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Rate the Dress: a very matching dinner dress

Published by The Dreamstress

Set aside your sweatshirting, it’s silk time! For this week’s Rate the Dress I’ve chosen a lavish, high-end dinner dress, complete with matching shoes.

Last week: an 1840s dress in striped silk

Quite a few of you liked the striped/plaid silk dress from last week, but more of you had reservations about it. You felt that the silk was neither one thing nor another (not striped or plaid), and that the dress itself was not one thing or another – and was definitely in need of accessories to bring it to life.

The Total: 7.2 out of 10

A neither here nor there, needs some trimming, kind of score.

This week: an 1870s evening dress ensemble – complete with shoes

Dinner ensemble Department Store-(a, b) Kingsbury Designer-(c, d) Dupuis-Jacobs, 1874, French, silk, Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2009.300.862a—d

This 1870s dinner ensemble comes complete with perfectly matching shoes, which come with their own quirky design feature: binding and lining in blue on one shoe, and gold on the other. The detail would have been hidden under the wearers skirt most of the time: a secret for herself, and anyone lucky and observant enough to catch a glimpse of them peeping out from her skirt.

Dinner ensemble Department Store-(a, b) Kingsbury Designer-(c, d) Dupuis-Jacobs, 1874, French, silk, Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2009.300.862a—d

The rest of the ensemble is carried out in the same minty green and gold,

Dinner ensemble Department Store-(a, b) Kingsbury Designer-(c, d) Dupuis-Jacobs, 1874, French, silk, Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2009.300.862a—d

I am certain that the ribbon lacing the bodice in the museum photos is a modern recreation – so please don’t discount your rating on account of it!

Dinner ensemble Department Store-(a, b) Kingsbury Designer-(c, d) Dupuis-Jacobs, 1874, French, silk, Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2009.300.862a—d

The predominant fabric on the front of the dress is a lush jacquard woven silk in shades of gold, overlayed with a blond lace which lends subtle depth and texture to the dress.

Dinner ensemble Department Store-(a, b) Kingsbury Designer-(c, d) Dupuis-Jacobs, 1874, French, silk, Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2009.300.862a—d

The same lace is used across the dress, to frame a panel of pale green that runs up the centre back of the dress, as a frill to the hem of the bodice, and to curve up and around the neck.

Dinner ensemble Department Store-(a, b) Kingsbury Designer-(c, d) Dupuis-Jacobs, 1874, French, silk, Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2009.300.862a—d

The spine at the back of the dress is echoed in a line of lace framed green on the sleeves.

Dinner ensemble Department Store-(a, b) Kingsbury Designer-(c, d) Dupuis-Jacobs, 1874, French, silk, Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2009.300.862a—d

The green satin, used in such restrained amounts across the front of the dress and bodice, dominates the back skirt, both in a long smooth bustle, and in the pleats trimming the hem.

Dinner ensemble Department Store-(a, b) Kingsbury Designer-(c, d) Dupuis-Jacobs, 1874, French, silk, Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2009.300.862a—d

What do you think? Will this gold and green ensemble take home the gold rating?

Rate the Dress on a Scale of 1 to 10

A reminder about rating — feel free to be critical if you don’t like a thing, but make sure that your comments aren’t actually insulting to those who do like a garment. Our different tastes are what make Rate the Dress so interesting. It’s no fun when a comment implies that anyone who doesn’t agree with it, or who would wear a garment, is totally lacking in taste.

(as usual, nothing more complicated than a .5. I also hugely appreciate it if you only do one rating, and set it on a line at the very end of your comment, so I can find it! Thanks in advance!)

The Otari Hoodie Sew-Along #6: Sleeves & Body

Published by The Dreamstress

The Otari Hoodie Sew-Along continues. Today’s post is the fun part, where you sew the sleeves to the body, and it starts to look like an actually garment!

If you want to join in you’re not to late to catch up with the Sew-Along

Buy the Otari Hoodie Pattern Here

In the previous Otari Hoodie Sew Along posts I covered:

Sleeves:

For this part of the Sew Along I’m going to be using images taken when making the original sample Otari Hoodies for the pattern launch.

The numbering of the instructions in this post corresponds to the numbering of the pattern’s instructions.

12. Right sides together, sew Front A to Back B at shoulders. As with many of the steps in the Otari Hoodie, you can use an overlocker (like I am), or a sewing machine on a stretch stitch.

Sleeves & Body Assembly Otari Hoodie Sew Along scrooppatterns.com

The sleeves of the Otari Hoodie are set ‘in the flat’, where you set the sleeves before sewing the side seams of the hoodie and the underarm seam of the sleeve in one go.

13. Start by matching the top point of the sleeve to the shoulder seam of the hoodie:

Sleeves & Body Assembly Otari Hoodie Sew Along scrooppatterns.com

Tip >>>

Standard patternmaking practice is for a sleeve to have a single notch at the front and a double notch at the back. This allows you to instantly tell which part of a sleeve goes to the front of a garment, and which goes to the back. Some T-shirt and hoodie patterns may not have sleeves notches because they have sleeves pattern pieces that are totally symmetrical front & back. These types of pattern rely on the stretch of the fabric to accomodate the differences in your body shape from front to back. The Otari Hoodie sleeves are not symmetrical front to back, as I feel you receive a superior fit, even in a knit, with a sleeve that is cut to accomodate the actual shape of your arm.

13. Match the single notches and underarm points at the front of the sleeve:

Sleeves & Body Assembly Otari Hoodie Sew Along scrooppatterns.com

And the underarm point and double notches at the back:

Sleeves & Body Assembly Otari Hoodie Sew Along scrooppatterns.com

Now pin the points between the top of the sleeve and notches.

Sleeves & Body Assembly Otari Hoodie Sew Along scrooppatterns.com

Tip>>>

In some fabrics you may have to stretch the armhole of the Otari a little to fit in the sleeve, but in most knit fabrics no easing will be needed. The cut of the Otari sleeve and the stretch of the fabric makes sleeve ease unnecessary (and many experienced patternmakers feel it isn’t needed in most sleeves, even in woven fabrics, but that’s a discussion for a completely different post!).

13. Sew the sleeve to body:

Body:

This part is super easy!

14. Matching notches, hems and underarm sleeve points, sew the side seam/underarm seam of your hoodie in one go. Sew from the bottom of the body out to the sleeve end.

Sleeves & Body Assembly Otari Hoodie Sew Along scrooppatterns.com

And there is your assembled body that looks like a thing!

Sleeves & Body Assembly Otari Hoodie Sew Along scrooppatterns.com

You can try it on at this point and get a basic feel for fit and length. Remember that the finished hoodie will be longer in both the sleeves and the body, as the hem band and cuffs are still to be added.

The Otari Hoodie by Scroop Patterns scrooppatterns.com

In the next Sew Along post:

Hem bands and cuffs.

Want to join in? Buy your Otari Hoodie Pattern Here

Otari Hoodie Sew Along thedreamstress.com

The Otari Hoodie Sew-Along #5: View B Pockets

Published by The Dreamstress

For those of you making the View B pockets in the Otari Hoodie Sew-Along, we’re here! You can finally start actually sewing. In this post I’ll be showing how I sew the Art Deco inspired cloud pockets of the Otari Hoodie View B. I’ll be covering both the pocket construction method shown in the pattern, and a hack where you add binding to the pockets.

If you want to join in you’re not to late to catch up with the Sew-Along!

Buy the Otari Hoodie Pattern Here

In the previous Otari Hoodie Sew Along posts I covered:

Ok everyone excited about the View B pockets, let’s make them up!

Standard View B Pockets:

For this part of the Sew Along I’m going to be using images taken when making the original sample Otari Hoodies for the pattern launch.

The numbering of the instructions in this post corresponds to the numbering of the pattern’s instructions.

6. Place your pocket J lining and outer right sides together, and sew around the top curved edge of pocket.

7. Reinforce the inner edge of the angle with a second line of stitching – this will help to keep the angle crisp and accurate as you turn the pocket right side out.

8. Notch a V into the inner corner of the pocket.

Grade your seams and notch along the curves of your pocket. The heavier your fabrics the more grading and notching you’ll need to do. With very light fabrics you may not need to do any notching.

Turn your pocket right side out and press.

You can choose to leave a little edging of the lining fabric visible along the edge of your pocket as a contrast – this works particularly well if your lining fabric is lighter than your outer:

9. Using a straight stitch, topstitch along the pocket edge, 3/8″/1cm from the curved edge, sinking and turning your needle at the inner point of the pocket:

And here are two sets of topstitched pockets, ready to be attached to the hoodies:

Attaching the pockets to the Otari Hoodie:

Use the pocket pattern piece to mark the pocket opening lines:

10. Place your pockets on the front of the hoodie, matching notches. Sew along the notched centre front and bottom edges.

11. Sewing 1/8″/3mm from edge, stitch along the top and side edge of the pocket, stopping at the lines marked for the opening for your hand.

Your View B pockets are attached to your hoodie!

Alternative View B Pockets with Binding:

For my double knit merino jacquard Otari Hoodie I’ll be doing the View B pockets with binding, to add more visual contrast (View B chosen by commenters here and on IG, with 29 votes for B vs 12 for A).

Here is how to add a binding strip to the View B pockets.

You will need the pocket outer and lining, plus a binding strip the width of the View A binding strip included in the pattern, and the following length (sorry, no imperial measures as they got so complicated and messy looking):

Size 30: 34cm
Size 34: 34.5cm
Size 36: 35cm
Size 38: 35cm
Size 40: 35.5cm
Size 42: 36cm
Size 44: 36cm
Size 46: 36.5cm
Size 48: 37cm
Size 50: 37cm
Size 52: 37cm

1. Wrong sides together, press your binding strip in half lengthwise

2. Working with your interfaced pocket outer, match the cut edges of the binding to the cut curved edges of the pocket. Either pin/clip along the whole length, distributing the stretch evenly, or start at one end, and pull the binding as you go to distribute the stretch evenly.

Your pocket may curl slightly as you do so, because the binding is shorter than the outer edge of the pocket, to keep the binding crisp and taut:

3. Once your binding is sewn on, place the pocket lining on the pocket, right sides together, with the binding sandwiched in the middle:

4. Working from the pocket side, so you can see the stitching that hold the binding on, sew the pocket and lining together.

5. Notch in the the V of the pocket, and grade the seams:

6. Flip your pocket right side out, and press. The binding with have a little crease at the V of the pockets:

7. Topstitch along the edge of the pocket, 1/8″/3mm from the binding:

Attaching the pockets to the Otari Hoodie:

8. Mark the pocket opening start & end points:

9. Pin the pockets in place on the front pieces of the Hoodie, making sure that the top edges of the pockets are lined up:

10. You’ll be sewing two lines of stitching to attach the pockets to the Hoodie. For the first line ‘stitch in the ditch’ joining the binding and pocket fabric, stopping at the marked pocket point (the yellow pins in my photo above) and backstitching.

For the second line, sew 1/8″/3mm from the outside edge of the binding, backstitching at the same end-point.

11. Baste your pockets to your Hoodie along the notched centre front and hem edges:

Your pockets are done!

In the next Sew Along post:

Sleeves and bodies! (aka, turning the Hoodie into a thing you can try on!).

Want to join in? Buy your Otari Hoodie Pattern Here