Battle of the Stitches: Round 2 is a personal battle for me. A battle to be comfortable in front of the camera. I mean what do you do with your arms for goodness sake? What facial expression do I make? Dreamy? Pensive? Sultry? A cheesy smile? I could just imitate the model in the book and then call on my good friend Photoshop. Semi colon hyphen bracket.
This is my debut, the first time I am featuring in my own blog. I haven’t even got a picture on my about page. It feels a little strange. I have been apprehensive about it for weeks. But here goes, I’m being brave, laugh if you want to, I’ll never know.
So joining me and Toya in Round 2 of Battle of the Stitches we have Nina from Fliegfederfrei. Grey is a predominant colour in all our wardrobes, some might say grey is dull and boring, but Plain Janes we are not.
In an effort to distract from the fact that there are 8 photos of me in this blog post, let’s just focus on the top shall we? I’ve made just a few items for myself in the past, so I’m not used to bust adjustments and all those complicated things. Luckily, I can manage just fine without them because I don’t often wear clothes that require that level of fitting.
This casual but stylish, one-piece side drape top is from the Japanese sewing book Drape Drape 2. It was difficult to know which one to make first, all the patterns got my heart racing with excitement. I’m all about draped clothing, asymmetry, layering and monochrome.
Making the dress couldn’t have been easier. Made from just one piece of fabric and some neck and armhole binding. The most time consuming part was tracing the pattern. I used a bright felt tip pen to trace over the pattern pieces that I needed so that I could see them better. It’s easy to get lost in what looks like a road map of Central London.
The paper pattern ended up larger than my dining table. Usually I can get away with using the ironing board for kids clothes. You should have seen me trying to fold it up into a neat A4 shape to file away for later. I could have earned myself £250 on You’ve Been Framed if I had videoed it.
Now that I have the pattern all stuck together it won’t take long to whip up more, and I intend to make six more (one for every day of the week) that’s how much I love this style. I’ve even bought some chiffon specifically with this dress in mind. Oh yes! I’m a fearless sewer.
The neckline fell too low for my liking, leaning forward reminded me of a particular school teacher I once had. But I won’t go into that. I just turned the dress backwards and voila! Perfect. I also made the armhole a little smaller, but I think it could go smaller still so as not to show bra edges. Exposed bra edges, not a good look.
In a moment of pure stupidity, I cut 3 inches off the hem which I thoroughly regret. I though it was a little too long to wear over jeans or leggings. But if I had kept it longer I would have had the option to wear it on its own in the summer and I could just hitch it up when wearing with jeans or leggings.
It’s annoying because now it is wider at the bottom than it is suppose to be. Derr!!! Obviously! It does not cling, it just hangs uncomfortably loose and baggy around my legs.
I left the hem unfinished, I like it that way and besides after such a stupid mistake I wanted to leave well enough alone just incase I messed up again.
The fabric was left over from what I used to make the Alley Car Romper for Darcy. I picked it up from Walthamstow Market. It’s not the best quality jersey but I love the print. And the colour is just my cup of tea.
The length really bugs me, but we’ve all had sewing disasters right? Go on, own up, make me feel better about mine.
Toya is also making her debut appearance on her blog today, so I’m off to show her some love and check out what she and Nina have made in this calm, practical, impartial colour that we call grey. We love it. Do you?
I do love it, yes! Nice to put a face to a name, but I totally understand your reticence. Draping isn’t my thing, I can’t be doing with floaty fabrics, but it looks good on you, and no, I didn’t notice the hem length and width thing you mentioned so you could have got away with that one! Pattern looks a bit like that thing they had to do in the last Sewing Bee…
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Thank you Alexandra. Yes it is a bit like what was on The Sewing Bee, in fact I think the one they made is in my Drape Drape 2 book. I used to watch the show on You Tube whilst I was sewing, but I had already made my one before that particular show was aired.
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I love the dress! I am afraid I don’t have such a nice figure and it would probably not flatter my curves so well… 🙂 And I also love grey. It goes well with (almost) any other color, so it’s a perfect color.
I know what you mean about being uncomfortable in front of the camera. On the rare occasions I blog about something I made for myself I usually opt for my nervous-smile look… You look gorgeous! Go ahead and please blog more about things you make for yourself. I am determined to make a lot more clothes for myself this year and it is always great to be inspired by awesome bloggers like yourself.
And it is so great to add a face to a name. Thank you for being brave. 🙂
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Awww! Thank you Sara, I may try the nervous smile look next time 😉
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Arnt we all so silly! You did a fantastic job on the sewing, posing, photos, and did great with your arms☺️. I love the dress! i am exactly the same way, i think there is one photo of myself on my own facebook profile. I have to include a self portrait soon for flip that pattern and yikes😁 butting my nails! I bet you feel great to have braved through it! You really do look great 😊
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Thank you Kim, I wouldn’t exactly say I feel great, but at least it will be easier next time and the photos didn’t turn out as bad as I imagined. Though my daughter did laugh (a lot) and has offered to help me out next time round. Cheeky little madam that she is.
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I love it Olu! And we have teh same problem (no pictures of myself on the blog til now). Not because I don’t feel comfortable with my body, I’m just embrarassed in front of a camera…I’m happy you could overcome it! Next challenge: smile!
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Thank you Jo. I don’t recall seeing any pictures of you on your blog. I think I’ve seen your fingers 😉
You may be asking for too much if you want a smile. Smiles are harder. There are so many types of smiles. I don’t like the cheesy ones. OK, I’ll practice.
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Love it, love it, love it!!! Love everything about it, the style, the colour, the draping!
I get that you’re not thrilled about posing yourself (I am that way too) but there’s no need. You have a great figure and it looks fabulous on you. Think i’m going to try to recreate this look (if I can find this cute fabric in the Netherlands). See, you’re a trendsetter!
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Awww!! Thank you so much Caroline, I would love to see yours if you make one. And if you find the same fabric I’m coming to the Netherlands because I want some more.
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Honestly I think the style works really well short – I don’t think cutting it was a mistake. Look forward to seeing more projects for you.
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Thanks Toya. I think it looks better in the pictures than it does in real life. Probably because of how I am standing. And I purposely didn’t show the back view 😉
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You look great and I love the dress!!
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Thank you Lindsey, your comment has made me feel a whole lot better about further appearances on my blog.
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I love the top! I think today you are a winner! love your pictures too and
you look amazing.
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Thank you so much. I’m blushing right now.
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”Well HELLO Olu!”
Congrats on a great sew. Personally -from the photos – the length of the tunic looks good. I love the asymmetry & drape of this dress. And am a big fan of Grey too (wearing 3/4 today).
I am really interested to know what the largest size in the pattern book goes to (I fear smaller sizes only???).
Keep on sewing & !yes! to more of you & your pieces on the blog. It’s inspirational – mawkish, I know, but true…
I would also like to thank you for the links to Toya & Nina’s blogs. I hadn’t come across these before (more time not doing my work 😉 )
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Thank you, yes, I agree the length does look ok in the photos, maybe it’s fine, I think I’ll just try and get used to it.
The book is Japanese, so I always expect their sizings to be on the smaller side. Some of the patterns are one size, but this one came in 2 sizes, S/M and L/XL. I used the larger size.
It reminds me of this article that I found really funny… http://suburbanturmoil.com/this-is-what-happens-when-you-order-ridiculously-cheap-clothing-from-singapore/2014/11/21/
Toya and Nina will be delighted that you found their blogs. They are both inspirational to me.
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I love the dress, both drape and color, I am always on the look out for draped jersey dresses. Horrible thing seeing your own pictures, but others really see things differently, you just look great!
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Thank you. I’m feeling really good about my appearance now after such lovely comments.
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Loved everything about this post! You’re beautiful and look gorgeous on that top/tunic, drape drape books are so my thing, don’t know how I’ve resisted buying them so far. And I looove grey, not the movie/book or even the TV show but the actual color hahaha 😉 Thanks for beeing brave, you know I’m the one with the cheesy smile as only facial expression in front of the camera and I know it’s hard to feel confortable in making blog appearances. 🙂 hope to see you more around here because you rocked it! Hopefully you’ll show us all versions you make of this pattern. xxx
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Thank you Ines. You have a great smile. You can totally pull off smiling without looking cheesy. I resisted the Drape Drape books for ages myself, I thought they might be too difficult, but now I plan on getting the others too. It works out a bargain with all the pattens you get.
I’ll certainly show the others that I make. Am feeling more and more confident after reading such lovely comments from everyone. I’m touched. xx
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Olu!! You look simply stunning, and that pattern is bad ass. I think I might have to purchase this Drape Drape 2 book. I look forward to seeing more of you on your blog 🙂 woot woot!
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Thank you so much Ashley. The book is great. I want them all 😉
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Hooray!! I’ve been wondering when you would un-Banksy yourself ;)) I’m loving this dress – looks amazing and super comfortable. Great job all round!
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Ha ha, I quite liked being the Banksy of Sewing. Thank you Renee 🙂
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hey olu, you know i love your dress and it’s so nice to finely have a picture of a person i would call a friend :). even if we never met in person.
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Awww! Thank you Nina. I’m glad that is going to change. Looking forward to meeting soon. xx
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I love it! Everything about it, the color, the way it drapes…I want to make this, too! I also don’t like tight-fitting clothes, and this would be perfect for summer! You are so inspiring!
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Awww! Thank you Julie. Go for it! and if you do I’d love to see some pictures. Yes, I’ll definitely be wearing mine in the summer.
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I love it! I think the dress and you look great. If you hadn’t said anything about the length I would have thought it was intentional. I completely understand about the oddness of being on camera. Our kids make it look so effortless don’t they?
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Thank you Dorothea. Yes, kids make it look easy, apart from the fact they can’t keep still for half a second 😉
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Yes, there is that! :D. I also love grey. Even the word grey is lovely. Although I think gray looks stupid.
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Wow!! Great dress!
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I LOVE LOVE you’r dress it is beautiful and you to. I have been battleing to sew a dress with a draped back and i think i can use you’r idea to finaly make the dress i have been trying to do for the last few weeks. I havent found any patterns of dresses with a draped back ANYWHERE. Thank you so mutch
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Thank you very much. I haven’t seen a draped back dress either. Only the cardigan that I mentioned. But a draped back would look totally awesome. You can do it!!!
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