The Teacup Dress

I've had this Rowan teacup fabric for ages, and wasn't quite sure what to do with it. Eventually I decided that another little tunic dress was the answer.

This time I've made a matching or contrasting waist... thing, to go with it.
I'm not sure whether it's a belt, an obi, a cummerbund, a sash, or what. What would you call it?

Whatever it's called, it's pleated on one side and plain on the other. The plain side is made from the same fabric as the dress. The pleated side and the tie ends are made from plain organic cotton.

The organic cotton was absolutely lovely to work with. I steamed any shrinkage out of it before I started, but it kept its shape really well. It takes creases beautifully, and generally behaves itself.

The Rowan teacup fabric is much softer, but I was quite cross to discover that the print isn't properly lined up with the grain of the fabric. As you can see, I chose to go with the grain so that the dress would hang nicely, but this does sadly leave the print looking a bit wonky. Perhaps I should have gone with the print instead.

Raglan coats and jackets.

Today I am feeling both inspired and frustrated by coats and jackets.

I'm frustrated by the two patterns below, as I've attempted to make both of them (in one case, twice) and I dislike them so much now they're half-finished that I have no desire whatsoever to complete them, much less to wear them. This is doubly frustrating, because I was going to cut up the left hand jacket, in order to make the second incarnation of the right hand one! Now I have one lining without a coat, and one coat without a lining, which isn't much use to anybody.

(Left - Butterick 4928, right - Vogue 8299)

There's nothing wrong with either of those patterns, by the way. They just turned out not to be very flattering to me. This is the difficulty of not being able to try something on until after you've done the sewing!


I've been really enjoying making a succession of dresses with raglan sleeves, so I thought it was about time that I looked for a jacket which is made in the same way. After all, if I'm going to be wearing it over the top of these dresses, that seems to make some sort of sense.


This one comes with a longer coat version, and an option where the sleeves are not threatening to take over the world. (I like the giant sleeves, of course.)


This pattern also has jacket and coat versions. I do like the sleeves which are gathered at the cuff, but I suspect they will date extremely quickly, so I'd probably change them to straight sleeves.


This little swing jacket is adorable, and it would be really easy to make a cute reversible version, perhaps in two different colours of fleece. However, I must be getting old. All I can think of when I look at that pattern is how much of a draught will get up and under that jacket!


My current favourite of the day though, is this retro raglan jacket by Indygo Junction. it comes in two lengths, is a classic style, can easily be made reversible, and there's plenty of room inside the open collar for a beautiful hand-knitted scarf. Perfect.

I can just imagine this one in the Loop fabrics - linens for the summer, and heavier twills for the winter. I could line it with the Bishopston cottons in beautiful contrasting colours. A reversible cotton version would e nice for the summer. I could also make a fleecy version, which much be extremely snuggly, and a lot cheaper! I can just imagine that little collar in beautiful offcuts of heavily beaded fabrics - something really luxurious.

That's my plan for next week sorted out then - try to draft a raglan coat pattern!