It Must Be Spring

I made a dress!

The idea of wearing a dress crops up every spring. I start seeing interesting and lovely patterns for dresses and I delude myself into thinking, yes, I will definitely wear that dress. So I buy the pattern and make the dress.

Actually there are a few dresses from previous springs that are in current rotation. I always get complements when I wear the Memphis from the Sewing Workshop. It is so comfortable. So comfortable that I have trouble remembering to suck in my belly.

The dress that caught my seasonal attention this year is the Adeline from Style Arc. It looks great on almost everyone. I'm not yet convinced it looks great on me.

Since I'm trying to use stash, and I wanted something solid colored, I chose this piece of eggplant cotton sateen from Gail K. It was fairly inexpensive, as I recall, so I figured it would be a good piece to try.

Looks pretty good with the Tremont jacket, I think.

It does not have as much drape as some of the linen Adeline's I've ogled online. I would have loved to make a linen one but just cannot justify a fabric purchase at the moment. Maybe after I burrow through stash a bit more I'll make it again in a soft linen.

As I was making it, I began to worry that it would look like scrubs lengthened to dress length. That V neck and cut-on sleeves might give it that vibe.

I've had good luck with Style Arc patterns. The only trick is to remember they 3/8 inch seam allowance, as well as the 1/4 inch seam allowance on enclosed seams.

wrote myself a note on the back side of the fabric

The instructions are minimal but there's not much need with the Adeline. StyleArc patterns tend to be several notches above something so plain as hospital scrubs. And I think this one is nicely drafted to avoid that look.

It has good bones with its lantern shape and a slight high-low hem. It has big patch pockets. And you're supposed to roll up the sleeves. Both the neckline and the hem is faced. I like a faced hem, especially with top-stitching.

I made one minor change to the size 16, bringing the V up 1 inch. I am always leery of V necks because they tend to be too deep for me. I looked at lots of them on Instagram and Pattern Review. No one mentioned a too-low neck but you can't exactly raise the neckline after the fact.

I actually think I like it. My legs are not used to seeing the light of day, but I can wear leggings, maybe. At the very least, I'll wear it around the house, and maybe to the grocery.

Lani Woven Tunic

This is my first foray into Style Arc patterns but it won't be my last. I am really taken with this design.

It's true that I'm very late to the party in just now trying out Style Arc. Although there are many lovely styles published by Style Arc, this is the one that called my name. And I was able to order it on Amazon, avoiding international shipping. On the down side, I later learned that these are sold by Style Arc on etsy for less. It's ok though for such a great pattern.

It took me way longer to make than it should have. I began by deciding to make up a toile (muslin) because there was no easy way to determine the finished hip measurements. Luckily my version of the pattern is a multi-sized paper pattern, giving me size options. I believe that Style Arc does not ordinarily issue multi-sized patterns.

I often make one size through the shoulders and bust, and go up a size in the hips. So my first toile was based on that assumption. It fit great through the shoulders and bust but was way too big through the hips. Hooray!

Next I retraced the pattern using a size 12 throughout. I recut the toile and made it up again. I loved it, even without the sleeves, even in a sickly yellow sheet cotton.

Finally I was ready to cut and sew the pattern in good fabric. I chose a cross dyed linen-cotton blend from stash. It is navy in one direction, cream in the other. It reads light blue-gray. I probably purchased it at Twill Fabric and Yarn store in Nashua NH, a lovely little shop.

I tested my fabric on the floor to make sure all the pieces would fit. Still plenty of space for a 2nd sleeve and facings.

 It took a bit of time to cut out because only the sleeves may be cut double layer. It's awkward even with my large cutting table, but it is a great way to make optimal use of a piece of fabric.

The bust is shaped with an armscye dart on the left and a princess seam on the right.

I did find myself tangled up on the seam allowances. The instructions say that the seam allowances are 3/8 inch, except for *internal* seams, which are 1/4 inch. That was a term I had never heard but I suspected that *internal* was being used where I would use *enclosed.* An email exchange with Style Arc confirmed my guess. The only 1/4 inch seam allowance was at the neckline where a facing enclosed it.

I love the little inseam pocket on the right front.

This is a winner. I think I'll make it again though it is quite distinctive looking. I'll surely make another Style Arc pattern. The instructions are brief (almost in the extreme) but accurate and easy to follow.