I prefer modern, architectural clothing that is also, for the most part, easy to wear. I’m also a mom, work full time, cook at home 99% of the time…point being, it’s not likely I’m going to self-draft much more than a few patterns. I prefer to buy patterns and alter as needed.
Now, patterns in my preferred style don’t always translate to wearable or quite have my desired aesthetic. Searching for something modern….sleek….I bought this…
I should have known by looking at other sewists’ samples online…and the fact they mostly scrapped the woven and made it in knit. I made it in silk….yeah. I kinda looked like a silk box, not to mention it added a good 20 years AND 20 pounds.
I think the model in the concept photo has a much longer zipper in the dress or is clothes-pin-gathered. I’m betting the latter. I remember we’d take the rubber cord clamps and pin back dresses in another life….yeah. This pattern needs a ton more work, which means it’s going in the cylindrical file.
Do a search for something modern AND wearable…more often than not, you’re going to find something geared more towards the retirement community in Yuma, Arizona….
I’m sorry – after the Burda silk box fiasco of October, I’m just not up for even trying to make that work. *Shudder*
Now, Colette patterns are mostly styled in a 40s classic, romantic look, sometimes delving into a little mod, 60s. Neither really my thing, but I know they’re good patterns, and when I see one drawn with lines that I can work with, I’m hopeful. As with my last selfish sewing project, the Sencha.
I knew if I could hack in a zipper (easy to wear), and make those lines really work for me, I had a chance. Of course, I’ve already posted how happy I am with the results. Although I’m not at all into anything retro, if the lines are classic enough, and can be translated to my aesthetic, I can try to make it work. The key to the Sencha for me was to top stitch the darts. The top stitching makes it less ‘flowy’ and more structured.
The bottom half of that outfit is an ongoing effort however. I was going by a not-to-be named blog on making the skirt sloper. I don’t think it works for me.
I did the measurements as stated, but then I ended up shaving off so much….I bought the craftsy skirt sloper class….just hoping to get this down, you know, in between everything else!
I still haven’t gotten to my Papercut leggings yet, but there’s another example of something modern, clean – but a lot of their patterns are more for 20-somethings than for pushing 40. It’s still high on my selfish sewing list.