FROCKTAILS Dress - BurdaStyle + Style Arc MASH UP

IT'S MELBOURNE FROCKTAILS TIME!

Ok, so yeah. It was actually four months ago in November but I've been busy (lazy, so lazy).

FROCKTAILS, for those of you that don't know, is a wonderful evening where people who sew, dress up in their finest me-made's and sip on cocktails.

It's an evening of excellent conversation, meeting like-minded people and feeling up the clothing of complete strangers.

This post is about the dress I made for the occasion. Read on for details!

THE PATTERN

This dress was the marriage of two patterns that I had fallen in love with.

Strapless Corset Dress - Burda Style

Zoe Pencil Skirt - Style Arc

I made the bodice using BurdaStyle Magazine 03/2010 #107 I cut a size 40 in the bodice but then altered it down to a smaller size - see 'changes' below.

The skirt was the 'Zoe Pencil Skirt' by Style Arc in a size 10

MATERIALS

Fabric - Wool crepe from Clegs
Foundation - Silk organza

Lining - Stretch polyester satin from Lincraft

Trim - Gold chain from Jimmy Buttons

Boning - I ended up using plastic boning from lincraft because a) the steel boning I had at home was the wrong size and didn't want to cut it and b) the steel was too visible under the fabric. 

DETAILS

The BODICE of the BurdaStyle pattern is such a pleasing shape. It mimics a corset but with out the challenge of having to fit bra cups.
The scoop neckline is flattering on both a fuller and a smaller bust.

I was instantly drawn to the design lines on this PENCIL SKIRT. The side seams curve towards the front, emphasising the classic silohette. I love the elimination of the waist darts and inclusion of the long back darts (or butt darts as they were so eloquently named at Frocktails!) that start from the hem and angle all the way up to your bottom.

The skirt also has a subtle high-low hem, which looks lovely and also allows for move leg movement.

And uh, yeah. Sorry (mum) about the ironing job (or lack there of).

CHANGES

At the moment I am really enjoying and appreciating the benefits of making a few muslins before I start making my outfit. I feel that taking the extra time to really perfect the fit has improved my sewing and made me enjoy my finished products more.

I cut the BODICE in a size 40 and then made the following fit alterations:

• I took in the back princess seams by a total of two cm's from top to bottom
• Reduced the side seams by almost 6cm from under the arm to near the waist
• I also lengthened the neckline scoop 1/2 a cm

I ended up with a great fit, but in hindsight it would probably have been easier to have just made a smaller size with a full bust adjustment.

I UNDERLINED the bodice because of the transparency of the wool crepe and made the foundation using silk organza.
I sewed the crepe + underlining + foundation all together as one piece.

Instead of placing the boning along the seam line, I positioned them between each princess seam. This meant that the boning is held flat against the body rather than bowing away along the seam line. The closer to the body the more effective the boning.

Wool crepe + Underlining + Organza foundation with boning channels.

Three layers of horsehair braid hand stitched along bust seam line.

I basted three pieces of HORSEHAIR BRAID together and hand stitched them along the bust seam line. This was a great trick that I saw on an old Susan Khalijie blog post and it completely improved the shape of the bodice because:

• It gave extra (but soft) support to stop it falling down
• Helped push out the seam line on the bust and stopped it from buckling or caving in. This is a game changer for strapless tops!

I then hand tacked the waist seam allowance up toward the bodice to cushion and hold the boning in place.

I cut the SKIRT in a size 10 and

• I reduced the waist to a size 8
• Removed 2cm excess from each side seam from the waist down to the hip
• Made a 1cm dart from the hip to the centre front and again to the centre back to eliminate drag lines (see picture below).

Removing the dart above the fullest part of my bottom meant eliminating the drag lines that I usually get on the back of my skirts. My backside is more like an upside down love heart shape, rather than two beach balls, so there always tends to be excess fabric above the hips. If your waist to hip ratio is a big bigger, I highly recommend this fit change.

I moved the ZIPPER from the side seam of the skirt to the centre back so that it could be joined with the bodice.

I sewed the skirt and skirt lining together at the waist so that the bodice lining wasn't weighed down by the skirt lining. The bodice lining was then hand stitched into place at the waist line seam.

EXTRA

For a bit of extra drama I hand-stitched a gold chain trim along the neckline of the bodice. This was then closed with a lobster clasp at the centre back.

I then stitched a draped chain below the neck line on the bodice front.

Attaching the lining to the bodice.

WATCH OUT FOR

The length of the bodice is QUITE SHORT! I usually have to shorten the bodice and I most certainly did not need to with this pattern. In fact I could have lengthened it slightly. If you make this pattern, make sure you test for length first!

CONCLUSION

I'm so pleased I took the time to get this fit right. It took about three muslins for the skirt and two for the bodice but it made me enjoy my end look so much more! I also feel like I've learnt a bit doing this dress and that always makes me feel good.

I had a great night at Frocktails and I can't wait to do it again next year!

The Leather Jacket - Style Arc Eddie Biker Vest

Would you look at that smug expression?!!

That's the face of someone who just made her SECOND LEATHER JACKET!!

THE DETAILS

The Pattern
I used the 'Eddie Biker Vest' pattern by STYLE ARC as my block pattern and then changed the design to create what I was after.

This pattern comes with a huge range of sizes from a 4 to a 30 and I made this in a size 6.
I was measuring around a size 8-10 but I wanted something more fitted and this jacket comes with a fair bit of ease.

The pattern is a VEST so I added sleeves in a size 36 from Burdastyle 108B. I made my first leather jacket (below) using 108B but in a size 38.

The first Leather Jacket - Click to view

The Fabric

For the first time ever I visited the magical land that is Leffler's Leather.

They sell LEATHER wholesale to the industry and to the public and have a stunning range of colours.  If you live in Melbourne, Australia you have to check this place out.

I used a sheepskin leather in a mushroom/tan colour which had a slightly heavier weight than a nappa hide.

The jacket is LINED with beautiful silk that I purchased from The Fabric Store a few years ago.

The beautiful rose gold ZIPPERS are purchased from Jimmy Buttons.

Inspiration

Inspiration jacket from Kookai $560AUD

My jacket was inspired by a $560AUD jacket that I saw in Kookai. I loved the colour and the flattering cut and then becomes obsessed with the idea of making one for myself.

Changes

The Style Arc pattern served as a great block for me to redesign. It was challenging but fun reworking the pattern with the many changes, so I learnt a real lot!
The main changes I made was:

• Removed FACINGS from armholes and extended the lining so that I could add sleeves.
• Added SHOULDER PADS - structured jackets just look so nice with a defined shoulder.
• Covered the exposed ZIPPER TAPE with leather binding.

Look Out For

If you're going to give this pattern a go here are somethings to keep in mind before you get started:

Topstitching - The pattern gets you to do topstitching as a 3cm border around the edge of the jacket. Out of personal preference I chose to do my topstitching close to the seam and hem.

Instead of top stitching as you go, as the pattern suggests I recommend you WAIT until you've finished the whole jacket before you do this. Access is easier, and you can assess the natural drape of the jacket before adding your decorative stitching.

Bagging out the Jacket - You know what's not fun? Hand sewing leather. Ask me how I know.

The pattern instructs you to leave an open gap at the base of the neck where the facing and the lining meet. This is where you 'bag out' or turn out the jacket. This is ok if you are sewing with woven fabrics. If you are using a challenging fabric like leather I suggest you leave a hole in one of the back princess seams or the centre back of the lining.
It is much easier to hand sew the closure of the lining than it is to hand-sew leather and as a result, will look a lot neater.

Zipper - The design of this jacket has you attach the zipper on top of the fabric alongside a seam line but not actually sewn INTO a seam line. This means that the zipper tape sits naked on top of the garment.

It bothered me; on my jacket the zipper looked like an after thought.
Unfortunately for me I had already sewn up my whole jacket and there is no un-picking leather!

After a lot of brainstorming I decided to make my own leather binding. I attached it by topstitching it  over the zipper tape. I feel that it gives it a cleaner more finished look.

Instructions - Though the pattern pieces and design are EXCELLENT, the instructions were a little simple. Admittedly Style Arc have listed this pattern as 'advanced' so there is an assumed knowledge. The included diagrams were useful but the written instructions were short and not always clear.

The main challenge with this pattern is the turning out of the collar and hem and once you have done that the rest is easy enough to follow, though a beginner may struggle with understanding how to tackle some of the steps.

If you have a bit of experience however and read through the instructions thoroughly before starting, you will really enjoy this well drafted pattern.

Love

I don't know how, I don't know why but the SLEEVES from BurdaStyle 108B in the size 36 FIT PERFECTLY into the size 6 Style Arc Vest. I love it when that happens!

The HIGH COLLAR was an idea I couldn't get out of my head and I'm so pleased with the shape and the look of my edited version.

I love a metal ZIPPER and the rose gold of these zippers just worked so perfectly with the tan of the leather.

 Tips for Sewing with Leather

Quilters Holding Clips
I wish I'd known about these the first time I made a leather jacket!
Using pins is hard work on such a tough fabric, and these clips hold everything in place with 'finger-grip'.

Top Stitch your Seams

You can't iron leather. Well technically you can, but it doesn't behave like regular fabric and some leathers can be damaged by the heat.

To keep your seams flat and pretty, try top-stitching along either side of every seam line. It stops the seam line from curving and makes the jacket look really finished.

Cutting Out your Leather

Leather is slippery and has lots of body so I don't recommend folding it and cutting. Instead take the time to trace out a MIRRORED version of each pattern piece and then cut out each piece of leather individually. It also helps to arrange every pattern piece on your fabric before you cut out to minimise wastage.

Use Sticky Tape

When cutting out your pattern pieces use good old fashioned sticky tape instead of pins to cut your pieces out.

Sticky tape also comes in handy when attaching items like zippers that can't be pinned on or clipped on with holding clips.

Leather Needle

A leather needle is vital for sewing with leather! I used my normal Janome sewing machine (DC2101) to make my jacket and a nice sharp leather needle (size 14). Once you've finished your jacket throw out the needle; you may even need to swap for a new one half way through your project if you are doing a lot of top stitching. All that tough fabric will make your needle blunt! Blunt needle = ugly seams.

Change your Foot

For most of this jacket I used a normal sewing foot, which meant I got really good at holding (fighting with!) the fabric the whole way through to stop the leather from sliding around. When you sew with leather the top layer tends to walk forward making your two pieces uneven.

I highly recommend using a 'walking foot' also known as an 'even feed foot'. It made such a difference for me and I can't believe I waited this long to use one; a complete game changer.

A walking foot is designed with a set of feed dogs (teeth) which allow the fabric to feed without shifting and eliminates the problem of the under layer of fabric coming up short.

Thread Length

I changed my thread length from the standard 2.4 on my Janome to a 3. The thickness of the leather demands a longer stitch. A short stitch disappears in the leather, is too tight and could end up tearing your precious leather.

Final Thoughts

Me wearing my new jacket for the first time to a wedding. Nothing says 'beach' like wearing a leather jacket.

For those of you thinking about using leather for the first time, take heart! At the end of the day sewing is 90% preparation and only 10% on the machine. There's heaps of information out there about working with leather and if you make a muslin and have a little play with the leather first you will be A OK.

You want to start with a NAPPA leather, which is a fine and light-weight lamb hide which behaves more like fabric.

This is one of those projects that I get immense satisfaction out of because I took the time to get it right. I made a muslin, redrafted the pattern and then made another draft to double check all the changes.

All that time and effort put in before starting the real thing ensured that I got just the right look and fit. It's just another reminder that even though sewing is exciting and the temptation is to get straight into it, the patience of making a muslin ALWAYS pays off. In fact it actually increases the amount of joy you get out of your finished piece!

I'm so pleased with my second leather jacket and I can't wait to try out another Style Arc pattern!