By Hand London Archives

The Most Innocent Dress Ever: The Flora Dress in White Eyelet

28 August 2019 by Heather Lou Leave a Comment

I think I've mentioned this before, but I am trying not to buy new fabric this year unless we need it for upcoming patterns. We have a mammoth stash closet that is literally overflowing so I'm trying to make a dent it when I can, finding use for a lot of those pieces I've hung on to for years with no clear plan. Such was the case with the lovely cotton floral eyelet I used to make this Flora Dress from By Hand London. I got it at a sewing meetup in Montreal and it's been collecting dust for years, waiting for the right project.

Turns out the right project was one I've made before! I tested Flora many moons ago, and fell in love with it again this summer after seeing the pretty versions my friends were making in London (Elisalex has been hacking it into pure magic, and Hannah made a lovely blue linen one I couldn't help but try on). It's a classic two dart bodice with a square, high neckline and bra covering straps, perfect for a more fitted summer dress. Due to yardage restraints, I couldn't make the flared skirt, so subbed in a simple gathered one. I had only the tiniest of scraps left over, so I felt quite chuffed to know I had gotten the most out of this narrow yardage.

Since I had made Flora before, I had a size reference (this is why blogging all your makes is the best - you can always go back into the archives to see what size you made!) That dress is a bit too small on me now (although has somehow escaped my many closet purges) so I sized up to a 12 for this version. I then used my custom Beatrice form to finetune the fit, adjusting the armscye and shifting the darts as needed. I cannot tell you how much I love that form; it makes the constant mirror fitting I used to do seem like a bad dream.

The bodice was fitting perfectly but I think I ended up stretching out the waist seam when I attached the gathered skirt despite my staystitching since I had a helluva time getting the lining to match up on the inside. As a result, the waist is a bit wider than intended, but it is very comfortable so maybe it was for the best.

I left the skirt unlined and added a very lightweight cotton voile lining to the bodice, so it's a light, breezy dress perfect for hot summer days when I feel like getting a bit dressed up. Even if I do feel a little not myself wearing it; I've shied away from more overtly feminine looks in the last few years and it felt a bit weird to get back into a fit and flare dress after so much time in loose linen. I really feel a personality shift when I wear this; more ladylike, better behaved, less likely to swear like a trucker. Clothing has power! I couldn't help but laugh when our studio neighbour Paul jokingly asked if I was headed to my first communion when he saw me in this. Something about white eyelet just seems to scream "innocent flower".

So yes, more white frosting for me. I'm not sure if this will end up entering the pantheon of beloved, overworn dresses but it was fun to make and nice to have as an option when I feel like posing as a fine, upstanding young lady in the prime of her youth.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a first communion/wedding to get to.

The Sophia Dress Pattern // By Hand London

30 July 2015 by Heather Lou 26 Comments

Do you ever stumble on fabric that feels like it's yours even before you get to the checkout? Like you would maybe snarl at someone who even looked at the bolt while you were hugging it desperately to your chest, a half-mad and possessive gleam in your eye? I spotted her in Mood last year; I was almost out the door when she waved a little abstract geometric arm at me. If fabric had eyelashes, hers would have been batting. A lovely textured cotton with a deconstructed modernist tree print, she was in my arms within seconds.

Like so many of my emotional fabric purchases, I didn't have a plan. I just knew she needed to come home with me and be mine forever. It wasn't until BHL released the Sophia Dress that I realized it was indeed kismet/beshart/fate. The sharp, modern, angular lines of Sophia were a perfect foil for the sharp, modern, angular lines of this fabric.

Obviously a dress like this needs an occasion. One of my closest friends had a gorgeous farm wedding this summer, and the combo of Sophia + fabric seemed like the right blend of fancy and casual. Of course there is no rest for the sewing blogger's boyfriend; I dragged Guillaume outside in between courses so we could snap these shots before the sun went down. Unsung hero, he.

I really, really love the design lines of the second variation of this dress pattern. The silhouette is a classic sheath but the angled straps, diagonal darts and centre slit feel cool and modern. The bust darts create a pointy, space age shape that felt really fresh. I skipped a muslin since BHL has always fit me quite well out of the box, but I probably could have used one this time around. I've put on about 10 pounds since my last BHL make (I *may* have been carbo loading after quitting smoking/vaping this spring) and have gone up a size in the hips (never, ever in the boobs, which would really make a me a lot less cranky about the fact that most of my clothes are too tight these days), so instead of making a standard 10US like I normally do, I graded to the 12US at the hip. However, there was still very little ease, as I discovered to my discernation during the wedding. After the ceremony my stomach really started hurting and I realized it was because the waist of the dress was essentially cutting off communication between my upper and lower body. I could only sit down and eat dinner at the same time if my dress was COMPLETELY unzipped. The only thing worse than taking off your heels in lieu of flip flops on a wedding dance floor is being the weirdo who walks around with your dress completely undone all night. I was that weirdo. Thank god for jean jackets.

While I was (over) fitting the dress, I noticed major swayback after I installed the zipper - I could pinch out more than an inch at the small of my back. I've never had to make a swayback adjustment before and I had to rip out the zipper two times before I managed to get it laying somewhat flat. I ended up taking out at least an inch at center back, grading to nothing at the side seams. I think part of the perceived swayback was a result of the dress being too tight to begin with. I think if I had had a little more ease at the waist it would have been less of an issue. I'm still not really sure why I didn't realize how tight it was when I was making it; I must have been bloated at the wedding. Champagne, happy tears, humidity and way too much food will do that to ya. It's a good reminder to actually bend over and move around while you're fitting to make sure it's comfortable when you're doing more than standing up straight.

Since the construction of this dress was relatively simple, I decided to go full hog on the guts. I always get all longy eyed and watery mouthed when I see the innards of an Oona or Leisa make. Taking that kind of care with something only you see is like sewing a love letter to yourself. My love letter started, "Dear Heather, you deserve some silk". Miracle of miracles, I still had a scant yard of the washed silk I had used for my Carolyn pajama samples in almost the exact shade of kelly green. I lined the bodice with it, with just enough left over to squeak out about 6 yards of double fold bias tape for the skirt seams, made using my Clover 1/2" bias tape maker. Rather than just sandwich the exposed seams in the folded tape, I actually sewed each seam twice; once from the wrong side to catch the raw edge of the tape, and then from the right side of the seam to close it all up. It might have been overkill but it was a good excuse to practice my sewing precision.

The pattern instructions don't call for any under-stitching but I did what I could to prevent the lining from peaking up at the V and under the arms. I also somehow had the perfect match of seam tape in my stash, so I used that to finish the hem, catch stitching it into place. I also tacked the center slit seams into place with a slip stitch rather than topstitching them down. Finally, I sewed a tiny bar tack at the top of the slit to strengthen the seam at the point of stress. As for the print, I didn't bother with print matching. I didn't have that much fabric to work with, and I quite liked how the seam lines broke up and highlighted the angular abstract print even more.

Extreme issues of dress tightness aside (which I'm hoping will be made moot by my new M-W-F morning swim routine), I really do love this dress. I haven't had that many excuses lately to go all out on a party dress and it felt good to make something frivolous and beautiful, with laboured over insides that said "you're worth it, baby".

Have you sewed a love letter to yourself lately? Did that love letter fit better than this one?

ps. The ladies at BHL told me Sophia hasn't been formatted for PDF yet, but they should be adding a sign up sheet to the product listing if you'd like to be informed when they do.

pps. BHL gave me this pattern back when it was released. All opinions are my own.

Outfit deets: Sophia dress, Mood fabric , Mac Russian Red lipstick, Gold Hasbeens, mirrored sunglasses (similar here)

An Anna // Charlotte Holiday Hack

17 December 2014 by Heather Lou 44 Comments

Hello lovelies! As I type there is approximately 2 feet of snow outside, my new parka is getting broken in and I have stacks of wrapped Christmas gifts on the cutting table. It's that short, beautiful time of winter where the weather hasn't started to feel oppressive and all of the holiday parties take the edge off the fact that snow boots are your new daily staple.

Speaking of holiday parties..... I took a break from sewing comfy, loungey knits to make some icing. Some gilded, foiled icing that makes me feel like a Christmas decoration in the best possible way. It feels like it's been forever since I made an actual dress with darts and a zipper and it was fun to get back to my sewing roots: ridiculously over the top dresses that rarely get worn but make you smile every time you see them.

The fabric really called the shots for this project. On one of my trips to the wholesale wonderland that is the Chabanal district in Montreal, I stumbled on this gold foil organza. It reminds me of camo print, like if Ted Nugent did drag (if anyone is wondering what my dream Christmas gift would be, it is Ted Nugent giving Liza Minelli realness, fyi). I couldn't resist it's gilded lure, especially for $5 a yard. I brought it home, draped it on the form and tried to figure out what pattern would work. I wanted something with simultaneous softness and structure, so I turned to an old favourite, the Anna dress from By Hand London. Inspired by the beautiful Anna/Charlotte hack from Diary of Chain Stitcher, I decided a cocktail dress with a pencil skirt was the way to go.

I made the Charlotte way back when, but it was too tight and the fit was off (the things you realize in hindsight). This pattern has double darts in front which makes me look pregnant with hollow air babies. However, I wanted to keep them so that they lined up with the double pleats on the Anna bodice. I made a few muslins to try and perfect the fit, since this fabric magnifies drag lines like you wouldn't believe. I cut a US10 for the bodice and a US12 for the skirt. Here's a list of pattern modifications I made:

Took out a wedge from front and back neckline to prevent gaping.
Shaved 2 inches off each shoulder, basically removing a wedge and tapering to nothing at the under arm, since the fabric was too stiff for the wider kimono sleeve.
Drafted a deep V in the back. Since this means fabric is cut on the bias, to prevent gaping I shaved 1/8" at the inner back shoulder, tapering to nothing at the outer arm. It helps pull the fabric in a little.
Shortened the front pleats by about 3/4". I've never had to make this modification before but in this fabric, the pleats weren't ending beneath the girls like they should have.
The skirt gave me some headaches since I was moving the darts higher than they were designed to sit on the body. I was getting crazy volume under my tummy, so I narrowed the front darts on the skirt to half the original size, lengthened then by about 1"and moved them over to align with the pleats. I then removed the excess width at the waist, and moved the side seams over so they aligned with bodice.
Lengthened the back dart by 1" and moved it over so it aligned with bodice dart.

I was fairly happy with the fit in the end, but in hindsight I'd shave more off the back shoulder seam since the back gapes ever so slightly. It's also a little hard to assess if the fit is spot on or not since the fabric is so distracting and stiff. I think I could have made the front darts even skinnier since there is still a little too much volume around the baby maker.

In terms of construction, I left the seams raw since they were ever so pretty, hemmed with lace tape, fully lined it with a navy bemberg rayon, interfaced the CB for an invisible zipper and added a hook and eye at the top. I used my favourite method to line the bodice, which is to sew both the bodice and lining at shoulder seams, and then sew then together along the neckline and arm opening. You then pull one end of each side through the shoulder opening and sew the side seams in one continuous line (refer to this tutorial if that is not clear). I was in a bit of a rush and didn't have time to handstitch the lining to the zipper, so I tried flipping everything inside out and machine stitched the lining to the zipper. I've never done this before and it was a little tricky to get everything aligned but it's a good time saver. My lining ended up looking a bit wonky at the top but no one will ever see it so, pffft.

I wore this to a holiday party last weekend in New York, and will probably pull it on New Year's Eve. It's been a long time since I made a party dress and I forgot how much I missed the process! The only real problem is that this fabric creases like CRAZY and looks a little worse for wear after an evening of sitting. I'm hoping a good steam will release some of those creases.

How about you? Any holiday dress sewing plans?

The Holly Jumpsuit

9 September 2014 by Heather Lou 50 Comments

Just looking at these photos is making me a little sad. Is it just me, or do summers get shorter and shorter with each passing year? As much as I love layering and being cozy in the fall, there is nothing quite like that perfectly effortless summer favourite you can just throw on and walk out the door.

The Holly Jumpsuit was that garment for me this summer. I pretty much spazzed out when I heard that the By Hand Ladies were releasing a jumpsuit, since nothing makes me happier than 70's vibes, and nothing is more 70's than a one-piece (since it's the new millennium we can leave the polyester with the 8 tracks). Sarah at Grey's Fabric was kind enough to supply me with this navy linen-rayon. It was the perfect weight for Holly - drapey and soft with enough body to highlight the lovely wide legs of this baby.

Guillaume and I shot these while we were in Maine in June, after an afternoon of lobster eating and beer swilling. The water was too cold to do anything but admire, but I'm happy it matched my outfit.

As you've probably heard by now, the bodice variation I used is no longer available in the official release. I was hoping to sew up the sexy cowl version but I haven't had a chance yet. I'm waiting for my paper copy; it's the lead contender for my cousin's upcoming wedding. I'm also imagining a Flora/Holly mashup - I think the tank version of the Flora would give a similar feel to what I'm rocking here.

I dropped the crotch about an inch, but I've heard there was a grading error with the copy I was sent which accounts for why I thought it was a little tight up in my bits. Otherwise I was quite happy with the fit of the pants though the original length only allows me to wear these with flats. I suggest checking the length of the inseam if you want to wear Holly with heels. I have some awesome herringbone chambray I bought from Grey's that will make a lovely pair of summer weight Holly trousers for next year.

Since I tested for this pattern, I also sent my usual notes about any typos or clarifications I thought the instructions needed. By Hand just wrote a post about their testers here, if you're interested.

I wore this at least once a week all summer long. Linen is just so comfortable and breathable when it's hot and sweaty out, and I always felt chic in this, even when the humidity was so thick I could scoop it in my hands. Finally, I'd like to say that this is actually pretty easy to get in and out of. Sometimes jumpsuits are a little complicated to take off when you're heeding the call of nature, but the side zipper makes it pretty snappy. Just in case you were wondering, you can breathe and pee easy.

Another Anna

26 June 2014 by Heather Lou 62 Comments

I rarely make patterns more than once (unless it's one I've drafted & tested a billion times, natch). I'm a bit of a magpie and I love a new pretty, shiny thing. There are so many exciting designs out there, it can be challenging to return to something you've already made, even if you know it just works.

This pattern works, like a Missy Elliott jam. One of my favourite makes last year was a black and white print Anna, and I wore her TO DEATH. Most of Montreal is now well acquainted with my left thigh; it was always the most perfect thing to wear on a hot day, on a date, to work, to bed, etc. It seemed right to make another pretty printed number to hang alongside her. When I saw this cobalt ikat silk noil, it was a no brainer.

This love story does have its share of heartbreak; I picked up this silk at the closing sale of the Fabricville in downtown Montreal. Fabricville is the big sewing chain in Quebec, and while they have far too much polyester in stock to make it my go-to destination for fabric, this location was my favourite place to stop on my way home from work to pick up notions and sewing ephemera. There are no other locations near me, and I have to get a lot more creative when I have last minute sewing needs these days. This marks the 4th sewing store closure in my city in the past 2 years; more reasons to shop in person when we can. There may be more of us sewing these days, but a lot of it is done online, and the analog shops are having a hell of a time holding on. RIP downtown Fabricville. You are missed.

My second Anna was made much like the first, although I wanted to fix my back gaping issue. I pinched out the access on the first Anna, and noticed some front gaping as a result. I used Ginger's tutorial to take out about an inch of excess in the front and back. Took about 10 minutes to transfer the changes to my pattern pieces and now this beauty fits perfectly.

If you've never sewn with silk noil before, I HIGHLY recommend it. It has a lovely soft, nubby texture and it drapes and sews beautifully. It has none of the sheen or polish of a traditional silk, but its cottony hand makes it the perfect choice for lightweight summer sewing. Because the weave isn't super dense, I try to wash it infrequently and on the delicate cycle.

I whipped this up a few days before a friend's wedding, and paired it with my new most favourite shoes (gold Hasbeens, *long drawn out sigh*) and a crazy beaded chevron necklace I picked up on one of my rare trips to a retail store. And because I've re-embraced colour, I matched my eyelashes to the dress with some bananas blue mascara I bought on a whim.

Blame Anna. She brings out the magpie in me.

Photos by Guillaume Gilbert

Bikini Mash-Up: Bombshell & Nettie Bodysuit

8 May 2014 by Heather Lou 11 Comments

Hi y'all! Today I'm so excited to share a mind boggling awesome tutorial from my babes at By Hand London for Sewing Indie Month. I'm sorry if my gushiness about this company borders on the obscene; I can't help it. I don't just love what they do; I love who they are. Their designs speak to me on a deep "I never knew I wanted that but now I can't imagine a world without it" level. Their evolution and growth as a company, from indie start-up designers into their exciting new role as digital fabric printers is just...inspirational. So I'm happy to let Elisalex hijack my blog today. She basically threw my patterns into a blender and made a tropical margarita and I am LOVING it!

Aloha Closet Cores! First and foremost, I have to express what a deep and monumental pleasure it is to be gracing Heather-Lou’s pages, pages of which - and I know I also speak for the other BHL gals, Charlotte and Victoria - I have been a devout follower of since what feels like the beginning of sewing time. I’ll even go as far as to say that Heather-Lou is the stuff girl crushes are made of.

(editors note: I'm sorry if anyone is barfing right now. This is what happens when potential BFFs IRL are separated by oceans. It's gushy and blushy.)

Those of you familiar with us at By Hand London will know just how much we enjoy a good pattern hacking sesh. Dreaming up infinite possibilities from one given design is probably what fascinates us most about sewing. So, to celebrate Sewing Indie Month, and to welcome in the Summer (hurry up Summer!), we have for you a tropical Closet Core pattern hack that’ll have you running for the first flight to Mexico - The Miss Nettie Bombshell two-piece!

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

The Nettie Bodysuit pattern - assembled and traced
The Bombshell pattern - View C assembled and traced
1.5m of swimsuit lycra
4m clear swimsuit elastic
All the necessary swimsuit sewing accoutrements - sewing machine, fabric scissors, ballpoint machine needle, thread, pins etc

What we’re dealing with here is essentially a super simple, yet mega effective pattern alteration. We are going to make the Nettie Bodysuit into a crop-top. For this tutorial, I’ve teamed my Nettie crop-top with a pair of matching Bombshell bikini briefs, resulting in the absolute epitome of chic Summerwear - forget dresses that take you from the office to after-work drinks, I’m talking outfits that take you from pool to party!

STEP 1 - ALTERING THE NETTIE PATTERN

To begin with, we need to alter the Nettie pattern. Take your front bodice piece and simply cut along the line indicating the bra shelf. This will result in a crop-top that sits right below your bust, and gives as much support as a crop-top can offer. If you don’t need the support, and would like a longer line crop-top, simply cut an inch or two below that bra shelf line.

Next, we need to cut the bodice back piece to match the front. Place the pattern pieces together and match the side seams, marking the point where the bodice front now ends.

Using a ruler, mark out the line you’ll need to cut to crop your bodice back piece. Make sure that this line is perfectly parallel to the “lengthen/shorten” line.

Cut. Remember to transfer any pattern annotations that have been cut away - where to place on fold; size etc.

STEP 2 - SEW IT UP

Go about the usual making of your Nettie as per Heather-Lou’s instructions, stopping after you have inserted the sleeves and are ready to close the side seams. Before we close the side seams, we need to apply some of that lovely clear swimsuit elastic to the newly cropped hemline.

Can’t see it?? Neither can we… I guess that’s the beauty of it. Here she is up close:

Cut two lengths of elastic, each one about a centimeter shorter that the hemlines of the bodice front and bodice back. Pin the elastic to the right sides of your hem, evenly distributing the-ever-so slight fullness of the fabric.

Stitch the elastic into place, stretching it gently to fit, with a wide zigzag stitch.

Close your side seams, hem your sleeves and finally hem your top by turning the hem in once and stitch with a wide broken zigzag. The clear elastic will now be directly against your skin, keeping your top - and the ladies - securely in place!

STEP 3 - BOMBSHELL

Last thing to do is make up your Bombshell bikini briefs (View C) as per the pattern instructions.

And now, off to Mexico! *Checks bank balance* Or maybe not. Local pool perhaps…? Hmmmm. Well, it’s as I always say, you can never, ever be overdressed. Ciao for now…

Thanks Elisalex! I was planning on making some crop tops anyway but now it's jumped to the top of my queue! Also, can I please live in your closet??

By Hand London Flora - As a Skirt!

31 March 2014 by Heather Lou 52 Comments

When the By Hand London ladies asked me to test the Flora, my first impulse was to make the perfect little black dress. Mood generously supplied a fabric allowance, and I spent a few hours on their website trying to track down something light but with a little bit of body so the pleated circle skirt would have maximum volume. After a lot of deliberating, I ordered a few yards of this luscious black wool faille suiting. Wool faille? I never knew it existed either! I always associate the lustrous ribbing of faille with silk, so I couldn't pass up the opportunity to play with a new fabric.

I intended to make the wrap version of Flora and dutifully made a muslin bodice since wrap bodices are tricky on me. I always have a lot of gaping in the front due to a combination of high rounded shoulders and a hollow chest (well, hollow above the un-hollows). I tried a number of adjustments on the muslin and dutifully added twill tape along the diagonal seams, which is a great trick for helping with wrap dress gaping; just cut the tape 1/4" shorter than your seam and ease it in. However, when I sewed my final bodice together, it really didn't look great. This fabric is quite stiff and and unforgiving, and the amount I had pinched out and redistributed to the darts created some unfortunate volume under my armpits. This isn't a drafting issue but rather a "my body is a unique and frustrating wonderland" issue. I think I may spend some time tweaking a muslin over the spring since it really is a lovely design and my un-hollows deserve wrap dresses.

I had always thought the Flora would be great hacked into a party skirt, and decided I'd probably get more wear out of it as a separate anyway. So that's just what I did.

Using the scraps of fabric I had left, I made a simple waistband (using a By Hand London post for reference, natch) and eased the skirt into it. I inserted an invisible zipper, and used my indispensable rolled hem foot for a lovely, flawless hem.

Honestly? It's perfection. The body of the fabric creates a lovely silhouette, and the sheen of the faille gives it a fanciness I am missing in other skirts in my wardrobe.

I highly encourage folks to hack their own Flora skirt. It gives the circle skirt a little jolt of magic.

I'm sure you've heard by now that the By Hand ladies are venturing into custom digital fabric. We had a long distance Skype gab a few weeks ago and talked business, boys and blogging for hours. I seriously adore these women; smart, hilarious, generous and invested in this community in a very inspiring way. Their plans are so exciting; while I love the concept of Spoonflower, the sheer volume of print options is overwhelming. I think the curatorial eye of BHL means we'll get a service that is fresh and unique, and it also means we can support a business that we know and love. Take a look at their Kickstarter video if you haven't already; I make a brief cameo along with the lovely Marcy & Roisin.

They have 13 days to go and are almost halfway to their goal. I contributed money and encourage people to do the same if they can (even $5 helps!) Supporting businesses that support us means we get the kind of products we can believe in!

You can check out their campaign here.

Finally, I've got new specs! I'm a glasses devotee and love having a few pairs to play with. I recently purchased a new pair from Warby Parker on a whim and started having buyer's remorse almost immediately (I tried them on in person when I was in NY but realized they were maybe a little too cat-eye vintage for me to rock every day). Thankfully, I was contacted by Firmoo, an online eyeglass store about reviewing their products. You can upload a picture to their site to "virtually" try on glasses. I'm totally thrilled with what I chose and have been wearing them pretty much every day.

Their glasses are really affordable and the quality is good. If anyone is interested in checking them out, I have a $30 voucher code for 5 people to use; it expires April 28th ( CLOSETCASEFILESBLOGS4). They also give free glasses to the first 100 people who inquire here, but the selection is more limited.

Going to go curl up with Friday Night Lights (Coach Taylor *sigggghhhh*) and ignore the slushy snow outside. Hang in there kiddos. The sun will arrive eventually.

Flora Euphoria

9 March 2014 by Heather Lou 48 Comments

Salutations from the land where winter never ends. Montreal has become a city-state in Game of Thrones, the pale, sun starved citizens wrapped in fur, murmuring a collective prayer that Spring Is Coming.

Can you tell I've had it? I've reached that point in the season where sweaters feel like shackles and my winter coat might as well be a hairshirt. I just need some warmth, bare skin and sunshine! Thankfully, the By Hand London ladies have astonishing timing. As no doubt you've noticed around the interwebs recently, a few lucky ladies were asked to test the new Flora pattern before it's launch this week. I've found in my sewing practice that the seasonal doldrums can often be remedied by making a heaping bowl of icing, and Flora was just the sweet treat I needed.

I picked out an absolutely luscious black wool faille suiting from Mood to make the perfect Little Black Dress but unfortunately my order didn't arrive in time to meet the pattern testing deadline (I'm working on that version this weekend). Enter The Stash. I had about 6 yards of this beautiful Art Nouveau-ish upholstery weight linen sitting in my closet for the last 3 years. The colour palette is admittedly "autumnal" but those warm orange tones were calling out to me and it was 60" wide which is a must for this dress - the pleated circle skirt needs a wide fabric.

And now for a shocking confession: I've never sewn with linen before! The reason such a lovely fabric was languishing in stash purgatory for so long was because I really loathe wrinkles and the Out of Africa vibe of linen has never really appealed to me (although I love seeing what people like Carolyn make with it....) However, because this stuff is super duper heavy weight, and has a bit of cotton in the mix, it actually doesn't wrinkle as much as I anticipated by the end of the day. And obviously, hello breathy natural fibers.

I made Variation B (the mock wrap version is destined for the LBD....) and the US size 10 fit pretty great straight up. As usual I had a tiny bit of back gaping (DAMN YOU ROUNDED SHOULDERS!) but due to the fact that it has straps rather than shoulder seams, it isn't too noticeable. Since this is technically my "muslin" I left out the neckline darts that would have solved the problem.

I put in a lap zipper since I thought it added a nice vintage touch, understitched the neckline and arm holes and serged the seams. And in VERY EXCITING NEWS I did a flawless rolled hem using my new Bernina foot. I used a generic rolled foot on my old Singer but it was like using baby fists to do heart surgery, which is to say: messy, frightening and totally ill-equipped for the task at hand. My Bernie foot JUST WORKS and gives the prettiest, even-iest hem you could ask for.

I used some rayon bemberg scraps for the bodice lining and it totally matched! It's like the stash was conspiring this all along...

The only change I will be making to my next Flora is to reinforce the waist seam with a little twill tape. I noticed the waist stretched a little over the day.
Otherwise, wearing this dress reminded me that I love colour (I've been living in black and grey all winter) and cheers me up considerably whenever I wear it. I LOVE the dipped hem and full skirt (I remember seeing the line drawing and thinking the fullness was exaggerated, but the pleats really do give great volume without a crinoline) and I think it has potential to be super glamorous or more casual depending on your fabric choice. This baby is likely going to be a go-to summer staple. Espadrilles and iced tea, I am longing for you. I will see you soon. SPRING IS COMING.

Georgia On My Mind

12 February 2014 by Heather Lou 40 Comments

I have a well documented case of the hots for By Hand London patterns (see my Anna, Elisalex and Victoria here). In my book, no one does dresses better. And it doesn’t hurt that their sizing is pretty much on point for my body shape.

I’ve been in muslin-making purgatory with the new pattern, and needed something fun to distract me from the crippling load of stuff I have on my plate right now. I also wanted to continue the annual tradition of making a birthday dress to distract myself from the hard truth of my mortality and ephemeral time on earth. In short, I WANTED ICING. SWEET, SWEET YOU-ARE-NOT-GETTING-OLDER DELUSIONAL ICING. Thankfully, I had the Georgia dress sitting on my workstation, seductively winking and waggling her hips at me all month. What a tart.

Determined to not spend any money this month, I hit the stash. I mulled a few options, but kept coming back to this idiosyncratic stretch denim I bought in San Francisco with my mom in the spring. It is silkscreened with some kind of iridescent metallic tie dye pattern and was so bizarre and cool and SanFran in its denim tie dyosity that I had to buy it. Since Georgia calls for something with a little stretch, and I wanted something with SPARKLES BECAUSE IT IS MY SPECIAL DAY AND LIFE IS FLEETING I took the plunge.

I cut View A in a straight size US 10 as is my wont with BHL patterns but as I was testing my bodice, I realized it was at least a size too big. I think this may have something to do with the stretchiness of my fabric, and also the fact that I think fitted dresses made of tie dyed denim such as this should be tighter than my hamfisted clutching at my youth. I ended up taking in both side seams at least an inch, which seemed to rectify the issue. My disdain for ease is not for everyone, but the denim was stretchy enough to be comfortable and fitted enough to kind of scoop and firm everything that needed scooping and firming. They recommended doing a muslin fitting (especially for the bodice) but I’m a rebel and proceeded anyway. I think the girls fit pretty well in there. So well in fact that I don’t need a bra for this baby, but because I am a lady I wore one anyway.

I lined the bodice with a similarly stretchy cotton-polyester blend from my stash. I serged the seams and hemmed it using the only hem tape I have in my stash (I desperately need to get more as it is orange and terribly ugly.) I will have to add the construction photos later today as I’m at work and I forgot to upload them before I left this AM.

The final result is pretty fabulous I think. I love how the weirdness of the fabric is tempered by the classic shape of the dress. I feel like a million bucks in this and l’homme told me I reminded him of his teenage crush on Monica Bellucci so you know, high fives all around. Birthday dresses really do have a special kind of magic!

Photos by Guillaume Gilbert

Crushing on Anna

8 August 2013 by Heather Lou 116 Comments

I'm in love. So, so, so in love. With Elisalex and Charlotte from By Hand London, of course. That love affair has been going hard across the ocean all year. But when my Anna dress showed up and I started seeing her in various iterations around the web, I realized I had to make room in my heart for another London girl.

Anna.... Is this my favourite pattern of all time? It very well might be.

I've been craving a maxi all summer. They are just so damned comfortable and flattering. And there is something so sexily subversive about covering up when most people are letting it all hang out in the heat.

The fabric is a beyond beautiful greyscale digital print, an abstract brocade polyester I've been hanging onto for 2 years, waiting for the right dress to showcase the pattern. Since Anna is so leggy and long, it seemed like it would be a good match with it's vertical panels. I had 3 yards and just managed to squeeze this out. I didn't have the yardage to mess too much with pattern matching but I'm happy with the end result. Super light and drapey with a crepe texture, it moves with the air and walking down the street I feel like a cloud.

It's alllll about that thigh high slit. The cut is flattering but modest and with a flash of thigh while the wind blows your skirt around, you can't help but feel a little vampy.

I've been wearing it endlessly the last few weeks. The fabric is surprisingly un-sheer, which is good - I'm not sure how well it would work lined (it could certainly be done but you would not be able to line it full length. You would definitely see where the lining ends if your fabric is sheer). And oh boy does it sew up fast.... especially when you forgo french seams in lieu of speedy serged ones (will I ever be the sort of sewist who really agonises over the guts? I was so desperate to wear this I couldn't be bothered). I made a straight US size 10 and like all By Hand patterns so far, it fit purrrrfectly.

Love the kimono sleeves, love the bust pleats, love the design lines, love love love everything everything everything. I want to make a hundred. Unfortunately I'm out of appropriately drapey fabrics but rest assured, New York will be supplying me with more Anna fuel for the fire. There is a reason people like Roisin have been making multiples. It's that good. It's also one of the most complimented dresses I've ever worn. The older lady on my office floor who I always meet in the bathroom almost had a heart attack when I told her it was homemade.

Obviously I'm a fan of By Hand London. I've made everything they've released so far. As I've started sewing a lot more from indie companies this year, I've grown to love how each one has its own unique style and point of view. Collette is sweetly vintage; Sewaholic nails wardrobe necessities with a laid back, West Coast attitude; Meghan Neilson seduces with her feminine romanticism. For me, By Hand is the definition of British cool. A little street, a little sweet, a little edgy - I cannot wait to see what they come up with next.

And guess what? I have a copy of Anna for one of you. The girls at By Hand sent me an extra pattern and it could be yours to vamp in as well. Leave a comment by next Monday and I will choose a winner at random. Extra points to the best youtube clip that includes the words Anna....

The Victoria Blazer Plus Giveaway

12 June 2013 by Heather Lou 78 Comments

It's been a thrilling week and a big thank you to everyone who has purchased, tweeted or posted about the Bombshell. I'm having summer meet-up fantasies that involve the beach and a long line of sewists modelling their handmade swimsuits (maybe like this?)

Now you know why I had this photo blown up in my sewing studio. These ladies were a daily inspiration!

Before I start the Bombshell sewalong this Monday, I wanted to post my new favourite make. The babes at By Hand London sent me a copy of their new Victoria Blazer and I was sooooooo psyched to try it, especially because I have never made a jacket before and this looked like it would be doable for a newb.

AND HOW! Anyone like me, irrationally scared of making a jacket, has nothing to fear. This is an easy to assemble, slouchy jacket with no tailoring required. As per usual, the packaging of the pattern itself is to-die-for-lovely, and the instructions are warm, clear and easy to follow.

I immediately zeroed in on the sleeveless version. I've been jonesing for one of those slightly tomboyish, insouciant type of khaki/army vests you can throw over anything a little more refined for that chic "See how I mix the things so effortlessly?" vibe. Like this. Rachel really nails what I mean here. I scored a lightweight army twill during our Montreal meet-up and knocked this beaut off in a few short hours.

I've worn it quit a few times already - it's become the perfect thing to throw over a t-shirt and some skinny jeans like I did here, or with a more feminine summer dress when you want to tone down the girly. The only change I made to the pattern was to omit the full lining. I instead made a facing using the same fabric as the outside, and faced the collar, lapel and armholes, along with a small band at the bottom seam. In hindsight, I should have just lengthened the jacket an inch or two and folded and topstitched the hem instead of facing it, but whatevs. I'm at work now and neglected to get a shot of the insides but can do so later if anyone wants to see what I mean.

(May I draw your attention to THE SHOES?! I almost cried when I saw them at Zara, especially since I've been pining for the woven Prada shoes I think they are inspired by, knowing they were never to be mine.) First heels I've bought in over a year!

Also, I discovered I can take decent project photos on my iPhone, once I put them through the COMPLETE MAGIC that is the Kitcam app (seriously the best photo app on the market. You can basically throw every other app you have in the metaphorical digital garbage because this does EVERYTHING). These aren't bad for non-SLR photos right? Better than hungover self-portraits in my hallway, where everything turns out blurry.

Now here is some good news! The good babes at BHL have generously given me an extra copy to give away! Who else wants to rock this casually chic, London street-smart jacket? Just leave me a comment below telling me whether or not you would make the regular, cropped or sleeveless version and with what fabric. I will randomly pick a winner on Saturday!

The Charlotte Skirt

5 June 2013 by Heather Lou 17 Comments

A few months back my girls at By Hand London sent me the Charlotte Skirt along with the Elisalex dress (which I made here). It's been a bit of a saga to document this project due to multiple camera and hard drive snafus but last weekend I finally managed to get some shots of my new favourite separate. Which I realize now are slightly out of focus. Again. Forgive me.

The Charlotte is a classic pencil skirt with the option to make a peplum or ruffle variation. In desperate need of professional skirts to wear to meetings, I pulled out a black & white herringbone wool check left over from this project and decided it would make a great choice for the peplum version. I was keen on merging the classic, slightly masculine fabric with the hyper feminine shape of the peplum.

I'm thrilled with it. I wore it for the first time to a big meeting with a potential new client. I am assuming the skirt is the reason we landed said client. Polished but still quirky, it may be my new true love skirt pattern - I plan on knocking out a few more versions, especially since it may be a few months before it is cool enough to wear wool again. And a 9 to 5er can NEVER have enough polished pencil skirts.

The pattern itself was incredibly easy to follow. I lined it with a navy bemberg, and spent considerable time matching the print. Because the skirt didn't need to be eased at the hem, I just machine-stitched it rather than hand sewing and it came together really quickly. So much do I love this pattern that it is the one I am going to use when I start doing the beginners sewing workshops my friends have been clamouring for. The BHL packaging is so gorgeous that it's really a beautiful object and keepsake and I think is the sort of thing that a new sewist would be thrilled to own.

I've also recently finished a sleeveless version of the new By Hand blazer as well! I'm going to snap it this weekend. It's another great wardrobe basic - those girls don't mess around.

Finally, the Bombshell Pattern will be available this weekend! I promise!

Back in Business with the Elisalex Dress

3 March 2013 by Heather Lou 26 Comments

GUESS WHO FINALLY GOT HER SEWING MACHINE RUNNING AGAIN?!

This girl. And it was a sweet, tender reunion, especially since I finally got a chance to try my By Hand London hand on the Elisalex dress! My ladies Charlotte & Elisalex released this in the fall and I've been jonesing to have a go at it for a while (nevermind that I missed the Charlotte skirt sewalong due to my move).

To be honest, I was a little apprehensive about this dress. We don't generally seek to make our hips look wider, and during the construction process I was worried the end result was going to make me look like the Venis of Willendorf. But there is something so playful and even a little surrealistic about this silhouette. The exaggerated curve at the hip makes your waist look teeny tiny and I think the end result is a sweet, vampy, almost cartoonish celebration of a woman's curves.

Now, in order to get the tulip shape it is imperative to use a heavyweight fabric. I had spotted this fabric (forgive the pun) in November and knew immediately it was destined for this pattern, but worried when I started cutting that the medium wight slightly stretchy cotton was not going to have the heft required to maintain the silhouette. No one wants to wear a sad, deflated and dying tulip on their body. I emailed Elisalex with a photo of the fabric and she suggested a fusible interfacing on the skirt to get that stiffness I was after (ONE MORE REASON TO GO INDIE: do you think there is a chance in hell anyone at the Big 4 would provide such service?!)

A soft interfacing I happened to have in my stash worked perfectly. Now, I was in a bit of a rush with this little number since I only had 2 days to make it before my (epic, loud, landlord called in the middle of night by neighbor) housewarming party. Horror of horrors, I forwent the muslin and hoped and prayed I wasn't going to have fit issues. AND I TOTALLY DIDN'T! I don't know if it's the princess seams or thoughtful drafting but this fit me pretty perfectly right away. I took a half inch off the sides because I think ease is overrated in a party dress and skinnied up the sleeves a bit so they would fit closer to the body. Otherwise, this dress seriously fits beautifully. The bodice may be my go to when I am frankensteining dresses in the future....

Normally I like to cut a deeper opening because my girls like to breathe but I thought for this make I would stick to the design intent of the dress, which is a modest boat neck and beautiful low cut back. I took quite a bit off the length because party time, excellent, and used a gorgeous black and gold metal zipper I recently acquired from a friend's cast off box of sewing gear. The only other mod I made was to not line the sleeves. I simply serged the bodice and lining to the arm scythe. I wore it pretty much how you see above. By the end of the night it looked more like this:

I'm sorry neighbours. It had to be done.

A shot of the insides. Please withhold your judgment about the lack of a lining. I didn't have enough cotton batiste and this interfacing is VERY soft:

This little vintage inspired number was the perfect thing to hostess in - I'm looking forward to making other versions in the future. Thank you By Hand London ladies! It's not too late to join their sewalong for this dress which I believe starts in a week or so.

It goes without saying that I've been sewing up a storm. I'm working on a gorgeous new Victory patterns dress right now, and have a shit tonne of projects I can't wait to tackle (HANDMADE BRAS, YOU WILL BE CRADLING THESE TATAS VERRRY SOON). My new sewing space slash dining room feels so luxurious and spacious right now. I will be sharing some photos once I get my mural up. Details to come! The only thing that is driving me crazy is the cutting table situation. I use my dining table which is only 30" high and my back be aching. Anyone have any creative ideas for a dining table with an adjustable height mechanism? There has gotta be a more elegant solution than propping the table legs on 6" blogs when you're working....