cm out across the bustline as I had some excess on the last version, plus took a wedge out at the lower back to straighten up the hem line. Fabric is sateen from Spotlight again, this is one of the very few fabrics in my stash that wasn't on clearance, lol, shows how much I love it! I still have about one metre of it left but not sure what I can use it for yet. Knit is an interlock from Lincraft. I had another Macaron wadder before this one, used a knit that just wasn't stretchy enough, I can't stress enough with this pattern to use the exact same type of knit that you muslin with! I wore this out tonight for my daughters graduation fr...