Pattern Review: Violette Field Threads Gwen Dress

The Gwen Dress from Violette Field Threads released last year and I've been itching to sew one. I just adore the style of this midi dress with oversized pockets!

I ordered this beautiful Bari J. fabric from Hawthorne Supply. I love that they have fast and free shipping and their selection is just the best. (Here's one of my all-time favorites!)



Rather than using buttons I used my new Kam snap kit and pink Kam snaps (color B47), which you can grab in this set. Snaps are so much faster to place than sewing all those buttons, so I was glad to take a shortcut here!


I've sewn over a dozen Violette Field Threads patterns to date, and this one was fairly easy to follow. However, there were a couple of areas of the pattern that I didn't think were explained very well. Both had to do with the elastic on the back. Measuring for the elastic to be evenly spaced was a bit cumbersome per the instructions and probably could have been simpler. More frustrating was attaching the bodice to the skirt in the gathered area, but I made it work after a few tries. It looks better once it's on, for sure.





I love this style so much, so there's a Mimi G Jessica Dress in the works so I can match my sweet girl. I'll be sure to post about it once it's finished.



*This post may contain affiliate links, which partially fund my fabric hoarding at no cost to you.


Astoria Playsuit: Little Lizard King Pattern Review and Boy Hack

Little Lizard King is one of my favorite pdf pattern designers for children’s clothing. The instructions are clear and the finished product fits just right. Each step has a clear photo so even new sewists can make custom clothing for children with ease. In fact, the first pdf patter I ever sewed, back in 2008 or 2009, was LLK!  I love sewing up new designs as a challenge, and even though my kids are too big for rompers I have been eying the Astoria playsuit pattern. I finally made this darling pattern, and I absolutely love it!

I wanted matching boy/girl gifts for two friends due the same week, and I saw on the Little Lizard King Facebook page that people had rounded out the neckline of the Astoria for boys. I had just purchased several yards of this linen look poly/cotton at my local Hobby Lobby and decided to go for it.

To make the baby boy playsuit, rounded off the front pattern piece and self-drafted a little pocket for the front. (I may just put a Matchbox car in there as a fun treat for toddlerhood.)


The only other modification I made was attaching the buttons on the outside of the waistband rather than the inside. I can't wait for my friends to open these tiny Astorias at their joint shower next month!

Wood buttons from Hobby Lobby look so darling!

I did just one button hole on each strap since the buttons are a bit large.

The other thing I finally broke down and purchased was a Kam snap kit. I ordered this starter kit and then got this additional snap set which should last me a long while. I can't believe I didn't do this ten years ago! I love these little snaps!

Basic white Kam snaps were just right.
Here is the girl Astoria with flutter sleeves and buttons again sewn on the outside of the waist band.
The flutter sleeve is soooo girly and sweet.



And the set, side by side. It's just so cute!




I also wanted to try the Astoria playsuit in a bigger size, so I made this floral version in a size 2 for a neighbor's birthday. I love that the tie back will make it a custom fit for the little girl, and the fabric is just so happy!

The bow back is so girly and fun!


These coral Kam snaps were the perfect match.

If you are looking for a fast and darling pattern for a newborn-4, check out the Astoria playsuit pattern here! If you have an older girl to sew for there is also a dress version for sizes 12m - 14 years.

*This post may contain affiliate links, which partially fund my fabric hoarding at no cost to you.

Ellie & Mac "Pinspiration Challenge" : Batwing Top Review

I recently participated in Ellie & Mac's "Pinspiration Challenge" via their Facebook page. The challenge was to find an image on Pinterest and re-create it with an Ellie & Mac pattern.

I've had this image on my Pinterest board for years and was eager to recreate the look of the kimono style top (from Anthropologie). The pinned image came from a blog post by Lauren Craig. Her site, Perpetually Chic, is a great place to poke around!

From Perpetually Chic by Lauren Craig

I posed the image in the Facebook group and instantly was told that the Batwing Top would be a good fit. It also looked like a fairly simple sew, and I love a quick project.

Batwing Top/Tunic/Dress by Ellie & Mac

I don't typically wear orange/red clothing but in order to stay true to the Pin I purchased this rayon challis from Fabric.com. It's Cotton & Steel Rifle Paper Company Wonderland Painted Roses in Orange. Although it is technically orange it seems more like an orange-red. I ordered 2.5 yards for a size Medium and ended up with about 3/4 yard to spare.



With just a couple of slight modifications to the Women's Batwing Top, I managed to get a similar look.

I did make a muslin first, and man was I glad I did. The lines you sew to make the sleeve are actually topstitched, but the pattern made no mention of that and the step before was sewing another seam with right sides together. Sewing the arm lines right sides together resulted in a tangled mess. After getting some clarification from one of the pattern's original testers from the Ellie & Mac Facebook group I was ready to make my actual top!

First, I straightened out the front of the hem on the pattern piece and then added a slight shirttail hem to the sides. I just kinda eyeballed this part and it worked out well (whew).

You can't really see the shirttail hem here but here's a side shot. Jeans are Madewell.

I also changed the shape of the neckline to mimic the inspiration photo. I rounded the back, which meant I no longer needed the ties.



Then I gave front neckline a new shape with the V notch at the center. This also meant making my own facing pieces to match the new necklines.



Last and most simply I added a removable waist sash, wrapped it around the waist and knotted it twice.

This top went together so quickly, and the fit is great. I'm planning several more for the summer, including a beach cover-up and a midi or maxi length version in a fabric that's a but more subdued.

*This post may contain affiliate links, which partially fund my fabric hoarding at no cost to you.

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