Staff Spring Pattern Review

Alison tackled Atelier Brunette's La Blouse pattern, creating a romantically voluminous blouse with "Big Sleeve Energy." She chose the Petal Silhouette stretch viscose fabric, which she found delightful despite its unexpected stretchiness. Although the pattern called for 2.7 meters of fabric, Alison managed with 2.5 meters.

The instructions had some translation issues and discrepancies between text and diagrams, but Alison found the pattern suitable for advanced beginners or intermediate sewists. Despite the challenges with extensive gathering, the blouse came together smoothly. Alison's top tip is to stay-stitch the neckline and keep pattern pieces attached to the fabric until needed!

For fit, Alison sized down to a medium from her usual large, suggesting that others do the same. She was pleased with the finished garment and recommended overlocking around the hem for future versions. The project took about six hours, highlighting the design's complexity and Alison's feirce dedication to that big sleeve energy!

Becca transformed the Fringe Dress pattern by Chalk & Notch into a stylish top with a unique hack.

This inclusive pattern ranges from sizes 0 to 30 and offers two bust cup options for a perfect fit. She used a vibrant Turquoise Cotton Viscose fabric, perfect for its lightweight to mid-weight requirements.

The woven design features grown-on sleeves, various sleeve cuff styles, neckline options, and button fronts. Despite some sewing challenges and length adjustments, Becca found the instructions clear and helpful, though she noted the inconvenience of separate views for mixing elements.

The fit was accommodating, especially for a C/D cup, and true to size overall.

Becca plans to try the dress view next and advises future makers to use full and high-bust measurements for size selection and skip buttonholes for easier construction!

Karen made the perfect summer layer, the Sonny Jacket by Tilly and the Buttons, choosing a Muted Navy Stretch Cotton Needlecord Fabric ideal for spring wear. She described the jacket as a "casual, boxy fit with utility style and versatile collar options, either classic or prairie!" Karen chose the classic collar.

Using 1.6 meters of 150cm fabric instead of the recommended 1.8 meters of 140cm fabric, Karen found the instructions straightforward, and suitable for confident beginners. Despite clear illustrations, she faced some difficulty easing in the sleeves and suggested hand tacking or basting to simplify this step. The fit was true to size, with only a one-inch sleeve shortening needed.

Pleased with the shape and fit, Karen anticipates using the jacket often, especially in summer or as a cardigan substitute on cooler days. The project took about two full days, showcasing Karen's dedication to her Sonny!

Jo sewed The Odyn Blouse from Fibre mood Edition 27 to pursue style and comfort. A short, loose-fit blouse featuring standout line-pleated sleeves. Choosing the Black Linear Sketch Viscose Fabric for its dreamy drape, Jo followed the pattern's advice, using 1.85 meters of fabric.

While navigating the instructions, Jo encountered a few bumps but found the construction process surprisingly smooth. After making some fit adjustments, the blouse began to reflect Jo's unique flair!

Jo was thrilled with the final result, an elegant yet laid-back blouse that seamlessly fits into their wardrobe. Sharing her insights and tips, Jo encourages fellow sewing enthusiasts to embrace creativity and start their projects.

Lorna crafted the Megan Nielsen Dawn Jeans, opting for a high-rise, close-fit silhouette with a zip-front and wide legs for comfort. She used Rigid 1202 double-sided speckled denim for its reversible aspect and soft texture, and lined the pockets with remnants of Monochrome Abstract Animal Viscose.

Despite the recommended 2.1 meters of fabric, Lorna bought 2.4 meters, leaving her with a surplus. With previous jeans-making experience, she found the instructions easy to follow, aided by Megan Nielsen's tutorials and sew-alongs.

Rated for levels 3 to 5, Lorna felt her skills were at levels 4 to 5. She encountered challenges with the automatic buttonhole due to waistband bulk but managed with patience. To ensure a perfect fit, she adjusted the yoke depth, graded out over the hips, and took in 2cm from the waistband and yoke.

Lorna's advice: choose a size based on measurements and baste fit before final assembly. She was thrilled with the finished jeans, which took about 6 to 7 hours to complete. We are all obsessed!

Gemma's perfect summer Burnside Bibs Dungarees by Sew House Seven were made using our rust textured ramie linen fabric for its durability and versatility from summer to autumn. Describing the garment as casual and slouchy with long straps that gather at the back waist, she found the recommended 3 meters of fabric more than enough, completing the long version with 2.7 meters.

With clear written instructions and a helpful sew-along video, Gemma agreed with the intermediate level given to this pattern. She did encounter some difficulty with the topstitching of the waistband/facing but found the illustrations clear. To simplify construction, she pinned the facings to the waistband from the right side instead of the wrong side as suggested.

Adjusting for her height, Gemma shortened the long version by 3 inches and found the size 8 true to her measurements. For future makes, she would omit topstitching along the top of the bib for a cleaner finish. She advised others to base sizing on hip measurements since the garment gathers to fit the waist.

Gemma was very happy with the finished dungarees, which took her a weekend to complete. She offered practical tips like having extra thread for extensive topstitching and using lightweight woven interfacing on the back facing for better gathering.

Kate made her new favourite trousers, the Thea Trousers by Tilly and The Buttons, choosing a matte blush pink stretch cotton fabric for its comfort and appealing colour. Describing the garment as wide-leg trousers for everyday wear, she appreciated its versatility with various fabric choices.

Although the pattern recommended 2.4 meters of fabric, Kate used just 2 meters, nearly all of it. She found the instructions generally easy to follow but struggled with the welt pockets, persevering with video tutorials for guidance.

Classed as an improver pattern, Kate encourages confident sewists to tackle Thea Trousers, especially for your first zip fly garment. She found the fit true to size, needing only to shorten the legs to her desired length.

Pleased with the final result, Kate looks forward to wearing the trousers often! The project took about 8 to 10 hours to complete.

Charlie brought to life the Etta Wrap Dress from Merchant and Mills, a versatile wrap dress with an oversized, boxy fit. Her fabric of choice, the vibrant Linnaea ivory viscose linen from Fabric Godmother for its substantial feel and lively spring florals.

While the pattern recommended 3.4 meters of fabric, Charlie managed with 3 meters for the dress and 0.55 meters for the lining. Despite being labelled intermediate, the gathering and working with substantial fabric posed some challenges.

Charlie said that the illustrations, though clear, lacked detail, especially for attaching the lining. She also adjusted a small discrepancy in the hem of the skirt pieces. To simplify construction, she attached the pockets to the skirt earlier and added to the seam allowance for the desired skirt length.

Charlie suggested stay stitching the lining fabric to prevent stretching and recommended adjusting sizing based on measurements for the intended looser fit.

Overall, Charlie was pleased with the finished dress and its boxy fit. The project took about 9 hours over four days. She noted the sleeve version option and chose to cut pocket bag pieces from the main fabric for visibility.

Rosie tackled 2 patterns for her latest make, the Friday Pattern Company Heather Blazer and Assembly Line High Waisted Trousers for a smart casual look. Using https://guthrie-ghani.co.uk/sh..., she found both manageable despite differing difficulty levels.

She used 2.3 meters for the trousers and 2.2 meters plus 1.6 meters of lining for the blazer. While instructions were generally clear, she adjusted the blazer pockets and recommended using a mannequin for the hem.

Rosie found the trousers true to size only making slight adjustments, while the blazer fit perfectly. She emphasises aligning the blazer hem and checking finished garment measurements for sizing!

Overall, Rosie was pleased with the finished garments, completing them in four days. Despite some challenges, she found them satisfying for smart casual occasions.

Hannah's new wardrobe staple an oversized, boxy blouse with a funky twist: the Atelier Brunette La Chemisette. Opting for Fabric Godmother's Enri viscose crepe for its vibrant print and summer comfort, she grabbed 2 meters for pattern matching.

Despite some translation issues and skipped steps in the instructions, Hannah tackled the project with determination, aiming for a size 36 as recommended. Reflecting on the process, she found it to be a 2 out of 5 in difficulty for an advanced beginner, emphasising the need for basic shirt-making knowledge.

Challenges with fit led Hannah to shorten the blouse by approximately 15cm for her desired look. She suggests potential improvements such as trying a smaller size for a better fit in future iterations.

Hannah advises basting each layer when working on the yoke and considering finished measurements when choosing a size for optimal fit. Hannah loves her unique and stylish garment, showcasing her joy in creating something special.