A Dover Maxidress

I've been stating since my fourth make of the Dover Jacket that I really wanted a maxi dress from this pattern. 

I bought this embroidered gingham border print from Chic Fabrics last November.

One day at work I was doodling during a meeting, combining this fabric and the Dover Jacket and dreamed up what I thought would be an amazing maxi dress. I have to admit that the final dress is somewhat different than what I imagined. 

The dress I'd imagined had scallops at the hemlines of the dress and sleeves. Since I did not take my 8900 to Sew Camp and was working on my 6600P I just couldn't get the scallops long and thick enough to work. After fiddling with it for a few hours, I called it quits. I couldn't make my design idea come to life on the equipment I was using. Maybe if I'd been home I would have come up with another idea but I really wanted to bring home finished garments so I added a triple stitch to the hemlines of the dress and sleeves.

Supplies ~
3 yards of fabric from Chic Fabrics
Red Piping from Joyce Trimmings
10 - 7/8" flat red buttons also from Joyce Trimmings
1 black covered snap from Pacific Trimmings

Pattern Alterations/Construction/Sewing ~
When I cut this out I flipped the border print which was only on one side of the fabric and used it for the top of the dress. All pieces were cut side by side to insure that the border print went all the way around the top of the dress.

I made two alterations to the pattern to get this maxidress.

1. I shortened the sleeves to elbow length
2. I lengthened the skirt body to make it maxi length

Except for the scallop samples I made and having to handstitch the piping down (none of my sewing machine feet worked and I had to borrow another camper's sewing machine to get the piping and facing on my dress), the construction was pretty simple. Nothing any different from the construction on a normal Dover jacket.

I made buttonholes all the way down the front except at the top because it would have been in the middle of the embroidery. I really didn't want to disturb the embroidery, so I added a snap to the inside and sewed a button on the front. I'm glad I was able to leave the embroidery alone and not cut into it. 

BTW, I have no construction pictures because it was made during Sew Camp.

A Few Pictures of the Maxidress ~

This pattern is just as comfortable as a maxidress as it is a jacket! I took it for a test run to the grocery store and it was an easy wearing, comfortable dress. Just what I'm looking for this summer. If I can, I will make another one before the summer ends and the only change I would make is to add some inseam pockets.

...as always more later!

A Spring Brocade Dover Jacket

I honestly thought I wouldn't be making another Dover Jacket until summer when I would be trying a Dover Dress.  However, this fabric I purchased from Metro Textiles had different ideas! I also thought that by June I wouldn't be able to wear it out and about but we shot these photos in mid-June on a 70 degree day. It was just fine.

Supplies ~
3 panels of border print brocade from Metro Textiles
Tie fabric for bias binding
Interfacing from Steinlauf & Stoeller
5 - 7/8" Covered buttons from stash for jacket buttons

Construction ~
The only difference between this jacket and all my others is that I decided to bind the jacket edges using a Hong Kong finish. I need to insert a why here?  Because I did not seriously consider how many seams there are in this jacket and how much time it would take if I was going to bind them all.

Of course once I started I HAD to bind all the seams. That decision added HOURS to the construction of the jacket...seriously HOURS! So between the pattern matching and the bias binding, I "coutured" a very easy jacket. 

Neck deep in I also decided to use covered buttons for the jacket. Which meant I didn't have to dig through the stash to find a button that coordinated or end up hitting the Garment District to find one that worked. Using the flip side of the brocade fabric meant I ended up with a covered button that matched my fabric. It was a good decision because I love how the buttons look when the jacket is closed.

(laying the covered buttons on the jacket front

color is off - picture below is so much better!)

A few photos of the jacket ~

Okay this isn't the most attractive shot but I loved

 how the wind caught the jacket and showed the fabric's pattern

This is a "fancy" jacket to wear over jeans but with our touch and go weather, I should get a few wears in before the hot weather comes. I will use this pattern again as a jacket come fall because I wear a lot of layers in the winter.

...as always more later!

The Dover Jacket in Flocked Glen Plaid

I knew right after I'd finished my first Dover Jacket that I would be adding more of them to my wardrobe. It's exactly the type of topper that I need and want as a layering piece. All I had to do was figure out what the next fabric should be. I settled on a flocked glen plaid suiting and an embroidered denim. One piece is deep stash and the other is new to the collection. 

At first I was going to put both jackets in the same post but there is so much detail to each one they deserved separate blog posts. 

Flocked Glen Plaid Version ~

This version was inspired by a picture I saw on Marcy Tilton's site. Yes, I get her emails. Yes, I cruise her site 2-3 times a week. No, I rarely buy anything but her fabric selections are so inspiring. The picture above inspired me to look in my fabric collection, because I KNEW I had a flocked glen plaid on the shelves. I know Marcy's picture is about denims (and boy do I want the one on the far right!) but it did strike a memory.

Upon finding the fabric on the shelves, I was thrilled to realize it's the right weight to make the Dover Jacket. Since it's such a distinctive fabric, I knew it would make an interesting topper. A note...when choosing fabric for this jacket...make sure it's a fabric that gathers easily since the gathering is an integral part of the design.

Supply List ~
- 3 yards flocked glen plaid from deep stash
- (3) 1.25" buttons from notions collection
- leather binding from the notions collection
- Black fusible interfacing from Steinlauf & Stoeller

Pattern Alterations ~
This is the only additional alteration I did to the pattern for future makes ~

1. I added 1/2" to the front and back of each sleeve from the shoulder curve down. 
2. This enlarged the hemline considerably. 
3. At 4.5" from the hemline, I sewed on an incline decreasing the hemline by 1.5" on each side.
4. I also lengthened the sleeve by one inch.
5. This allowed made sleeve hems circumference smaller and stopped my very small wrists from looking like they were floating in a too big sleeve.

Construction ~
Because the fabric is very busy, I added some accents to make the design work. I chose a very large button from the collection to add to the jacket front. I have no idea how long I've had these buttons or where they came from in the garment district. Just know that my button collection is as extensive as my fabric collection.

Due to the size of the buttons, my automatic buttonholer wouldn't make buttonholes. Honestly, I haven't made a 3-step buttonhole in about 20 years. I went to my copy of the Vogue Sewing Book to figure out how to make them again.

A few samples later and I had buttonholes large enough for my buttons. Though I'm glad I only had to make three of them.

I also added some leather binding leftover from other projects to the front edge of the jacket. That wasn't planned. I was looking for some buttons and found the leather binding in a plastic bag with the buttons I chose. I'd probably planned on using them together for another project that didn't happen. They were, however, perfect for this one.

Lastly, I omitted the front pockets from this version too. After wearing the original jacket, I didn't miss the pockets so left them off.

Some Pictures ~  

Conclusion ~
I'm glad that I used this fabric from the collection to make my second version. While it's not a heavy fabric it will be a good layer over a cashmere top for the coldest days or a cotton jersey turtleneck. It's casual enough for the office but funky enough to satisfy my creative needs.

This is the second jacket from the Dover Pattern.  My final version is coming soon!

...as always more later!

Blue Dot Patterns ~ Dover Jacket (Wearable Muslin)

One of the garment types I really want to add to my fall/winter/early spring wardrobe is a loose fitting jacket. I want to wear them with the Pembroke turtleneck tunics I've made, as well as, my shirts and over jeans and leggings.

I saw the BlueDot Patterns - Dover Jacket and it really tickled my fancy.

However, there were a few challenges...
1. It's only graded up to a size 18 - no plus sizes at all!
2. It's a pdf ONLY pattern
3. The sleeves need to be lengthened

I hemmed and hawwed a few days before downloading the pattern because LOADS of pattern alterations PLUS taping the pattern together. But as I looked at the pattern drawings, I realized that a lot of the alterations would be very easy to make because it's a simple silhouette.

So my first challenge was to tape the pattern together. I managed to do that one evening after work while watching Bye Bye Birdie. Yes I LOVE corny old movie musicals! *LOL* It wasn't difficult to tape together because it doesn't have a lot of pages. The taped pattern easily fit on my sewing table.

Pattern Alterations ~
These are extensive. I altered almost all of the pattern pieces. So I traced the main body pieces and the alterations to them are listed below.

1. Front bodice bottom - added 1.5" to the piece from top to bottom by slicing it open and adding the extra space. This gave me an extra 3" in the front.

2. Back bottom piece - added 3" to the pattern. Sliced it from top to bottom and added the extra space.  This gives me an extra 6" to the back.

3. My finished hip measurement is 71" which will allow me to put a sweater or top under the jacket, as well as sit comfortably in the closed jacket.

4. I added a 1/2" to the front and back bodice pieces by slicing and spreading.

5. While the original finished bodice measurements fit, I wanted a little extra space for what I wore under the jacket.

6. Then I lowered the front and back pieces 2". If you look carefully at the picture of the jacket front - the seamline runs right across your bustline. This works if you're small busted but any amount of boobage and it will look a little wonky.

7. I checked where the seam would fall on my body and decided that I needed to lengthen it 2" for it to clear my bustline. That alteration was made to the front and back pieces.

8. The front facing piece had 2" added to match the jacket.

9. The sleeves were also altered. C'mon you know if I make them on regular patterns I would need to add to them here too. I added 1/2" to the front and back sleeve. 

10. For the next make I will need to add another 1/2" to both back and front sleeve piece. When sewn, these were still a little tight and pulled across the jacket front.

11. I also added length to the sleeves because the 3/4 length sleeve won't keep my arms warm. 

See extensive! I'm sure you're wondering why I didn't find a pattern in a size closer to my measurements. Honestly I don't know. I saw this, knew it was what I needed & wanted also that it would work with quite a bit of the suiting and jacket fabrics in the collection. Plus I was in the mood for the challenge of making it work.

Fabric Choice ~
I really wanted a denim jacket. I've got an entire section of denim fabric in all weights, colors and prints that I've amassed over the last couple of years. I didn't use as much denim as I thought I would last year, probably cause I went shirt crazy! Anyway, since I made so many alterations to the pattern, basically grading it up to a size 22-24, I wanted to try the pattern out first.  

If it worked well great! If it didn't, I would move on. I used a printed denim left over from making this wrap skirt last summer.  The first challenge: the fabric was shorter than I thought it was. I'd actually folded it in such a way that I couldn't see a huge piece was cut out ~ insert very loud groan here. I tried to move pattern pieces around so they would fit. The pattern tetris drove me back to working on one of the blankets I was crocheting for the grandchildren.  After a time out, I figured out how to get all the outer pieces cut out of the denim. 

Construction ~
This was easy to put together. I understand why Diane rated this a beginner to intermediate pattern. But me being me and no longer capable of just sewing a pattern as is, I made a few additions...

a. I didn't have enough of my fabric to cut facings or pockets.  So I omitted the pockets.

b. I cut facings from a blue/white gingham from my scrap pile.

d. After the sleeves were made, I realized you could see the white background of my printed denim.  So I cut blue/white gingham cuffs (15" x 3") to cover the sleeves undersides. Also to tie it to the facings on the inside.

e. I added 2 more buttons than the pattern calls for because I don't like flappy fronts.

f. To insure that everything in the inside of the jacket coordinated, I added a band of the blue & white gingham to the hemline.  I encased the hem for a bound look and I handstitched it down.

f. Last I topstitched close to the front edges and again at the edges of the facings like the pattern suggests. I used a triple stitch for the topstiching. 

(The color is off here but you can see the topstitching and basting lines)

To insure the topstitching was in the right place for the facing edges, I ran a line of basting stitches around the facing.

A few pictures of the finished jacket ~

Conclusion ~
I LOVE this pattern. I can see it in several different fabrications, even a ponte knit. I hope to make a couple more of these before the weather warms up. It's been especially cold this winter and I need ALL THE LAYERS!

I did add a lot of construction techniques to the jacket that are not included in the pattern. Some of it is because I wanted the insides of the jacket to look finished. Other techniques were done because I just like those sewing techniques better. All of these added more sewing time to a simple-to-sew jacket but it was worth the sewing journey...making it a very satisfying sew.

I would highly recommend purchasing this pattern if you're looking for a great casual jacket to add to your wardrobe. It has great bones and you can really have fun with design decisions for your garment.

...as always more later!

Blue Dot Patterns the next Pattern Giveaway

I first heard of Blue Dot Patterns on Instagram. Then I saw an amazing version of the Margo Blouse 

by That Black Chic that Michelle made for her daughter and I was in love...still trying to figure out how I can incorporate this into my fall/winter wardrobe! This was my introduction to Blue Dot Patterns. 

photo credit: ThatBlackChic care of Fabric Mart Fabricistas blog

What appeals to me about Blue Dot Patterns is that they are basic designs that we all can use in our me-made wardrobes. Diane has designed these patterns to work for building a casual and/or a business casual wardrobe. You can definitely customize them for your lifestyle. 

Blue Dot Patterns range in sizes XS-XL. They are pdf patterns with an affordable price tag. Easy to follow instructions complete with detailed drawings make these a great sew. 

Today's pattern giveaway is your choice of any one of the patterns in the Blue Dot store. If you'd like to add a new pattern to your collection that is modern and will work for all occasions, leave your name and which pattern you'd like in the comments below. 

Now since this is a pdf pattern, this giveaway is open to every one in the sewing universe.  You have until Wednesday, September 14th at 11:59pm EST to enter this giveaway.  The winner of the pattern will be announced on Saturday, September 17th. Please note that if you're on blogger as "unknown" please leave a name with your request. No name in the comment section and your entry will be voided. 

So head on over to Blue Dot Patterns and look through her catalog to see which pattern you'd like to win. I'm sure you will be as enthralled with her patterns as I am!

Good luck and Happy National Sewing Month!