Sewn: Black Belladone Dress

I wanted to make it through my Love at First Stitch book before starting any other patterns, partially to keep things simple (one thing at a time!) and also to pick up as many skills as I could before jumping into the world of sewing patterns meant for not-total-beginners. I'm glad I did things in that order, but it was also really exciting to finish and have the whole world of sewing patterns open to me!

I got excited and bought 4 patterns at once (only two of which I've made so far - eep), and I got started with the Belladone from Deer & Doe. My coworker Kiran has made at least one, possibly a few versions of this dress, and I knew it was the first thing I wanted to sew. I love the fitted-but-not-tight A-line silhouette, and the back cutout is cute and interesting without making for complicated bra situations like some open backs can.

I've been really into wearing lots of black lately, so I decided to go with cheap black cotton for a wearable toile. I cut out my size and basted the dress together - long, loose stitches and no seam finishing. Miraculously, the pattern fit almost perfectly with no modifications! (This was in sharp contrast to my Tilly and the Buttons patterns, which almost always have way more ease than I want and require lots of contouring through the waist and back). So I took the whole thing apart and sewed it again, this time with normal stitches and nice, serged seams.

I'm super happy with this dress, with a few small exceptions. One, I am just not a fan of bias tape for finishing sleeves and necklines. Hopefully I'll get better with practice, but I seem to always end up with puckering in some spots and the edges don't lie as flat as with facings or a full bodice lining. Unfortunately the cutout back makes a full lining really tricky. Two, since I did use a cheap fabric, it's not as soft or smooth as I would really like, and it wrinkles easily. This kind of sounds like an excuse to buy a nicer black fabric and make another, though.

I really do love so many things about this dress though. I love the shape and the fit. It's flattering but still loose enough to be comfortable. There are pockets (which I made bigger to comfortably hold my giant phone). And honestly it's just a nice, classic cut and color. I usually pair it with black tights on work days when I want to look put together but don't really feel like figuring out an outfit.

 

The back. You can see a lot of the puckering around the binding tape here (the binding tape is all on the inside, so you're just seeing stitch outlines, not the tape itself). Ugh, binding tape! I've since had better luck (with another pattern) using self bias tape, that is, cut from the fabric instead of storebought. That may be a thing to try on a future Belladone!

And after making two Belladones I realized I assembled the upper back pieces wrong on both (see above photo). The upper shoulder pieces are supposed to be on top! I think it would look slightly nicer the correct way, but it's not bad enough to take apart and resew. Ah well!

Things I learned: How to follow more minimal instructions (these were still pretty comprehensive, but I had to google things like sewing in binding tape. My previous patterns from the book were very hand-hold-y); using binding tape to finish a bodice; adding a hem facing piece instead of just hemming the bottom.

I have since sewn 2 more of these, so stay tuned for much more Belladone.

Sewn: Black Lilou dress

Of the projects in Love at First Stitch... I skipped over blogging about the simple head scarf (and I've never worn it - I swear my head and hairline are not shaped right for things like that); I showed you my Margot PJs and Delphine skirt; finally blogged about the Megan dress and the three Clemence skirts I made. The next pattern in the book is the Mimi blouse, which is cute but 100% not my style (I like more fitted, usually stretchy tops - the boxy look does not do it for me). So I skipped that one. Which brings me to the last project in the book - the Lilou dress!

I really like the style and fit of this one - of everything I've made so far, it definitely feels the nicest. I think the main downside is that it feels a bit too nice - more of a party dress than an everyday dress. I used a really sturdy woven cotton, which makes it feel high quality but not necessarily extra fancy. I may keep my eye out for something a bit more glitzy and possibly make myself a holiday party Lilou someday, since that's really my main excuse each year to dress up.

The trickiest thing about picking fabric for this dress is that it requires 60" wide (instead of the more common 45" wide). I basically just looked around my fabric store until I found something that matched the description the pattern gave (medium-weight with body, I believe) and which was also wide enough, and solid black it was. I think this started my new routine of making each new dress pattern in black first, since plain black dresses are probably my very favorite thing to throw on in the morning and instantly feel put-together. I'm definitely having a black phase with my clothing and I love it.

It's been a little while since I sewed this (like.... August 2015), so I can't remember all of the details. I did spend some time on fitting the bust first - I made a muslin out of the lining fabric, I believe, and adjustments were mostly bringing side seams and darts in tighter, so I didn't need to cut new fabric for the final version.

After many invisible zipper projects, I was over inserting them and decided to go with a regular zipper for this one. I worried a black plastic one would look cheap, so I got a metal coat zipper and I'm really happy with how it looks! My fabric is heavy enough that it all feels very stable, even with the extra heavy zip.

Some process shots...

Attaching the lining + outer bodice. This was really cool to learn! You attach all along the neckline and the arm holes, then connect the side seams for each the lining and the bodice, then do some magic and flip it all right side out and it's so cool, especially the very first time.

Close up of zipper attachment + pleats details - I really love how well this fabric holds pleats!

The downside of black is: really hard to photograph.

What I learned: How to line a bodice - this one is great because I've since learned that I hate using binding tape on arm openings and especially necklines, so sometimes subbing those out for lining is my best bet; pleats!; sewing a non-invisible zipper.

That's it for Love at First Stitch projects, but I wasted no time in moving on to other indie sewing patterns once I got through it all. More to come!

Also - thanks to Tim for taking all the photos of me wearing this dress! I liked so many that I had trouble narrowing it down :)

Dressmaking: getting started + my setup.

My start

I bought a sewing machine a few years ago when I quit my tech job and had what seemed to be the mid-20s equivalent of a midlife crisis. I made a little sewing supplies pouch that I no longer use and one seat cushion (yep, I gave up before the second), and my sewing skills were basically "Can thread the machine and sew in a straight line".

This fortunately left me in a great place to get started this time around - I already had the machine and knew how to do the basics on it, and the dressmaking book I bought picked up from there. There is a lot more to learn beyond just using the machine - washing/drying/ironing/cutting the fabric, seam allowances and finishing your seam edges, using patterns and making adjustments, and specific techniques like darts, ruffles, and inserting zippers.

So, I bought Love at First Stitch, after seeing some of her patterns around the internet and loving every single one of them. (Once I finish the book, I'm planning to treat myself to the Françoise dress and Arielle skirt - I'm obsessed with the mod silhouettes.)

My setup

If I didn't already have a sewing machine, I would swear I don't have room for one. My house is pretty cramped, especially as far as storage space goes, and I definitely do not have room for such luxuries as a dedicated sewing table. I've seen smaller apartments for sure, but I also feel a bit of envy rise up when I hear follow seamstresses talk about the lack of space on their sewing tables or even (gasp) craft rooms.

All this is to say - don't less space be the limiter if this is something you'd like to do. Here are a few pictures of how I make it work in my place, mess (+ Tumbles) and all:

Fortunately I have a pretty big table - bigger than I comfortably have room for, but I loved it too much to get rid of it when I moved to a smaller place. I can clear off most of the table and use it for my sewing machine + cutting fabric.

Another view of the table - it's basically in the kitchen. If I use an ironing board, it actually takes up part of the kitchen and I have to move my dish rack to plug the iron in. I've since moved on to a blanket on the floor/coffee table (photos of that below). Also - hello Tumbles butt.

This is certainly not recommended. Just... don't use the sink at the same time, I guess.

I have a (small) room for all of my storage needs, in lieu of closets. It's kind of nice except that it's too small and crowded to easily get to most things. My sewing machine lives in an IKEA shelf behind my clothing rack (my laundry basket is usually in that nice empty space in front, totally blocking it). It's an ok storage spot but definitely a pain to get in and out, particularly since I frequently switch between wanting to use my kitchen table for sewing and not-sewing.

Typical setup these days - sewing on the table, ironing on the coffee table just behind it. Usually lots of fabric and supplies piled up on the couch in between.

My IKEA coffee table with a folded blanket becomes an ironing board. I wouldn't try this on a nicer wood table, but so far this one has survived. 

Sometimes when I want more room than my coffee table allows, I'll use the same blanket on the floor for ironing or cutting. This adds the extra challenge of making sure Tumbles doesn't eat any pins....

Since I'm being honest about my mess here: this poor chair, which has become almost eternal storage these days (a shame, as it's a comfy one). You can see my new, big cutting mat shoved between the chair and the wall. Not the best place for it, as it's not totally flush and gets a bit out of whack. I need to find a better spot.

And to add to the storage drama, I recently got a serger! I really don't know where I'm going to store it, and it has lived on my kitchen table for the last week and a half. (Note: you really don't need one of these to get started, and my book doesn't even mention one, but it's so delightful once you reach the "obsession" stage of your sewing hobby!)

There you go! Next I'll put together a few posts about the things I've made so far and how the learning process has gone. Thanks for reading!

Because I definitely needed another hobby

Things I have considered hobbies over the last 5 years or so: crochet, knitting, cooking + baking, party hosting (??), ballet, yoga, raising a puppy (maybe I'm stretching things here)... As well as the more aspirational "I'll get around to it soon" hobbies of photography, embroidery, decorating my home, and gardening. I keep telling myself I need to cut things out, not add more. And yet, here we are - I busted out the old sewing machine and bought myself a dressmaking book and I'm in deep.

First things first - up until 4 months ago, this little sewing pouch was the fanciest thing I had made with my sewing machine. And it was fine! There are lots of things going on there. But all things considered, I wasn't a pro seamstress. And yet, somehow now I find myself making tailored dresses (ok, just one so far) and skirts with gathers and invisible zippers. I feel like I don't even know myself!

But it also feels so magical, to be able to find a pattern that I love, and pick out just the right fabric out of all the options in town and online... And then! make that pattern so it fits my particular body exactly how I want it to. It's mind blowing and amazing, and in the end I have something that started as a couple yards of fabric and is now an outfit I can wear to work and look put together in.

So now I find myself planning my weekends around having time at home to work on whatever skirt or dress I'm making next; contemplating different fabric + pattern combos when my mind wanders off during the day; squeezing in time between dinner cleanup and bed to get just a little further on my current project. I'm obsessed.

I'm planning to share a few posts about how I got started, what my set up looks like (I promise you, it leaves a lot to be desired, but it gets the job done), and showing off what I've made so far, because I'm kinda shamelessly proud. Sewing (at least for me) was pretty intimidating, compared to a lot of my previous hobbies - machinery! so many different steps! - but it totally gets more fun and relaxing with time, and I hope I can help anyone on the fence about it work up the guts to give it a shot. Stay tuned!

Necklace display DIY

Confession: I've lived in my current place for almost 14 months, and all but my favorite necklaces were still tangled up in a bag from the move. Oops. The before situation:

 

I saw this similar project last year and kept wanting to do it but getting caught up in the details and the tyranny of choice of the hardware store... until I finally remembered some cheap wooden spice racks from IKEA that I got to give my bathroom some storage and realized one of those would be perfect.

The result:

I did this whole thing in an hour or so, although I'm hoping to go back and paint it and of course that will take a bit more time.

Supplies:

IKEA BEKVÄM spice rack (here)

Tape measure or ruler + pen

Hammer + small nail

Small screw hooks (I got these - they took almost a month to come, but SO CHEAP)

Pliers

Wall mounting screws, optionally drywall anchors and/or a stud finder

1. Assemble your spice rack according to the directions. It's pretty quick and straightforward!
2. Measure out where you want your hooks to be and mark with a pen. I did every 1/2 inch, staggering upper and lower rows (so I measured on the 1" marks for the lower row and on the 1/2" marks for the upper row).
3. There are probably better ways to do screws (power drill??) but I've always found it easiest to tap a small nail in just a bit and pull it out, then screw into the hole. If you want to go this route, work your way down the rows with your hammer and nail. No need to go in deeper than 1/8-1/4" per hole.
4. This is the most tedious part. Starting at one end, put a hook in each hole and screw it in by hand until most or all of the screw's thread is hidden and the hook is facing up. I found it easier to use pliers for the last rotation or so of each one.
   
    
5. Hang it up! I used a stud finder and screws (along with my hammer and nail method) and it seems secure. That said, I am no expert at hanging things*, so please do your research and do what you feel safest with! Once your screws are in, the spice race goes over them and kind of snaps down into place.
   
   

* As evidenced by my full vanity setup (shelf, mirror, necklaces) being mounted almost entirely into drywall without anchors (occasionally I've used a stud!). I've only ever had terrible luck with drywall anchors - they just leave a giant gaping hole in the wall and fall through and it's a huge mess. But nothing has fallen off of my wall yet so there are worse solutions, I suppose?

How To: make a big t-shirt fit

If you're a woman, especially one in the tech industry, I'm sure you've gotten your fair share of men's t-shirts, which are usually too big in some places, maybe tight in others, and generally not flattering. (There's a great write up about why this sucks and how "unisex" shirts aren't that over on the Geek Feminism Wiki.)

I decline or get rid of a lot of these shirts, but there are a few that I'd love to keep, such as my MagmaConf shirt, but they fit so badly that I don't even care to wear them around the house. Honestly it kinda sucks to have to bust out the sewing machine just to comfortably wear a t-shirt that was made for the guys that attended whatever event I went to, but it's also nice to know that I can.

So! In case others of you are interested and don't know where to start, here's a pretty easy DIY. You need a sewing machine and basic knowledge of how to do a simple stitch (or a needle, thread, and a lot of patience). There are a lot of steps, but honestly it's pretty straightforward, and stretchy t-shirts make it pretty forgiving if you don't get it perfect.

Before / After

1. Turn your shirt inside out!
   
   
   
2. Cut the sleeves and neckline out.
   
   The neckline is optional but I think it gives it more of a casual feel. You just want to make sure the seams are gone - you can stay really close to them or add an inch or two around. The biggest thing to watch out for is jagged edges, so be careful and try to cut a smooth line around.
   
   
   
   If there are any inner seams sticking out, like below, trim these diagonally so the ends don't show through the sleeves.
   
   
3. Put the shirt on (still inside out) and grab a sharpie or fabric pen. Go down each side and pull the excess fabric out from your body (if the shirt has side seams, it helps to keep that centered where you're pulling). Do this in about three places (armpit, waist, hip) and mark where the fabric hits your body. It doesn't need to be skin tight, but enough to give you a general idea.
   
   
    
4. Take the shirt off and connect the lines with your marker. (I switched from silver sharpie to black - neither shows up great for photos.)
   
   
   
5. Sew! I usually use thread that's about the same color as my shirt, but I'm using white here. Sew a long, slightly curved line down your drawn-on line, and make sure to go up through part of the sleeve opening, too.
   
   
   
6. Before you take scissors to it, try it on! I just leave it inside out for this part. Look at how it fits and where the seams hit. If something looks off, you can take a seam ripper to your stitches and resew (if it's too tight) or just sew a new seam within the first one (if it's still loose). Mine's usually pretty close on the first try - the lines I drew earlier help!
   
   
   
   
7. When you're happy with the fit, cut the excess fabric off of the inside (it's ok to leave 1/4"-1/2" of extra), flip inside out, and voila!
   

Side, before and after (with the terrible faces I was making cropped off):

Inspired by Katie's tutorial on Skunkboy Blog

If you want something easier and no-sew, check out this DIY on Twinkie Chan's blog (I tried this and it didn't look quite as cute on me as on her blog, probably because all the excess fabric is still hanging around.)

Good luck!