Getting 100% Cotton Jersey for t-shirts is harder than it should be, then we get too many metres in one colour so Bess painted a load of this cream with flicks of a paint brush with fabric paint, and then made this T-shirt for her sister Lulu. The pattern is an ancient Vogue Elements hoody pattern V9926 (we still have an out-of-print copy if you would like one)
Jane made this amazing military style jacket from two different brocades and a piqué textured jacket weight wool. The pattern is Vogue 7975 with some major/minor adaptations to make it more military looking (the pattern is classic Chanel style jacket). It is lined in fabulous electric blue silk seersucker satin.
Bess made up this T-Shirt for Lulu (her sister – not the mannequin) , the pattern is Vogue elements 9926 size small with xs sleeve, zigzag hems and a self bound neck. It took 1 hour (most of which was looking for scissors)
Bess made up this feather print T-Shirt for her little sister using lovely stable Cotton and Elastane Jersey with lots of stretch that makes the binding on the neck a cinch. Plus there is the added bonus that as the fabric is so wide and Lulu is such a squinge Bess can make up the entire thing out of 80cm. Bonus!
The hems are done with a simple zigzag because Bess hates the coverstitch machine.
Jane made this “Channel” inspired dress using a LG tufted bouclé mixed fibre tweed for her daughter Lulu. The pattern is a discontinued Mizrahi vogue pattern that has been altered by adding a sleeve.
The whole dress was quilted to purple silk habotai lining – Jane cut all the pieces bigger and recut after the quilting was done (because the quilting tends to draw the pieces smaller), then a few more lines of quilting were added near the seams once it was sewn. Jane trimmed the neckline and pockets with velvet gimp braid.
Lulu in her vintage 1970’s dress made in stretch denim with a lime green wash. Accented with patch pockets, the dress is unlined and has bias binding around the armholes/neck. She made this maybe… 15 years ago? So doubly vintage then!
Dresses in fabrics like classic denim that fit well will never go out of style.
Lulu wearing her cloqué brocade bodice made by Jane. It is lined in cotton poplin as we needed something a bit beefier than normal lining to protect her sensitive skin from the lurex. The neck and armholes are bound with jersey bias. Because the zip needs to be open end and colours are limited the zip was put in the side seam so as not to draw attention to the dubious colour match.
Lulu wearing her Tom and Linda Platt (Vogue 1348) yellow and turquoise poly/lurex brocade dress, made by Jane. The pattern has box pleats with bizarre instructions (Jane followed them once then did the rest her way). It has a concealed zip, silk underlining and velvet ready made piping around the armholes and neck. There is a petticoat in turquoise cotton poplin which is trimmed in lace. There are a million pieces to this pattern and so whilst it was not particularly difficult make (especially when ignoring the box pleat construction) it took a long time to cut out all the pieces.
This dress needs a fabric with a certain amount of bounce to it and this brocade worked a treat. The petticoat has ruffles and lace trim galore but the skirt hoops out all by itself.
Amazing Liberty blossom printed Tana Lawn cotton dress made using the Vintage Vogue Pattern V2960 (the dress has been altered from the pattern), made by Jane for Lulu.
If you can’t face the fiddle of making the belt yourself (we couldn’t) send the fabric off to Harlequin—they will do it for you along with covering buttons and various other fiddly jobs. It’s worth it as it looks so professional.
The dress petticoat is made up in a plain cotton lawn which has been bound with the Liberty lawn using a 19mm Bias Maker.
This amazing shirt made by Jane (for Lulu) was made with white cotton Guipure lace that was dyed turquoise (along with the cotton lawn lining and button-hole trim) with a Dylon machine dye. The front and back darts were appliqué seamed rather than sewn normally so are almost invisible.
Fabrics and Notions:
White cotton Guipure lace #2900
White ‘Riviera’ cotton lawn
Off white button-hole trim
Dylon turquoise dye
Turquoise shell buttons
Pattern: Altered from a Vintage Vogue Dress pattern V2960 (made up before here)
Black stretch lace t-shirt made by Jane for Lulu
Fabrics and Notions:
Black stretch lace #2415
Stay tape
Pattern: Altered from an ancient Vogue Elements hooded top pattern.
Whilst all the seams were overlocked, Jane hemmed and turned the neck using a twin needle, which gives enough stretch on a straight stitch because of the bobbin zigzagging on the reverse. It is an effective way to finish off the hems using a domestic machine.
This hot pink dummy might be fabulous but this t-shirt looks lots better with arms in it, you know.
Lulu wearing turquoise cloud print cotton and elastane jersey t-shirt with stand up collar made by Bess.
Fabrics and Notions:
Turquoise cloud print cotton with 7% elastane (v.stretchy) jersey.
Stay tape
Pattern: Adapted from an ancient Vogue Elements hooded top pattern.
To add a stand collar like this to a round neckline is easy as the pattern is cut straight, just cut a rectangle twice the height of the collar (plus seam allowances), and as wide as the circumference of the neckline (do not add seam allowances). Sew the collar into a tube, fold in half and then overlock or stitch the raw edges together at the neck.
Lulu wearing vintage Vogue dress made with swimmers printed cotton and pink linen bolero, all made by Jane.
Fabrics and Notions:
Dress:
Swimmers print cotton
Riviera cotton lawn lining
Cover buttons
Covered belt
Bias binding
Pattern: Vintage Vogue V2960
Bolero:
Pink Heavy Linen
Swimmers print cotton
Button
Piping
Reversible coat made by Jane for Lulu using stripe proofed cotton and printed cotton lawn.
Fabrics and Notions:
Pink stripe proofed cotton
Pink and multi peacock printed cotton lawn
Cotton lawn (interfacing)
Shell buttons
Medium weight iron-on knitted interfacing
Piping
Lulu wearing Italian Designer knit dress, and Miaow wearing her heirloom embroidered linen dress.
Fabrics and Notions:
Lulu:
Italian Designer knit cotton and mixed fibres
Stay tape
Bias binding
Miaow:
Off-white linen
Riviera cotton lawn
Zip
Button
Lace inserts
Ribbons
Lulu wearing Italian Designer chevron knit dress
Fabrics and Notions:
Cotton and mixed fibres Italian Designer chevron knit
Lycra binding
Bias binding
Stay tape
The selvedge on these knits are often usable as an edging, they may need a bit of tidying up as there is often threads that come loose, but look good when the time is spent.
Lulu wearing green and pink spot print cotton skirt and pink LG cotton waffle wrap top. (Made by Jane)
Fabrics and Notions:
Pink and green printed spot cotton
Pink waffle cardigan jacket type Cotton
Viscose interfacing
Invisible zip
Tutu: model’s own
Lulu wearing her lovely silk and linen shift wedding dress, holding her daughter, Kitcat, in her printed cotton seersucker ruffled dress and matching headband. Gemma to her right wears an embroidered cotton bridesmaid dress.
Fabrics and Notions (Lulu):
Turquoise silk and linen
Silk habotai lining
Silk organza feather trim
Invisible zip
Iron-on lightweight interfacing
Fabrics and Notions (Gemma):
Embroidered lightweight cotton
Venezia lining
Invisible zip
Lightweight iron-on interfacing
Fabrics and Notions (KitCat)
Printed cotton seersucker
Cotton lawn (lining and collar))
Button
Extra-Lightweight knitted iron-on interfacing
The silk organza trim gave Lulu’s dress just the touch of something special she wanted for her wedding dress without making it too impractical or unsuitable to wear at subsequent posh do’s. A shift is the most flattering of dress, and easy to make fit really well.
