I'm doing that thing where I'm ending up with a massive bloody backlog of things which need to be blogged, because I have zero energy to actually write anything bloggable!
Anyway, this is an old make, and it's not actually any part of my Finish Along nonsense, but it's the first bit of clothing I've made in about two years!
I love the whole pinafore dress thing that's been going on for a while. I have a proper corduroy pinafore dress that I bought a year or so ago that I wear to death at work, and have been looking for a pattern that would work for me that I could make for a while.
I'm still thinking about picking up the Cleo from Tilly and the Buttons, but her sizing doesn't always work for me (I'm just outside her sizes on hips and boobs) and most of the other patterns don't have the solid back style that I like.
But while I was umming and ahhing, I came across the York Pinafore from Helen's Closet, and fell in love with the pockets (pockets are my weakness)
Because I'm a lazy shit, it took me a while to print out the pattern and actually get round to making it, but once I did, I've been wearing this version to death, and I swear I'm going to make more, when I'm not drowning in other sewing projects!
The only floor space large enough for fabric cutting is my living room floor, which is usually taken up with cat toys, cat, or a drying rack in the winter. And cat litter, because Jazz is a kicky little bugger!
I bought this chambray from The Village Haberdashery a good few years ago, with the intent of making a skirt or possibly a shirt. I can't remember. I know I pre-washed it before I moved house, and then it's been shoved in drawers and boxes.
I vaguely remember that I cut this flat rather than on the fold, because I couldn't get a straight fold line for love nor money. Thank god for the lizard massive collection, who double as pattern weights!
Jazz, thankfully, kept off the fabric!
This was a gloriously quick sewing job! Like, I'm used to things taking days to put together. I think this came together in about 3 evenings, and the worst part was attaching the binding, and that's just because I was paranoid about it going wonky.
All my inner seams are french seamed because it looks so much neater, and with this pattern it's possible to do it. It just looks so much nicer, and I have less fear of it disintegrating as I wash it.
I cut the largest size, and added about an inch and a half for extra boob space as per the adjustment instructions, which worked perfectly on the low neck version I cut. I'm thinking I might make one with a neckline somewhere between this and the high neck version (which is a bit too high for me) but I'm not sure. I really do like the way this sits.
I'm not likely to ever make the kangaroo pockets, since they tend to accentuate my tum, which doesn't need it, and the hip pockets are perfect and huge and amazing!
This dress has already seen a lot of wear in the three or so months since I made it. Before the weather turned, it was the perfect length to wear without tights, and now that it's cooler, it works with tights or leggings.
It does need a fair bit of ironing after washing, which is a downside, but the fabric is very pretty and feels nice.
I've got some black and white fabric that I'm planning on using for another one, so that I can wear bright coloured tops underneath it, and I'm pondering a plain black one with brightly coloured pockets as well.
Plenty of options and an awesome, well written pattern that was simple to follow and produces a great finished dress.
Anyway, this is an old make, and it's not actually any part of my Finish Along nonsense, but it's the first bit of clothing I've made in about two years!
I love the whole pinafore dress thing that's been going on for a while. I have a proper corduroy pinafore dress that I bought a year or so ago that I wear to death at work, and have been looking for a pattern that would work for me that I could make for a while.
I'm still thinking about picking up the Cleo from Tilly and the Buttons, but her sizing doesn't always work for me (I'm just outside her sizes on hips and boobs) and most of the other patterns don't have the solid back style that I like.
But while I was umming and ahhing, I came across the York Pinafore from Helen's Closet, and fell in love with the pockets (pockets are my weakness)
Because I'm a lazy shit, it took me a while to print out the pattern and actually get round to making it, but once I did, I've been wearing this version to death, and I swear I'm going to make more, when I'm not drowning in other sewing projects!
The only floor space large enough for fabric cutting is my living room floor, which is usually taken up with cat toys, cat, or a drying rack in the winter. And cat litter, because Jazz is a kicky little bugger!
I bought this chambray from The Village Haberdashery a good few years ago, with the intent of making a skirt or possibly a shirt. I can't remember. I know I pre-washed it before I moved house, and then it's been shoved in drawers and boxes.
I vaguely remember that I cut this flat rather than on the fold, because I couldn't get a straight fold line for love nor money. Thank god for the lizard massive collection, who double as pattern weights!
Jazz, thankfully, kept off the fabric!
This was a gloriously quick sewing job! Like, I'm used to things taking days to put together. I think this came together in about 3 evenings, and the worst part was attaching the binding, and that's just because I was paranoid about it going wonky.
All my inner seams are french seamed because it looks so much neater, and with this pattern it's possible to do it. It just looks so much nicer, and I have less fear of it disintegrating as I wash it.
I cut the largest size, and added about an inch and a half for extra boob space as per the adjustment instructions, which worked perfectly on the low neck version I cut. I'm thinking I might make one with a neckline somewhere between this and the high neck version (which is a bit too high for me) but I'm not sure. I really do like the way this sits.
I'm not likely to ever make the kangaroo pockets, since they tend to accentuate my tum, which doesn't need it, and the hip pockets are perfect and huge and amazing!
This dress has already seen a lot of wear in the three or so months since I made it. Before the weather turned, it was the perfect length to wear without tights, and now that it's cooler, it works with tights or leggings.
It does need a fair bit of ironing after washing, which is a downside, but the fabric is very pretty and feels nice.
I've got some black and white fabric that I'm planning on using for another one, so that I can wear bright coloured tops underneath it, and I'm pondering a plain black one with brightly coloured pockets as well.
Plenty of options and an awesome, well written pattern that was simple to follow and produces a great finished dress.
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