Silk Organza Wrap Top - By Hand London - Hannah Pattern

You know how spicy food is addictive, and the more you eat it the hotter you need it?
Well yeah, that's what's happening with me and big sleeves at the moment.
And I'm not sorry.

The Pattern
It's the Hannah Dress from By Hand London converted into a top!

It's a wrap dress with no notions or lining (a quick sew!) and has three different sleeve options, short, bishop and tulip. I fell in love with the volume of the bishop sleeves and I knew they'd look fabulous in the silk organza.

The dress comes with a gathered skirt, or gathered peplum for a top, but I chose to add a waistband instead - see 'The Details + Changes' below.

Skirt
Also pictured is my self-drafted Balmain inspired skirt, made in a Japanese cotton and fully lined, and you can read more about it here

The Fabric
For this blouse I used the most beautiful warm chocolate brown silk organza from The Cloth Shop Ivanhoe.
As soon as I saw this fabric I knew I had to make some sort of fabulous blouse with it, and when I spied the Hannah pattern, I knew it had met its match!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Julia Bobbin (@juliabobbin) on Apr 13, 2020 at 1:02pm PDT

Swipe above to see the french seams up close!

The Details + Changes

To achieve the look I was after, I used the bodice of this pattern and added a WAISTBAND.

The top is a WRAP AROUND and I love how it is done up with internal and external ties, so no need for buttonholes or slits.

The ARMSCYE are quite narrow which really appeals to me and my smaller shoulders and arms; I always know I'm going to get a really nice fitted look with BHL patterns. If you need extra room for your arms or shoulders however, you might want to do a toile first before you dive in.

Because this top isn't lined, I FRENCHED ALL the seams, including the armholes (swipe above instagram post to see a close up).

The wrap, SCOOP NECK is flattering and easy to fit, as it can be adjusted as you wear it, which makes this a quick and straight forward make with instant gratification! Most of my sewing projects these days involve slow, hand sewing so this was a real fun and quick project to do.

Instead of ties at the wrists I added elastic for a simple, clean finish.

Final Thoughts

I really love sewing with organza. The body and stiffness, mixed with it's transparency and sheen is such a gorgeous high end mix and will forever be one of my favourite fabrics to choose when I want to make something a little bit 'extra'.

This 'Hannah' is a wonderful, enjoyable pattern, that is both comfortable and glamorous. I'd love to try this pattern again as a dress in a soft, billowy linen and I definitely recommend it if you're thinking about giving it a go!

TWO Tutorials - Couture Rolled Hem + Hand Pick Stitch AND a Silk Slip Dress

Hi sewing friends!

Today I have two mini hand sewing tutorials to share with you, and a fresh new silk slip dress!

The Dress

Made with the most divine, 22mm silk satin from Tessuti Fabrics, this self drafted cowl neck dress features:

• fully lined in a beautiful chocolate silk satin from The Cloth Shop
• French seams
• Bias cut silk
• pick stitched underlining
• bias cut spaghetti straps
• hand rolled hem

I love taking a simple dress and making it 'extra' by adding couture techniques, such as a hand pick stitched lining instead of a machine under stitching.

Hand Sewing Is Your Friend!

Typically, when we think about hand sewing we associate it with 'hard work', but friends, I am here to tell you that hand sewing is misunderstood!

I used to do everything I could to avoid hand sewing, associating it with the chore part of making a garment; necessary but not enjoyable.

Looking back I realised that the reason I felt that way is because I never really understood HOW to do it, and didn't appreciate how transformative and useful it was to a garment.

Once you realise the benefits of hand sewing and learn how to do it (it's actually easier than using a machine!) the dread is taken away. In fact in my experience I now actually enjoy it! Now I look at patterns to see where I can actually substitute machine sewing for hand sewing.

So what are the benefits of hand sewing?

• AESTHETICALLY PLEASING - there is nothing quite like hand finished details on a garment. It signifies couture and indicates the amount of effort and love put into a garment. The slight variations in stitches that are typical of a hand stitch, are in stark contrast to the uniform flat stitches of a machine.
• THE CONTROL - Hand sewing allows you to be exact. You can manipulate the fabric in front of you and place it exactly where it needs to go. 
• KINDER TO YOUR GARMENT - When you sew on the machine, you're forcing your whole garment under one small space, the needle. With hand sewing, you can sew with the garment on your lap, on a dress from, standing and sitting. You work on just the relevant area and don't add stress to the rest of the garment.
• DELICATE FABRICS -When sewing with fabrics such as silk, hand stitching allows you to use less thread, and control the amount of layers you want the stitch to go through. On a machine the thread is continuous and goes through all of the layers, which can distort the fabric. Ever tried sewing a machine stitched narrow hem on bias cut silk chiffon? It's almost inevitable to end up with a hem that is twisted in some spots. This is basically non existent on a hand rolled hem.

The Hand Rolled Hem

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Julia Bobbin (@juliabobbin) on Mar 8, 2020 at 1:06pm PDT

SWIPE for left and right-handed views.

I am currently having a love affair with hand rolled hems. It just seems to be one of those things that once you've tried it, nothing else compares.

Not only is a hand rolled hem visually pleasing with it's tube like plump finish, it is also mesmerising how it works! Making those stitches and then pulling the thread and watching them roll, is some sort of sewing magic. WATCH the first video above to see it in action!

As with anything, there are many ways to roll a hem, but the above is how I do it.
There are two types of finishes for a hand rolled hem: The Italian and The French finish.

THE FRENCH rolled hem has the roll turned to the 'wrong' side of the fabric, which is typical for dress and skirt hems.

Above is an example of a French rolled hem, where the roll is on the 'wrong' side of the fabric.
This silk/wool blend pocket square is from Gentelman's Gazette.

THE ITALIAN rolled hem, and my personal favourite, is where the roll is turned to the right side of fabric. 

This is a typical finish on couture pocket squares (my other current obsession) and scarves and a favourite for couture houses such as Hermes (which is French; the irony!).

An Italian rolled hem, the roll is visible on the 'right' side of the fabric. The above silk twill pocket squares are from Rampley & Co

The Hand Pick Stitch

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Julia Bobbin (@juliabobbin) on Feb 8, 2020 at 3:07pm PST

SWIPE for left and right-handed views.

A pick, or prick stitch refers to small, subtle back stitches that can be used to under-stitch a facing or lining (as I've done in the above video for my slip dress), or as decorative top stitch on garments such as lapels and pockets.

A hand pick stitched lapel on a suit is a strong indicator of a bespoke, high quality suit. Because of this, many 'ready-to-wear' brands use pick stitching on their garments to make it look high-end, but when you look up close, the uniformity of the stitch is a clear give away that it was done by machine.

A hand pick-stitch has slight irregularities and is usually done with a silk thread. Once you see the difference it's quite easy to spot.

A subtle, hand pick-stitched lapel from bespoke tailors Burdi Clothing

Final Thoughts

The more I go down the rabbit hole of couture sewing, the more I fall in love with it and want to learn more! 

What excites me the most, is that these techniques, though they may take a bit more time than a machine, are not complicated or reserved for the experienced and highly skilled. They are repetitive, easy enough stitches that home sewers can achieve whether beginner or advanced.

The end result is something beautiful, well engineered and a push back on fast fashion where everything is mass produced and not built to last. Hand sewing for the win!

Christy Slip Dress + Kate Bias top HACK - Just Patterns

The Pattern
To make this dress I used the Christy Slip Dress by Just Patterns, with the front neckline of the Kate Bias Top also by Just Patterns.

I've made the bias top THREE TIMES, and it's just a balanced, well engineered design, so it knew it would translate well into a dress.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Julia Bobbin (@juliabobbin) on Oct 1, 2019 at 4:41pm PDT

I'm wearing the dress with my me-made leather jacket, which you can read about here.

Pattern Hack
Because these two patterns are from the same company, this was a super easy hack.

I lay the Kate Bias top over the pattern for the Christy Slip, which both have the same width and shape from the side notch, which is conveniently positioned in the same spot.

I then simply traced the Kate Bias Top neckline onto the Christy Slip Dress pattern and cut out the modified pattern.

The Fabric
A glorious silk satin from Tessuti Fabrics.
It has a 22mm weight, and is the colour 'almond'.
Tessuti always stock the most beautiful silk satins, and I'm yet to find better quality elsewhere.

The fabric is cut on the bias, interfaced at the necklines with silk organza and fully lined with a poly georgette.

The Details
This is a classic, straightforward dress, and I love adding extra details that make a dress more wearable and more precious.

I FULLY LINED the dress, and FRENCHED my seams.

Instead of under-stitching the neckline with a machine, I PICK-STITCHED the neckline on the inside of the garment. This gave me so much more control, and allowed me to reach spots on the neckline that you normally can't get to with a machine.

Narrow bias cut SPAGHETTI STRAPS hold the dress up at the shoulders.

I finished the dress with a delicate NARROW HEM that looks so polished on bias cut fabric.

Neckline Tip
To stabilise the neckline, I forewent the iron-on stay tape and used the pattern pieces to cut out a facing of silk organza (about 8cm in length).

Silk satin cut on the bias is a tricky textile to deal with, and iron on interfacing, even stay tape, can distort the lovely drape of the bias fabric and the stiffness can show through to the outside of the garment.

Using silk organza, which is about 6momme (mm) in weight, gives the neckline structure, support and strength, without adding bulk and is invisible from the right side.

Just like regular interfacing, you attach it to the individual pattern pieces on the wrong side. I hand basted my organza facings along the necklines and side seams, and pinked the organza edges.

The finished result is a smooth, sharp neckline that doesn't pucker, pull, flip out or bulge. It's well worth the extra 15 minutes it might take to cut out and attach.

The Changes
I cut the pattern in a size 42 as the pattern was drafted with negative ease, and I wanted to make sure I allowed enough room for my lower body.

Aside from hacking the neckline from the Kate Top, there were no fit changes.

I added 18cm to the length at the hem, as I love silk in a midi length and the original hem sits just below the knee.

Final Thoughts
I love the proportions of this bias cut dress and I love how it can transition from a day look to a night time look, depending on the shoes or the accessories.

It's super comfortable, straight forward to make and surprisingly flattering to wear on this curvy frame.

I think I just found my new favourite pattern for summer!

Silk Cami - Kate Bias Top by Just Patterns

There has come a point in my life where I have realised that my dress sense is akin to that of a magpie. If it's bright and shiny, I want it on my body.

I'm ok with this.

The Pattern

Introducing my latest bright and shiny, the Kate Bias Top by Just Patterns
This is so beautifully cut and for some crazy reason, the pattern is only $3AUD. So actually, what are you waiting for.

This is my second time making this pattern and it's as good as I remember.

The Fabric

Luscious silk satin in a beautiful purple hue and 19mm weight, which I purchased from Home Craft Textiles.

I will never get over the feel and look of silk satin cut on the bias. It's just everything that is beautiful and wonderful about fabric and it soaks up colour like nothing else.

The Details

This bias top is free of darts, is cut on the bias and fully lined.

It is held at the shoulders with bias cut spaghetti straps and hemmed with a narrow hem.

It has a lovely soft V shaped neckline and is figure flattering but not form fitting.

Wearing with

And hey! My whole outfit is me-made! That's happening more and more these days and I find that so encouraging and exciting!

I've paired my silk cami with this self drafted sequinned skirt:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Julia Bobbin (@juliabobbin) on Jan 29, 2019 at 8:33pm PST

And my silk organza trench coat that I made using Simplicity 8554

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Julia Bobbin (@juliabobbin) on Nov 29, 2018 at 7:17pm PST

Final Thoughts

A quick easy make, that looks and feels fancy and chic. This is my third silk cami and it will not be my last!

Pattern Hack DRESS - Adrienne meets Rita!

I had a hack attack ...

The Pattern(S)

It'll surprise no one to learn that I love the Rita Blouse by Charm Patterns, seeing as I've made it THREE times, and then hacked it into a dress TWICE.

But then I saw the Adrienne blouse by Friday Pattern Company and the hamsters started running circles in my head again!

Meet the Rita Blouse MEETS Adrienne Blouse MEETS dress hack!

The BODICE is The Rita Blouse, the SLEEVES are the from The Adrienne Blouse and the SKIRT is a self drafted skirt with a flounce at the hem.

The Fabric

This beautiful floral silk from Tessuti Fabrics was enough to tempt me away from my solid colours.

It's a beautiful fabric that I purchased and made this skirt with back in 2014 (yep).

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Julia Bobbin (@juliabobbin) on Sep 12, 2014 at 8:11pm PDT

I liked the fabric so much I panic purchased another two metres and I finally decided to stop staring at it and actually use it.

The bodice and skirt is underlined with a light (and white) linen for extra body, and the sleeves and flounce are just the single layer of silk.

My previous Rita Blouses and Dress Mashups

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Julia Bobbin (@juliabobbin) on Jan 4, 2019 at 1:33pm PST

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Julia Bobbin (@juliabobbin) on May 13, 2019 at 3:35am PDT

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Julia Bobbin (@juliabobbin) on Dec 8, 2018 at 8:10pm PST

The Details

The Rita blouse has an ELASTICISED neckline and sleeve cuffs, so it was easy to substitute the Adrienne sleeve pattern, which also has elasticised sleeves and neck edging.

The BODICE is gathered under the bust, and then shaped with princess seams below the bust to the hem.

The Dress is closed with an INVISIBLE ZIPPER on the side seam. 

I took the zipper all the way up to the arm pit to try and maximise the opening for when putting on the dress. The underbust seam always has to be man-handled to get it past my bust when putting the dress on.

Final Thoughts

It's not often I wear a print, so when I do I go HARD.

This was a quick and straight forward make, and I'm glad I finally put this stunning fabric to good use; just in time for a Melbourne Spring,