Tag: SOI

The Shirt Dress – The Kitty Dress

Posted on by jennisewssomething

The Kitty Dress

So Over It

 

I am currently on a So Over It pattern kick. This is my second pattern in a row that I’ve made from them, and I have plans to make more, especially as part of my fall back-to-work wardrobe.

So, why do I keep coming back to them? First of all, I love their styles. They are a perfect mix of vintage with a modern feel. They have some patterns in their range that are directly vintage styles (The Joan dress for example) and others that are more of a nod, like this one. 

Another reason is that I know what changes I need to make to the patterns before I even start. This is the forth pattern I’ve made from SOI, so I’m hoping that I can just make the changes to the patterns in the future without having to go through the muslining process. 

 

For reference, my standard changes for their patterns are:

  • doing a 3/4″ narrow shoulder adjustment (I could probably do 1″, but many of their modelled pictures show a slightly relaxed shoulder)
  • reducing the bottom of the armscye by 1″. (I just fold back .5″ of the side seam (front and back bodice pieces) at the armhole. Then I redraw the cutline from my new underarm point to about the bust line. To make the sleeve fit the new armhole, I just mark a point .5″ in on either side of the underarm seam and then redraw the cut line to match up with the wrist. 
  • (Note: For the Pussy Bow Blouse pattern, I shortened the sleeve by 1″)

Finally, I love using SOI patterns because I have not had to do an FBA (full bust adjustment) on any of their styles.  I don’t mind doing a narrow shoulder adjustment (it’s quick and relatively painless), but doing FBA’s on different bodice shapes and with different directions of darts, cut on sleeves, etc. does get a little tiring. 

Dress Details

Size: UK 16

Adjustments Needed: 3/4″ narrow shoulder adjustment (The next time I make this dress, I will take in the armscye by 1″ and shorten the back bodice by about .5″)

Fabric: Rayon from Tania Textiles (Quebec City)

Buttons: Red Shell buttons (Accent Mode) from Tania Textiles (Quebec City)

Additional Changes Made: I had to slightly reduce the size of the pockets as I had a very small amount of fabric left. The pattern called for 3.1 metres, and by cutting it flat, I was able to make it out of 2.5 metres (but with slightly smaller (but still very roomy) pockets.

Construction

The illustrations in the pattern booklets are clear and helpful. I always appreciate it when the diagrams are so clear, you can construct the garment (or at least most of it) without having to read the instructions.

A shawl collar is something new for me. I have never owned a garment with one before and I was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to do. I just need to keep in mind that the facing is the part that shows on the outside. Usually a ripple in the fabric when you apply your fusible interfacing isn’t a big deal, but here it’s on display for everyone to see. 

For this particular pattern, I didn’t really enjoy the pocket insertion. I found it quite fiddly for the same result as other methods. Next time I make this pattern, I will serge the edge of the pockets, attach a pocket (RST) to each side seam, press them away from the skirt, and then sew the front and back pieces together, going around each of the pockets. It will be much simpler (and probably faster too)

 

Final Thoughts

I’m really happy with how my  Kitty dress turned out. I think I will get a lot of use from it, both at work, and more casually. I would like to use some of the other versions as well, and possible even a hack without a collar (more of just a v-neck with buttons)

I think the next Sew Over It project I’ll tackle is the Betty dress (hopefully while the weather is still hot) and then I’d like to try some more pieces from the Workwear to Weekend e-book that I have. I have already made 2 Edie tops and a Kate dress from the collection, but I’d love to sew the whole e-book as a capsule. I know, I’m getting way ahead of myself here, but it’s a dream.

 

My First SOI Pattern – The Kate Dress

Posted on by jennisewssomething

The Kate Dress

So Over It London

 

 

The Kate Dress represents a couple of firsts for me. It is my first So Over It London pattern, the first pattern I made from an e-book and the first time I went to a copy shop to have patterns printed on A0 paper. 

 

The pattern

The Kate dress is a 3-in-1 pattern. It can be made as a dress, a skirt or a top. It is classified as an intermediate pattern because there are a few elements that can be a bit challenging, but completely worth it in the end. The Kate dress has a hidden button placket down the centre front. It also has a side zip for ease of getting on and off. Even through the construction can be a little tricky, the instructions are clear with photographs of each step.

 

My changes

The pattern calls for 3.5 metres of cotton lawn, rayon or lightweight crepe. For a dressier look, I used a cut of matte satin from my stash, which I had bought from Fabricville. And with some effort, I was able to make it work with only 3 metres. To do so, I had to cut the pattern out flat (and not on a fold), and instead of cutting the back bodice in one piece, I added a seam allowance and cut it in 2 pieces with a seam up the centre back.

After constructing a muslin version of the bodice, I noticed that I had some extra fabric around the armscye that had to be removed. (More about how I did that alteration in a future blog post). I also needed to add a little width to the bust dart between the bust point and the waist. 

I chose not to do the side slits in the skirt. This made construction easier, as I could just serge the seam allowances together instead of serging both sides of the allowances separately and pressing open. 

 

The Result

This dress is perfect for outings in the park to see the fall leaves change.I will definitely be making another version of the Kate dress, as well as the Kate skirt.

 

 

Final Thoughts

Next time I will choose a solid fabric or a non-directional print to save with fabric consumption (the gores of the skirt take up a lot of the fabric, especially if they can only be cut one direction. 

I would also like to make a version of this in a viscose twill that will be more appropriate for the office. 

Also, don’t forget to let the skirt hang for a few days before hemming it. The parts of the skirt that aren’t on the grain will stretch slightly after hanging. If you hem the skirt without letting it hang, you will end up with a crooked hemline.