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!

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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!

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:

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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

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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!

Jenna Dress - By Hand London

Wait, what is this??!! Julia Bobbin back in a vintage inspired dress? WHO'S THIS?!!!

I recently had the pleasure and honour of pattern testing a new dress for By Hand London and I'm so excited to finally share it with you in all it's emerald glory

The Pattern

'The Jenna Dress' from By Hand London, now available from their website!

This dress is an empire line dress with a bias cut skirt in two lengths. It features two different necklines; a low square neck or a jewel neck with optional peter-pan collar and also comes with two sleeve options: short sleeves or the prettiest little tie cuffs.

I chose Variation 1 with the square neck and tie cuffs, but all versions are interchangeable with each other.

The Fabric

Because of the bias cut of the skirt, this pattern works great with draped fabrics such as soft silks, lightweight cottons and rayon. However I decided to go rogue and use a structured silk organza because I am all about that transparent life and I thought it could look really striking in an unexpected textile.

I used the most stunning emerald silk organza from The Cloth Shop Ivanhoe and I just love how the different layers of organza create the most beautiful variations in colour.

Because of the transparency of this dress, I wore it with a purchased slip dress underneath.

The Details

This dress takes me back to one of my favourite eras for fashion, the 60's.

Generally I tend to avoid empire cut dresses. They typically tend to hide my waistline and with my hour glass figure, hiding the smallest part of my body can sometimes make me look like a block.
However with this skirt being bias cut, it still shapes the waistline and flatters the figure, and would be even more exaggerated in a drapey fabric.

I love the tie details on the sleeves. It's such a pretty and delicate detail to add that elevates the dress from a pretty one to a gorgeous one.

The dress closes with an invisible zipper down the centre back and has a lined bodice which I lined with the same organza fabric.

Where possible, I finished the seams with french seams and overlocked the sleeve seams.

Final Thoughts

This is such a beautifully put together pattern with exceptional attention to detail in the instructions. This pattern is versatile and easily adaptable and I'm already imagining version 2 in a silk velvet!

The team at By Hand London have put a lot of love into this pattern and it shows.

Silk Organza Transparent Blouse - BurdaStyle 04/2018 #105B

One day I'll stop making transparent clothing, but it is not. this. day.

HELLO!
Just keeping it casual in this low-key look; my me-made silk organza blouse and me-made leather skirt. SO BASIC.

The Pattern

It's the Darted Sport Blouse by BurdaStyle, pattern #105B from their 04/2018 issue.

I cut a size 40 and it gave me just the right amount of ease to be fitted but not tight.  I find the BurdaStyle patterns run a bit on the smaller side, but the cut of their patterns always seems to work so well for me.

The Fabric

I made this blouse in a beautiful crisp black, silk organza from The Cloth Shop in Ivanhoe.
Silk organza is such a unique fabric with it's transparency and stiff texture. It is such a great fabric to play with volume.

I used a solid black cotton sateen from Spotlight for the button band, collar and cuffs, which added a nice contrast to the organza.

I'm loving the 'transparent fashion' look at the moment, recently using a purple silk organza to make this fancy trench coat below:

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*Me at my funeral* Friend crying: “Oh, they are burying her in her favourite dress 😥❤️”. Me, still dead: “It has POCKETS”. . . 💜Wearing my silk organza #trenchcoat WITH pockets. 💜 Pattern is #simplicitypatterns #8554 @simplicity_creative_group @mccallpatterncompany - - - #sew #sewing #purple #organza #silk #couture #transparent #sewersofinstagram #sewfrosting #fashion #memade #makersgonnamake #maker #sewersofinstagram #coat #fashioncoat #pockets #ithaspockets

A post shared by Julia Bobbin (@juliabobbin) on Dec 2, 2018 at 2:55pm PST

Changes

Full statement sleeves are all the rage at the moment and I'm a sucker for a fashion fad. The sleeves already had a bit of volume in the pattern, but I altered it to give even more volume. Because sometimes more is just MORE, OK?

FULLER SLEEVES - I drew three vertical lines through the pattern and cut from the bottom to the top, leaving a slight hinge in the paper at the top of the pattern. This ensured that the width of the pattern top remained the same.

I then spread out the pattern evenly and stuck it down to some paper. The bottom edge is gathered to fit the sleeve cuffs, so you can go as big as you want!

I FLAT FELLED my seams which kept the seams flat, and hid raw edges.
Overlocked seams would be more visible in this transparent shirt and I love how neat it made the shirt look on the inside.

The only exception was the armhole and sleeves seam, which I serged.

I decided to use a COTTON SATEEN FABRIC in a solid black for the collar, cuffs and centre-front closures in cotton sateen. I love how it contrasts with transparent organza, and gives it a bit of an edge.

I Finished the centre front with SNAP BUTTONS for a sleek look to the button band. The shirt already has so much detail and the hidden closures adds to the dressiness of the look.

I Used buttons and BUTTON HOLES on the cuffs (two each side) and for the collar. These areas receive the most tension so the buttons are appropriate, and it gives the shirt a little extra detail.

I didn't line the BACK YOKE.  The extra layer would have made that section darker, which I don't mind, but I didn't want to make the shirt too busy with the cotton sateen details already adding contrast. 

Love

I love the fullness of the lower half of the SLEEVES and how it contrasts with the slim upper sleeve.

The ANGLED DARTS on the bodice front are such a different and interesting way to add shape and design to this shirt.

I love the  CURVED HEM, which seems to be the perfect length on my frame.

The DOUBLE BUTTONS on the sleeve cuffs, adds that subtle bit of extra detail and is also very practical.

THAT FIT - I don't know what it is about BurdaStyle, but they just seem to suit my shape well. I rarely have to make major changes, and the fit seems to be well suited to my proportions. I don't claim to understand it but I love it

Tips

This sewing pattern is excellent and well drafted, but if you're looking for clear instructions on how to make it, you won't find it with this pattern.
I used the following online tutorials to make my sleeve plackets and collar, which I couldn't work out from the limited, unillustrated pattern instructions:

SLEEVE PLACKETS

COLLAR AND COLLAR STAND

Conclusion

This pattern is such a lovely design, and could be easily adapted for a slimmer sleeve if big bouncy forearms aren't your thing.

I love it in the silk organza, which would pair well with a camisole for a less conspicuous look.
They say the Melbourne uniform is 'all-black', and so this usually colourful girl is feeling suitably city proud in this get up.

With Christmas just around the corner I wanted to thank all my lovely readers for all your support and encouragement this year, and to wish you and yours a very merry and very safe festive season!!

Merry Christmas everyone!