Brief thoughts on Me Made May 2016

StyleArc Toni dress made as a top with StyleArc Elle pants / Named Jamie Jeans with Burdastyle 06/2014#114 jumper / Vogue 1378 pants with Megan Nielsen Briar tee made as a jumper / StyleArc Lola pants with Deer and Doe Plantain tee and Paprika Patterns Opal cardi / StyleArc Mara Shirtdress / Pauline Alice Xeria dress with Megan Nielsen Virginia leggings / Vogue 1378 pants with Burdastyle 11/2012#128 top / Refashioned dress from jeans

Like me, you are probably ready to forget Me Made May for another year. However, I thought I'd just have a quick look through the handmade clothes I wore in May 2016 and see what was popular in my wardrobe.

May 2016 in Perth was, weatherwise, pretty similar throughout. Most days were in the low to mid 20s with a couple of rainy days. This meant that hardly any of my warm and cold weather gear was seen at all, which was a bit of a shame.

Patrones army jacket with StyleArc Elle pants and Named Wenona shirt / Patrones jacket in black with khaki StyleArc Lola pants / Deer and Doe Plantain tee with black StyleArc Lola pants / Named Jamie jeans with Paprika Patterns Jasper sweater / Named Jamie jeans with StyleArc Amber top / Vogue 1313 dress with Closet Case Files Nettie bodysuit / StyleArc Estelle jacket, Paprika Patterns Jade Skirt and SavageCoco Patterns Presto top / Named Inari Tee dress / StyleArc Estelle jacket, Patrones blouse and silk StyleArc Lola pants.

MY MOST POPULAR PATTERNS IN MAY 2016

Pants: StyleArc Elle and Lola pants (some of the Lola pants were altered to have an elasticated cuff and front and back patch pockets) and Named Jamie jeans.

Tops: Burdastyle jumpers and Deer and Doe Plantain tees.

Jackets: Patrones jackets in black and khaki, StyleArc Estelle jacket.

Dresses and skirts: my refashioned denim dress from jeans was the only dress or skirt I wore more than once. I always wore my Megan Nielsen leggings to stay warm. I love all the dresses and skirts I wore in May.

The pattern companies I wore most things from were StyleArc, Paprika Patterns and Named Clothing. I think I use mostly patterns from these companies year round actually.

StyleArc Estelle Jacket almost finished! / Named Wyome jeans, Paprika Patterns Zircon sweater / Named Wenona shirtdress / Victory Patterns Hannah dress, Closet Case Files Nettie bodysuit / Burdastyle jumper and StyleArc Elle pants / Refashioned dress from jeans / Patrones jacket, StyleArc Lola pants, indigo dyed Plantain tee / Vintage pattern jumper with Megan Nielsen Virginia leggings in ponte / Burdastyle jumper, Named Jamie jeans

So there we are. Thank you to all who followed my progress on Instagram and made lovely comments. I loved seeing what everyone else was wearing day to day too.

Hannah Dress - Victory Patterns

As soon as the Hannah Dress by Victory Patterns veered onto my radar I knew I had to make it. I love the deceptively simple shape that, on closer inspection, reveals spectacular and unusual details. Check out those slanted side seams ending in deep pockets, the foldover back pieces, the hemline, the covered button placket. Oooh I'm getting dizzy again with the excitement of it all!

Victory Patterns Hannah dress

The Victory Patterns website features a Hannah dress in pale grey wool. When I spotted this dark grey flannel (wool/rayon/poly) in the Textile Traders 50% off sale, I decided to go for it for my first Hannah (and yes, there will be more). The pattern says you need 3.1m of 137cm wide fabric. I bought 2.5m of 150cm wide fabric and had almost 50cm left over. I made size 8.

This is quite an involved pattern to make and I enjoyed every minute! I have no idea how Kristiann drafted this and worked out the instructions. It's really clever. I was surprised many times at the way it came together. It was also impossible to try on until quite late in the construction process and I kept draping myself in pockets and plackets desperately trying to imagine the finished dress!

My first ever covered button placket. Phew, that gets your brain working! Great instructions though.

The back of the dress is perhaps the most unusual feature with folded pieces draping from each shoulder. This results in five layers of fabric at the back neckline that are then bound with bias binding. Here is my back neckline with the bias binding attached, but not folded over. Six layers with one to go! Surprisingly this worked out fine and not too bulky, even in my wool fabric.

The fit is pretty good on this. The darts need to be moved slightly and I could do with a sway back adjustment. I may also need a FBA (full bust adjustment). I might also lower the armholes slightly next time. These are all minor changes and I'm quite happy with the dress as it is.

Update: there is a tutorial for bust adjustments on the Victory Patterns Website.

Those deep pockets are fab.

The blue tights are my first attempt at a self-drafted pair of tights from a leggings pattern. Let's just say it's just as well I'm wearing boots!

This is a warm and comfortable dress that will be so lovely to wear in the colder weather. I will definitely make another one of these for cooler weather and then get started on a summer one! I'm so happy to have discovered this lovely pattern.