Clair in Sunny Spain with her black and white pinafore dress. The pattern is self drafted, the fabric is washable stretch suiting, it is lined in Venezia dress lining
Black and White Check Pinafore Dress
Tag: Clair
Black Wool Pleated Pinafore Dress
Clair teaching in Sunny Spain wearing this beautiful Black British pure worsted wool pinafore dress, the pattern is self-drafted and the pleats were a dream to press. She says it’s too good for work but she’s always worn lovely clothes to work (she used to work for us and we can verify she always wore lovely clothes then).
Just Moosey Tutu
Clair made this sooo sweeeet baby satin dress and tutu using viscose satin coat lining (much too good to hide inside a coat) and light pink tulle tutu.
Brown Crewel Embroidered Linen Shift Dress
Clair is Sunny Cadiz wearing her crewel embroidered Italian linen shift dress (her tried and tested pattern which Jane helped to fit many moons ago). We can’t emphasise too much how useful a good basic dress pattern is!
Whilst linen is notoriously creasy these heavy embroidered linens really don’t crease badly at all.
Blue Short Linen Wrap Skirt
Clair in Sunny Cadiz (okay, not sunny right now but it usually is!) wearing turquoise blue linen wrap skirt. The brown legs help. Fabulous.
Red Bubble Spot Cotton Dress
Clair braving the British summer in her red bubble spot cotton panelled dress.
Heavy Jersey Sailor top and Pleated Wool and Silk Skirt
Clair wearing heavy jersey sailor top and pleated wool and silk skirt.
Fabrics and notions:
Heavy wool jersey
White ribbon
Stay tape
Black silk/wool worsted (permanently pleated)
Medium weight knitted interfacing
Venezia lining
Gingham ribbon
Invisible zip
Winter White Boiled Wool Cardigan Jacket
Clair wearing boxy winter white boiled wool cardigan jacket with black trim, and guipure lace skirt
Fabrics and Notions:
Jacket:
Winter white boiled wool
Black fold over acrylic/wool binding
Skirt:
Black guipure lace
Ivory Venezia
Invisible zip
Bias binding and piping
Ladybird Spot Boiled Wool Skirt Suit
Clair wearing red and black boiled wool ladybird spot skirt suit.
Fabrics and Notions:
Printed Boiled Wool
Elastic
Stretch binding
Buttons
Cherry Print Cotton Dress
Kitcat in cherry printed cotton dress with piping and cherry buttons made by Clair.
Green Spotty Dress and Raincoat
Clair wearing Off-white raincoat with Kaffe Fassett Green spotty panelled dress.
Fabrics and Notions (raincoat):
Proofed cotton
Kaffe Fassett spotty printed cotton (lining)
Double cover buttons
Piping cord with self-made bias binding
Viscose iron-on interfacing.
Pattern: McCall’s 5525
Fabrics and Notions (dress)
Green Kaffe Fassett spotty printed cotton
Green Venezia lining
Invisible zip
Piping cord and bias binding
Knitted medium weight iron- on interfacing
Clair, being the queen of matchy-matchy fashion excelled herself here with this summer-weight all-weather ensemble. Proofed fabrics will need a sharp, fine needle, such as ‘super-stitch’ or those intended for use on microfibre
Gerbera Print Dress and Matching Bloomers
Gerbera printed cotton dress with matching rickrack and ribbon trimmed bloomers made for Miaow by Jane
Black Cashmere Pleated Pinafore Dress
Clair sporting her black cashmere wool pleated pinafore dress.
Fabrics and Notions:
Black 100% Cashmere wool
Silk Velvet (belt and bow)
Velvet piping
Puple Venezia lining
Medium weight knitted iron-on interfacing
Pattern: Burda 8072
Grey Harris Tweed Check Skirt
Clair in her grey and chartreuse check tweed frill skirt
Fabrics and Notions:
Grey line check tweed
Venezia lining
Velvet piping
Pattern: Simplicity 3881
Ladybird Spot Boiled Wool Suit
Kitcat the Ladybird in boiled wool skirt and jacket with patch pockets. (Made by Jane)
Fabrics and Notions:
Wool mix printed boiled wool
Stretch binding
Elastic
buttons
Green Linen Skirt Embellished with Shell Buttons
Clair wearing her green linen skirt embellished with lots of shell buttons and a spotty frill
Fabrics and Notions:
Green heavy linen
Kaffe Fassett Green Spot print cotton
Approx 45 shell buttons
Fine piping cord and self made bias binding
Embellishing a plain cloth with buttons or beads can be a really effective way of dressing up a fabric, which would otherwise cost (if bought ready embellished) a small fortune. Pay attention to aesthetics and practicality when choosing the placement, you may wish to concentrate the beads in one area, thinning out elsewhere, or only embellish the front.
Purple Rose Trim Shift Dress
Clair wearing her silk and linen scoop neck shift with rose chiffon trim.
Fabrics and Notions:
Purple silk and linen
Purple Venezia lining
Purple rose poly chiffon trim
Invisible zip
Pattern: Burda 3477
Vegetable Printed Cotton Dress
Clair wearing Martha Negley printed cotton shift dress
Fabrics and Notions:
Martha Negley printed cotton
Venezia lining
Fine piping cord and bias binding
Lightweight knitted iron-on interfacing
Invisible zip
Pattern: Burda 3477
Kaffe Fassett Printed Cotton Dress and Skirt
Jane and Clair in matching ‘corporate colours’ dress and skirt using Kaffe Fassett printed Cotton
Fabrics and Notions: (Jane)
Kaffe Fassett printed cotton
Piping and self made bias binding
Cotton lawn (lining)
Invisible zip
Pattern: Simplicity 3881
Fabrics and Notions: (Clair)
Kaffe Fassett printed cotton
Venezia lining
Invisible zip
Lightweight knitted iron-on interfacing
Pattern: Vintage Vogue
Black and White Cardigan Jacket
Clair wears black and white traditionally made cardigan jacket with matching straight skirt
Fabrics and Notions:
Mahlia black and white mixed fibres tweed
Purple silk habotai lining
Silk thread (for quilting)
Beaded fur trim
Decorative chain (for hem)
Silk organza (stabilising)
Salvaged Chanel ribbon
The trick to making a cardigan jacket look authentic (amongst other tricks) is to cut the sleeves skinny, and tight, up into the arm hole. It may feel like you are going to restrict movement doing this, but in fact the opposite is true. Try it, you will be pleasantly surprised.
Black Spotty Tulle Skirt
Clair wears black spotty tulle skirt
Fabric and Notions:
Nylon flock spotted tulle
Black fashion net
Black Venezia lining
Wide satin ribbon
Invisible zip
Bias Binding
Pattern: Custom made (variation of bought Karen Millen skirt)
Purple Needlecord Frill Skirt
Jane wearing Purple cotton needlecord frill skirt.
Fabric and Notions:
Cotton Needlecord
Venezia and cotton lawn (for frill) Lining
Medium weight iron-on knitted interfacing
Piping and bias binding
Invisible zip
Pattern: Simplicity 3881
Blue Wool Melton Frill Skirt
Jane wearing wool melton skirt with frill hem. (Made by Clair)
Fabric and Notions:
Wool Melton coating
Shot Taffeta Frill lining, Venezia Lining
Viscose iron-on interfacing
Piping with bias binding
Invisible zip
Pattern: Simplicity 3881
Wool melton is traditionally used for coats and heavy jackets, but can be used on other garments when the structural characteristics of a coating wool is required. (It’s a good idea to use co-ordinating lighter fabrics to make up facings, if required)
