I sewed from a Japanese pattern book! It feels a bit sacrilegious to be sewing for myself during Kids Clothes Week, but there it is. I’m dead set on getting better at sewing for myself (sizing is still confounding me! Alterations boggle the mind!) and this rigorous weekly schedule is providing much needed practice. The pattern I tried was a very easy one: a short-sleeved shift dress meant to be sewn in wool. I’m not actually certain if this thrifted fabric is indeed wool, but I like the very subtle houndstooth print. This is what the book’s version looked like:
I thought it was an interesting styling choice, that fur-stole-neck-muff-thing. It may be because the neckline bias doesn’t lay flat and they’re trying to hide that fact. The neckband creates a mock-turtle effect, and I’m not sure that I’m loving this look. This first experience sewing from an adult Japanese sewing book was surprising on many levels. The steps weren’t very clear, and I had trouble understanding quite a few of the illustrations. Below, you can see how the back of the neck sticks out:
My zipper insertion technique needs some work.
As I suspected, I had to cut out the largest size (13), and the fit is on the loose side, though I puzzled over how the darts are so incredibly off. Japanese women not bred on pancakes and burritos the way I was must be much perkier than I am, and it’s a good thing the darts are hardly noticeable because they’re pointing far, far north.
It’s a retro-inspired style, and it reminds me of the Built By Wendy dress that I made a few weeks ago. No one can accuse me of being unpredictable. You can pretty much guarantee that I’ll sew something in grey/black/blue and when I’m really daring, I bust out with plaid (in grey/black/blue). What can I say, I love me some neutrals. And I’ll have you know that I wear my muted handmade clothing all the time.
Since I didn’t have a fur piece lying around, I opted to try styling the dress with different sweaters and outerwear I own. That sweater-cape is one of my faves. I could even try layering a long-sleeved tee underneath, but I didn’t think of that until after I downloaded all the photos. Except for the bust darts and a slightly funky neckline, I’m pretty happy with the fit. A wearable muslin, that’s what I’ll call it. Now that I know that Japanese patterns will fit me, I’ve already got plans for the next garment!
You will inspire me yet to sew something for myself.
I have to say that sewing for myself has really made me a lot more comfortable in my body, which is what I had hoped for. It’s a good feeling, even when things aren’t coming out exactly the way I imagined! 🙂
You find the best thrifted fabric! Wool check fabric? I can’t even find that in my local fabric store!:) I think the dress is lovely, and your styling in the last shots shows how versatile the dress can be. My favorite is also with the sweater-cape. I had a chuckle over your dart placement issue – I hear you on that one!:)
Pesky darts! One of my goals is to master the proper positioning of them (which I obviously didn’t accomplish here…) The fabric was such a lucky find! It feels like a really thin wool, but maybe it’s poly? And yes, that sweater-cape is a fall/winter staple of mine!
Ooooh- I really like this one! Now I know that it’s not just that I want grown up versions of K’s wardrobe- I really love your choice of neutral colors and classic lines, both for the littles and the biggers.
Oh, thanks Gita! I’ve got the neutral look nailed, it seems. One of these days I might branch out and sew with brighter colors for the novelty of it 🙂
Ok, I’ve had the high-dart thing too and I’m not sure it’s completely a perk issue! It might be partly a long-torso issue – the space between my collarbones and “bust apex” is longer than most patterns draft for. Anyway, I like how this turned out – it looks lovely and wearable. There’s nothing better than tunic-ish dresses and leggings in the winter. I’m excited to see what Japanese pattern you make for yourself next!
I’ve got long-torso issues all over the place! You might be onto something there, Morgan. And tunic-ish dresses + leggings + boots are totally going to be my winter uniform!
you know what i love, what i really, really love about your blog? there are many things, but one is that you are so honest in your opinions on patterns. i love that. it would’ve been so easy for you to not show that picture of the collar and yet i love that you have enough confidence to show those kinds of things. for a long while, one thing that that’s kind of bothered me about the sewing blogosphere has been that it feels like one can only gush about patterns. and while i certainly want to be tactful and balanced and not overly critical, i don’t feel it’s fair to feel confined to adulation only. also, when i sew something and take photos, and post those photos on zee interwebs i’m, in a way, marketing for a pattern, for free. i don’t know. i guess i mostly feel that honesty is important.
on a much lighter note, after you posted about ‘dumb ways to die’, i googled it. and based on your description, i guess i was expecting something a lot less… i don’t know, folksy and wholesome sounding? my kids loved it and now my two year old tries to sing the chorus, but the only intelligible words are when she belts out “DIE!”
Haha! That song is deceptively wholesome sounding! I seem to have an auditory defect in that I rarely pay attention to song lyrics and that’s resulted in me scrambling to find the stop button on way too many occasions while listening to Pandora with K. And thank you so much for this wonderful comment! I’m with you on feeling honesty is important. I’m not sure if it’s confidence as much as it’s finding my sewing mishaps amusing, and I brazenly think others might find it amusing too 🙂
I just almost fell off the couch laughing about your perky darts!! Very funny. I think the dress still looks great on you, perky darts, wonky neckline and all. You’re inspiring me to try sewing for myself again (even though it usually ends in self doubt and a self inflicted sewing pause..).
Thanks Laney! Grown-up sewing can seem treacherous, but I’m finding that my mistakes are more salvageable and I’m getting teensy bits better as I practice. I hardly wear the stuff I made initially, but lately I regularly reach for my more recent handmade clothes….so rewarding!
I think the dress is very “you” and I like it a lot – but I can also understand what bothers you. But with your styling choices it will look wonderful and totally wearable. The sweater cape is so great! A cape like this was one of my first pins and I wish I could make one myself. (haha, just noticed I wrote “make” one instead of “buying” one! I guess my perspective is really changing…) I really hope that coat from the cover will be your next choice from this book!
….And I am very surprised you did not have fur “lying around” 😉
Thank you, Ute! I do that all the time now too: “I wonder if I can make that?”
I was actually going to try the coat, but it’s not lined, and I need some time to figure out how to properly line it instead of my cheater method that
I use for K’s coats 🙂
Ah, fur….it’s the one type of fabric I don’t have, though my mom is crazy about fur (both faux and real) so I’m surprised she hadn’t sent me some!
I like the style for sure, but that neck thing is kind of weird. I have made the raglan sleeve Built by Wendy dress in her dress book in a very lightweight dark grey denim and a corduroy and I love both of them. Actually I need to start wearing those again. I love the stretch pants/boots/dress/scarf/cardi look. (and don’t tell anyone it’s so comfy!)
You had me at dark grey denim, Kristi! I so need to make myself a denim dress. And you’re so right about the comfy factor in what I think is a quite stylish ensemble :-)!
I have looked at the Japanese adult clothing books in Kinokuniya but I keep worring that I would be too large for the patterns. Some day I should actually take my measurements with me to check out if I could fit the largest size.
I think that the dress looks pretty awesome anyway and if it bothers you too much, you could unpick the top bit of the zipper and angle the seam allowance so that it would lie flatter.
There’s a lot of ease built into the patterns, I think. Based on the measurements in the book, the largest size (which is not that much bigger than the smallest size) shouldn’t have fit me at all at the bust. But when I traced the pattern, I could tell that it would be fine. Good tip on the zipper! I’ll give it a whirl. 🙂
Despite any quirks you may have found with the pattern and maybe not being 100% happy with it, I think you look very chic! Good find with the fabric. The only fabric I find in charity shops are horrible curtains, still I keep looking.
Oh! It makes me so happy when someone thinks I look chic (doesn’t happen often, you know…). Thank you Nicki!
Alice could hear him sighing as if his heart would break… “what is his sorrow?” she asked…
“I’ll tell it to her,” said the Mock turtle in a deep, hollow tone. “Sit down, both of you, and don’t speak a word till I’ve finished.”
For all the sorrow of that wonky neckline it’s a great dress. I like the shape and the simple silhouette. I’d have a go at this one, especially if I stumbled across such great fabric.
Love the quote! It’s a comfy dress too, which is always top priority!
I have to move darts south on a lot of things I make. I’m chalking it up to my proportions, not gravity 🙂 That dress works really well in that fabric. I’m impressed!
I tell myself it’s not gravity too, though, well…let’s not go into it 🙂 Thanks Liza Jane!
Oh, I really like this dress! Such a classic look. It looks amazing!
Thank you, Fiona! I feel a bit Mad Men in it 🙂