Pattern Review - Simplicity 3833 1960's retro

I love the style of 1960's dresses, the simple clean cut lines and bright bold prints are an easy way to inject some fun and colour into your wardrobe. 

I've had this Simplicity 3833 in my collection for a while now awaiting a patterned fabric suitable for the spring dress I envisioned.  Such a simple shape is perfect for trying out bold prints and bright colours.  I finally came across this turquoise skull print cotton (not to everyone's taste I know but anyone that follows this blog will know just how much I love skulls) so could get started on this dress.

I made view B for a slightly longer dress with short sleeves, which will be perfect for the spring.





If you caught the Great British Sewing Bee this week you'll have seen Alex using this pattern for her final make and struggling to match the pattern of her fabric along the front seam.  The seam between the front panels of this dress is at an angle so you won't be able to get a perfect line to match straight down the front.  So if you are going to go for a printed fabric choose one where it won't be obvious. 

You would be able to match your fabric pattern down the overlap zips in the back but this didn't even cross my mind when I was cutting the pieces out so mine don't.  I will definitely make sure my patterns match on the zips if using this pattern again.

I greatly enjoyed making this dress, with only three main pieces for the dress (plus some facing pieces) it was quick to trace and put together.  I'm a big fan of patterns with only a few pieces as I dread cutting fabric out.

As this pattern is quite simple it can be put together in a weekend or a dedicated day, which is always great.  It would also be a good pattern for someone that is just starting out.

I really enjoyed making this dress and love how it fits.  I'm going to be adding it to my staple collection of patterns, especially as I can now whip one together in a weekend. 

Love

F*2DIY4 x

@fashiontodiyfor #fashionDIY

Update: I loved this dress so much that I went and made another in purple

Which is you favourite?

F*2DIY4 x

@fashiontodiyfor #fashionDIY



 

 

Instagram - August Round Up

We've had a very busy August!  Here's some fashion DIY highlights from our Instagram account. Enjoy:

From top left going across the rows:

1. This 'Famous Frocks' was a gift from a friend and looks amazing. It has patterns for iconic dresses, like Marilyn Monroe's 7 Year Itch one and Audrey Hepburn's Breakfast at Tiffany's!

2. This months Charity Shop Haul. Remember to use #CharityShopHaul on Instagram and Twitter to share your bargain finds!

3. Our finished Crystal Skull Ring, which is nearly impossible to photograph because its transparent! Tutorial to make your own is here: http://goo.gl/RjnWBy

4. The first of our By Hand London Georgia Dress Pattern Hacks! Details on what we did can be found here: http://goo.gl/SIzrF4

5. And a photo of the back because you've just got to love that bow!

6. Technically not a fashion DIY, but this stylish Tunnock's Milk Chocolate Tea Cake coffee mug has really made the morning commute much more bearable. And it was new from a Charity shop!
7. Statement Studded Shoes. Make your own with our fashion DIY tutorial: http://goo.gl/ZfTt16

8. Turquoise manicure with silver glitter accent nails. Very summery.

9. Our Black Tie Wedding Guest Evening Gown finished.  Made with turquoise lace and diamante beads.  We based this on a Badgley Mischka for Vogue V1374 pattern then altered it to fit our design. Find out more about what we did here: http://goo.gl/1qq7l6

 

Come join us on Instagram: fashiontodiyfor or use the tag #fashionDIY so we can find your makes :)

Love,
F*2DIY4 x
@fashiontodiyfor #fashionDIY

Pattern Hack: Badgley Mischka Evening Gown for Vogue

When one of our team was invited to a black tie wedding we just had to take the opportunity to make a gorgeous gown.  Having decided on a fishtail/mermaid style dress we set about finding a suitable dress pattern.  None were quite perfect for the deign we had in mind so we settled for a Badgley Mischka for Vogue pattern (V1374) which we could use for a hack.

 

The most striking change we made was to remove the drape from the back  This was straight forward as it is its own separate piece so we just took this out of the pattern altogether.  We also cut the skirt of the pattern closer on the thighs down to the knees to give a more figure hugging shape and leave a more dramatic fishtail.  Finally we added small flutter sleeves rather than full length ones.

In general we followed the instructions which came with the pattern.  These are very clear and simple as the dress is made stretch fabric so no zips or fastenings are needed.  In the original pattern the main dress is made up of just two full length pieces (the front and the back) sewn together.  However, our fabric was not wide enough to accommodate the length of the dress so we simply cut the pattern pieces along the waist line to give us a front bodice, front skirt, back bodice and back skirt.  If you are doing this yourself be sure to add a seam allowance to your pieces where you are going to sew them together at the waist.  Finally we added a row of beads around the waist to accentuate the figure and also help cover that seam!

For the fabric we used a turquoise lace layered over a nude.  We tacked these two fabrics together and treated them as one when constructing the dress.  Although the finished dress is impressive it really was one of our most straightforward makes!

So, what do you think of our evening gown pattern hack?

Love
F*2DIY4 x
@fashiontodiyfor #fashionDIY