Tag Archives: colette

Black Cats

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15

Frocks and Frou Frou Frocks and Frou Frou Frocks and Frou FrouMoneta Dress: DIY from Colette Patterns

Cardigan: Boden

Shoes: Seychelles

It was a long weekend in Melbourne this past weekend. My poor boyfriend had to work two out of the three days, but I just received my most recent Spoonflower order so I bunkered down for a weekend of sewing.

Spoonflower recently had a sale on their ‘modern jersey’, the same cottony knit that I made my frockatoo dress out of. It wears and washes well, so I thought I’d buy some more yards and tun out another Moneta dress using my old pattern.

I quite fancied the idea of another Crazy Cat Lady dress, so snapped up this graphic cat face printed fabric, designed by Charlotte Winter. I thought the bold black and white print would carry me well into the cooler months when I could wear it with black tights and any number of bright coloured cardigans. It does look particularly nice with yellow though!

Frocks and Frou FrouI included the deep pockets, even though they add  bit of volume on the hips. Sometimes I choose to skip them – especially if I’m using a heavy fabric like a ponte – but they’re so useful that I put them in when I can, and the modern jersey is soft and drapey enough that pockets don’t change the silhouette too dramatically.

Frocks and Frou Frou As with a lot of my Moneta dresses I’ve found the waistband is just a bit too loose (there’s something about the way the skirt is gathered and then attached to the bodice that seems to stretch the fabric out a little) so a belt is definitely an essential:

Frocks and Frou FrouI’m pretty delighted with the result, and I’m looking forward to putting it into regular rotation in my wardrobe!

All Buttoned Up

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18

Frocks and Frou Frou Frocks and Frou Frou Frocks and Frou Frou Frocks and Frou Frou Hawthorn Dress: DIY (Colette Patterns)

Shoes: Comfortview

So here’s the thing about boobs. They make buttoned-up things a pain in the ass. So shirt dresses are a big old “no”. If they fit the bust they’re boxy in the shoulders. Fit the shoulders? Good luck getting those buttons done up. Add short-waisted to the mix and it just becomes a recipe for wardrobe disaster.

Towards the end of last year I dropped by Stitch 56 to meet Sarai Mitnick, the founder of my favourite pattern company Colette, during her visit to Australia. I accidentally (not really) forgot to take any of my much-loved patterns along to be signed, so “had” to buy a new one, and the Hawthorn shirt dress pattern caught my eye immediately.

It’s a little more advanced than my usual sewing projects, but the comprehensive instruction booklet that comes with all Colette patterns coached me through step-by-step and I was totally delighted to see it coming together.

I had to tweak the pattern a little as I was sewing – shortening the waist and bringing the sides in a little – but it was easy to do in the fitting process. I think if (when!) I make the pattern again with the sleeves I’ll have to do a proper, legit, Full Bust Adjustment.

The dress has a lovely semi-circle skirt that provides fullness without extra bulk. The bodice is darted at the waist for a streamlined look, and the small, high collar gives that classic shirt dress look without the extra volume around the bust.

Frocks and Frou FrouBecause I was a bit nervous about the pattern I started with a budget-friendly textured slub cotton that looks almost identical to the linen dress pictured in the marketing for the original pattern.

I deliberated over the buttons for more time than I care to admit, but in the end decided to indulge my penchant for whimsy and go with pretty little white hearts.

Frocks and Frou FrouThe result was better than I could have hoped for: A beautifully fitting shirt dress that has a classic 1950’s elegance, but is comfortable and breezy to wear on hot summer days.