Colette Violet blouse

I was inspired to try this pattern by a version of the Colette Violet blouse I'd seen on Pinterest. Of course in the end the only vague resemblance between the girl and shirt in the inspiration pic and myself and shirt are the fact mine is also a sort of plaid.

Shirt is unironed and I am totally unstyled but I have come to the conclusion that if I don't grab someone and get photos when a garment is hot off the sewing machine, it probably won't happen. Of course, husband or son will not tell me when a button is skewiff. But they don't notice things like that, bless them.

I wasn't too sure about the shirt - blouse - whatever - as it was coming together but in the end I think I quite like it. Needs to be washed and worn a bit to be 'broken in' but I think it will be a sort of good t-shirt substitute.

The fabric is a quilting cotton by Art Gallery Fabrics, and although I generally steer clear of quilting cottons for adult garments, the Art Gallery ones have a particularly soft and drapey feel. Even so, I think it's a little crisper than ideal for this pattern - but that's where I hope the wash'n'wear factor will come in.

Pretty happy with my plaid matching skillz. The buttons are some cute little things I found at the Salvos.

And the back. Super-creased, and probably could use some fitting adjustments. I cut a straight size 10 (Colette size 10 that is!) since the finished garment measurements seemed to work for my bust and hips. My shoulders are fairly narrow however so maybe I could have started with a size 8, done a FBA and graded out to a 10 in the hips. But sheesh, all the effort for a loose shirt? Nah...

Gosh but I love having my photo taken. This much.

Would you bother to make fitting adjustments to something like this? Or just let it 'wear in' to fit you better?

- Jane x

Me in the Colette Hawthorn

Spring has come on crazy sudden here. It's been 30 degrees the last two days. Cool change blowing through right now. But today was perfect, simply perfect, for wearing my Colette Hawthorn in Liberty Tana Lawn to the shop. I asked Fiona to take a few photos of me betwixt the linens and the hemp & organic cottons.

The hills are alive....

It's so twirly!

My version is a fair bit less fitted than many versions I've seen online, but the Liberty has zero give in it and ... I have probably a little too much give these days, ha. Anyway I think it has shape and comfort in really good balance for my liking.

I made a muslin in size 10 and made a few adjustments to fit: raised the waist, let out the side seams and front bodice darts to widen the waist (tapering up to nothing under the arms) and took a wedge out of the bodice centre back where it meets the skirt to fix where it was scooping down a bit (I guess a kind of sway-back adjustment). If you look at the first photo in particular, I think I should have shortened the sleeves by the same amount as I shortened the bodice (I didn't adjust them at all). They're more almost-full-length than 3/4.

I cut the skirt back on the fold, since my print was directional and there were no fabric savings to be made by cutting it in two halves running opposite ways. I also sewed the collar with a 1/4 inch seam allowance as per comments I'd read from other Hawthorn sewists. It seems the pattern was accidentally made with only this narrow allowance on the collar rather than the 5/8 inch allowance elsewhere. Anyway with the 1/4" s/a it worked just right.

I added a waist-stay of cotton twill ribbon, sewing it to the seam allowance and finishing with a snap closure behind the button placket at the front. This may have been a bit of overkill given the lightness of my fabric, but on my bedsheet muslin, the weight of the full skirt pulled oddly at the waist.

I also added a little hook and thread loop helping stop any gaping at the waist. Buttons, not that you can see with the busy print going on, are assorted vintage clear glass.

I did a little bit of swearing when I cut the front bodice pieces upside-down on the print and there was not enough fabric left to re-do. But, it's such a busy print that you'd barely ever notice. I think it's a William Morris.

I felt great wearing this dress today. It made me feel a bit 'dressed up' but not inappropriate for just an ordinary day. I can definitely imagine another Hawthorn or two in my future... maybe in a plain fabric that would show off the cut a bit more.

I was thinking of making a very plain self-fabric tie belt to go with this one. What do you think?

- Jane x

Mornings, and a look at my Hawthorn although not on me, yet

We've been doing this three-kids-at-school thing for almost a year now but is it getting any easier to get us all ready in the mornings? Uh, nope. Maybe this summer when the sun's up earlier?

This morning:

Charlie, his face still three-quarters asleep, moving with glacial speed through the motions of morning preparations.

Clem, five minutes to go, sliding about with a tissue box on one foot and nothing on the other, admonishing Andy for "always speaking to (him) in a cross voice". Cos yeah, we should happily and sweetly repeat instructions for the seventh or eighth time.

Jasper, completely ready since about 7.30am, and showing us all the totem pole he'd just whipped up with corks, a slice of tree branch and a hot glue gun.

We all have our strengths and weaknesses, don't we. But in the mornings I'd take three of Jasper, thank you!

Now again, here I am apologising for not having photos of a garment being worn. There will, really, be a catchup post of me wearing a bunch of stuff soon. But I want to show off my Colette Hawthorn nevertheless, because I'm rather thrilled with it, and I really went slow-and-steady through this, the most detailed thing I've sewn in ages. So here it is on a hanger.

It was love-at-first-sight for me and the Hawthorn pattern. We had just received our first ever bolts of Liberty Tana Lawn at The Drapery and I was all inspired to pull out this Liberty from my stash. It was originally slated for a shirt for Andy, but... let's just say it may just as well have kept sitting in my stash for all the light of day it would have seen. So. Hello, Hawthorn!

I will post later about my fitting alterations and such, and with photos of me wearing it. But for now, here it is, and I can't wait for warmer weather here so I can actually enjoy it!

- Jane xx