I was lucky enough to pattern test this and I’ve been wanting to show it off since! It’s the new Sewaholic Yaletown dress and blouse. I made the dress, mainly because I had enough fabric, but I do want to make the blouse at a later date. This fabric is a rayon from Darn Cheap Fabrics in Melbourne.
I love this dress: it has pockets and an elastic waist that’s hidden by the belt. I like that the facings are topstitched down, so they can’t flip out and I like the added button at centre front to stop the wrap from gaping. It such a pretty spring dress that I just need some nice weather to wear it in!
Sizing: 0-16 – the largest size fits (41-35-47)
What size did you make? I started with a sz 16 and needed to add about 6″ to the bust and waist. (I added 2″ from the FBA, 2″ from the wide back adjustment and another 4″ from grading it up.)
What adjustments did you make?
- Graded out to a sz 18 at the bust/waist–I added about 1/2″ to each side seam.
- 1″ FBA rotated down into gathers. A note on this: Don’t forget to adjust your front facings, as the FBA will change the shape of them.
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| Front bodice – mark your apex and FBA lines |
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| I did a basic 1″ FBA |
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| True the centre wrap edge |
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| Close the side dart, letting it open at the bottom of the bodice which is gathered |
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| Slice and divide the dart evenly at the bottom of the bodice where it will be gathered. (I’ve coloured my slices in green) |
- 1″ wide back adjustment
- Took out 3cm of bodice length
- Shaped the bottom of the bodice. Once I had the bodice sewn I put it on, pinned out the gathers then marked a straight line around.
- For once I didn’t have to enlarge the sleeves so they are quite generous in size.
Fabric and Notions required: I didn’t use as much as what was recommended – about 3m of 160cm wide rayon.
Curvy Rating (1-5): 4 – I think its very flattering on a larger size, but it does take a bit of extra work to grade up. However, it does have pockets and is very comfy to wear, thanks to the elastic waist!
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If Suzy’s review makes you yearn to try the Yaletown dress, you’re in luck! The lovely Tasia, of Sewaholic, has graciously offered a copy to giveaway to one Collective reader. Woohoo! To enter, just leave a comment below telling us about your favorite sewing technique. Do you live for the perfect FBA or love making self-made bias tape? Let’s chat about it!
I love to “clean” finish dresses with a lining. I adore it when the insides are as good looking as the outsides.
My fave technique is also top stitching. I am reading funnygrrl’s post now. LOL But that is my fave, too! I love the way it looks and I find it makes ironing so much easier! I love my stitch in the ditch foot for this technique. It makes me very very happy.
And great dress here! Thanks for showing how you graded it up.
I am still struggling with the FBA and finding patterns that flatter the woman who is larger on the top and smaller on the bottom. Seems like the pear shaped gals have a lot of help out there; what about us inverted pears? I love this site and it is such an inspiration to me.
Well, now I know that I’m not alone in my love of using homemade bias tape! I almost always make my own so that I have a beautifully finished garment, inside and out.
I just learned how to make french seams, so I’m using them whenever I can! Actually, I learned them while being a pattern tester for her new Rae skirt a few months ago, my first time as a pattern tester!
I always hem by hand, makes the garment look better, to me, French seams when the look or fabric calls for it, bias tape sometimes, depending on pattern.
I love using vintage rayon hem tape – in amusing colors! Makes me happy when I see it on my necklines or hems 🙂
My favourite is a flat seat adjustment (curvy hips, but my bum is a weird shape!), mainly because I was delighted to find it existed! An FBA would be a close second, though I am still perfecting that…
Finishing techniques or alternation techniques? Decisions, decisions! Nine times out of ten if a pattern calls for bias tape, I will make my own as I can make it as wide or as narrow as I want plus making my own gives that special pazazz to a garment. Understitching is a another technique I use frequently. I’m stilling struggling to find the correct large abdomen adjustment to use on my body.
I am still learning but I love the challenge of getting fabric and pattern combination right. It’s something I’m still practicing with every project!
I love smocking!! I have an almost 2 year old daughter and clothes with smocking look adorable on her. It’s rather time consuming, so haven’t made any larger size clothes using the technique as yet!! My other favourite thing is bias binding, I used to be scared of it, but now I make my own bias tape and use it everywhere!!
Just want to say that dress looks gorgeous on you 🙂
Hard to say. I usually like the results of a certain technique than the technique itself (e.g. french seams, great finish but rather boring to sew). I certainly do love the zen of hand basting. Unless I’m pressed for time. But such a gorgeous pattern like the Yaletown dress is definitely worth that time!
I hate FBA’s but have to do them every time! I know people don’t see the insides but my favorite thing is making them pretty – you know…just for me…French seams, binding raw edges with matching or contrasting bias tape.
I really like anything that hides the inside seams. French seams, felled seams, bias tape.
I have a serious case of pattern envy right now! My favourite sewing technique…I am currently testing out 3 kinds of FBAs (pivot, slash and the palmer pletsch) on the 2444 and Cambie to see which fits which pattern best. I love testing different takes on the same problem.
I have to be honest- I’m saving my love for patterns that are sized larger than a 16. I’m fine with some pattern alteration but I feel the Indies need to be encouraged to grade larger, and not purchasing patterns that practically need redrafting is how I will express my opinion. I don’t think we are celebrating our curves by giving praising patterns that don’t celebrate them too.
Amen!
I just made bias tape for a make yesterday and love the look. It was actually my first time using bias tape! I’m in love with the look, though. 🙂
For some reason I love french seams. Opening a garment and seeing the neat finished seams makes me happy.
I am such a newbie, but my personal fave so far is putting on a peter pan collar with piping. I needed lots of help, but it was super cute!
My favourite technique is the FBA, followed closely by any type of clean-finished seam, whether French, edge-stitched, or flat-felled. My next suitable project, I intend to make my first attempt at a Hong Kong finish (bound edges).
Either the forward shoulder or FBA!
I’m a beginning sewer but a pretty experienced knitter and best tip is to always check the schematic for the finished measurements. If there aren’t any, I bust out my tape measure and check the pattern pieces. It really helps, especially with big 4 patterns where the ease is all over the place!
I like hand basting. Really. There is something soothing about handwork and the results of hand basting tricky areas before I stitch them on the machine are worth the extra effort.
I already commented on Suzy’s blog, but I have to say one more time that I LOVE this dress. Thanks so much for sharing the details on grading. I’m pretty much a beginner at grading up (basically, I only do it on knits where there is a lot of room for fudging), so its nice to see pattern pieces before I commit to grading something. I haven’t yet tried a sewaholic pattern because the grading seemed too intimidating for me, so a free pattern would be a great way to give it a low risk try! I really like both this pattern and the Cambie. My favorite sewing techniques are (honestly) anything that can be done the easy/lazy way. Serging seam allowances, not hemming knits (I guess that isn’t really a technique, more of a lack of technique). My other favorite lazy/easy technique is using wash-away wonder tape to ‘baste’ seams before sewing them, especially when working with chiffon or squirrely knits.
I have been sewing for over 25 years. My fave technique is using wash away sewing tape to baste zippers, instead of hand basting. It is won’t gum up your needle and since most of my garments are washable this is a great time saver.
I want to make the blouse in every color. My favorite thing is French seams.
As a sewing beginner I still try to find out how to do correct fitting for my curvy body. I have done a FBA so far (still needs improvement) and am currently improving my sleeve pattern with T’s tutorial. When sewing, I try to get clean finishes (french seams) and basting helped me out more than once!
I prefer using bias binding to having a facing unless its firmly sewn down ( I hate flip out facings!) and I also prefer hemming sleeves, hems etc BEFORE I put them in, so much easier especially when making clothes for my daughters who have much smaller arms etc.
I love the dress and fabric. I agree with the others about the pattern not being available in larger sizes. Thanks for showing the upsizing steps.
French seams are my favorite! So neat and pretty. Thanks for the FBA for the dress!
I agree its a pretty dress, but a bit disappointed it doesn’t go larger. I do attempt grading up, but it makes me nervous every single time! My most favourite thing is piping. I love the way piped seams look. I also love using seam binding to finish off a dress. I don’t have an overlocker (would love one) and I don’t really like wearing lined clothing in the summer, so hiding those edges with binding finishes off a dress perfectly.
Wow, the Yaletown dress is gorgeous on you. I was debating whether or not to develop my usual crush on the pattern when it first came out but your dress has inspired major pattern lust. I have just got the hang of the blind hemming stitch on my sewing machine and now I am hemming right and left with it—-so worth the learning curve.
I have recently discovered the joy of a proper narrow shoulder adjustments. It has always annoyed me how patterns are graded to increase everywhere in stead of just circumference. I have narrow shoulders and a short waist no matter how much my belly or thighs increase or decrease. As it turns out, well fitting shoulders really do make a difference.
Along with my standard FBA, Short waist adjustment and sway back adjustment I sometimes feel I´m just a bunch of technical fitting issues but the effort is so very worth it.
Yaletown looks like the perfect summer dress!
I’m still a newbie, so my favorite technique is just making something that actually fits! I’m still reading a dozen books on pattern adjustments.
I love finishing hems with either a blind hem stitch or brightly colored bias tape. Thanks for sharing your Yaletown, its beautiful!
I like understiching. Keeps linings from peeking out.
Thanks the opportunity
Thank you and Tasia for the lovely Yaletown dress giveaway. My favorite thing about sewing is admiring my inside finishes. They could be with my serger, french. pinked or with seam binding. I simple enjoy doing finished. I know I am weird like that!
This is such a pretty dress: though it’s a bit of a shame it doesn’t come in bigger sizes. Still, thanks for showing us that grading up is perfectly possible. My favourite technique is a narrow shoulder adjustment. I’m still getting the hang of it, but I think once I have, it might change my life! No more straps around my elbows!
Lovely dress! Love the detail drawing of the changes that you made. I enjoy putting the French seams in.
Wow, I love this dress! Finally, a wrap that doesn’t need a cami under it for coverage.
My favorite technique is french seams. I love the clean and finished look. It takes longer to complete the project but it’s so worth it.
I am learning how to alter patterns and rtw clothes for proper fit. I am enjoying every step so far. Being curvy myself makes learning quicker and easier. Thanks for such a great place to learn new techniques and read great reviews that help in new pattern selection and fitting.
This pattern looks beautiful on Suzy! SO Floaty, I’d love to give it a try.
My favourite technique is Sewing curves. It’s a good challenge but if I go Slow and steady it always works.
This pattern is really pretty and flattering on a lot of people and totally my style. If I hadn’t promised my self not to by patterns for myself of at least 2 months it would already be in my stash.
Your version is cute and the fabric is wonderful.
Favorite technique: I’m currently in to finishing with bias-tape in the method from Belcarra blouse by Sewaholic, it is easy to use the top-stitching is close to the edge and it gives a clean finnish on the inside. As you can see I’m sold.
I love making a perfect rolled hem…. With the assistance of a rolled hem foot of course! This dress looks so good. I’d love to have a go at making one.
Fantastic dress!
My favourite sewing technique is to use bias binding instead of a neckline facing.
Love your dress! My favorite technique is using bias tape in lieu of facings, although I hate actually making the bias tape!!
Haha! I saw your comment after I’d written mine. Great minds… 🙂
I would love to win a Sewaholic Yaletown pattern! I recently learned to do a FBA on a shirtwaist dress for my young adult daughter, and that bust is magnificent! I plan to become expert at it. 😉
My BEST trick is to check the finished meassurements – they are often printed om the pattern @ bust-, waist- and hipline – the I RE-check them with my own meassuringtape and the ogten means I can ‘skip’ a lot of alterations. Often there are more ease build into the patterns than I would like to have in my clothes.
I am just starting out sewing so I would love to have an inspirational pattern to strive towards! I just signed up for a basic sewing course starting in September. I am looking forward to actually learning how to use my sewing machine 🙂
My fave sewing technique is top stitching. I love the finish it gives. Happy to hear this pattern has top stitching!
Straight top stitching excites me every time I see it!