Summer is over!

Pattern Review: Butterick 5770

...And I have finally sewed something.

Again I have been MIA for a couple of months. Whilst thankfully this is not because of a broken camera, but because it has been summertime and here in the UK the weather has been pretty good. I have spent most of the summertime outdoors and generally being a tourist in the city I live in. 

This has resulted in a serious lack of sewing mojo. I do blame the sunshine but I must confess this is also due to working on project that did not excite me at all. 
This was Butterick 5770:



I picked up Butterick 5770 a while ago in the sales and when I found this chiffon priced at £1.65 per metre from Brixton Market I decided to try it out as a wearable muslin. 

Note to self: Don't make a muslin out of fabric you have to underline. Seriously, I don't know what I was thinking? Talk about creating extra work!


One thing to mention about this pattern is that it is sized pretty large. I cut a size 14 and I had to take the sides in approximately 1.5 " on each side. I am rubbish at working out how much ease there should be in an elasticized garment. Does anyone else find this tricky? When I originally did the tissue fitting I did think it looked large but thought that the waist elastic would pull it all in sufficiently. I was wrong, hence the large side seam adjustments. 

As the top had a blouson effect I didn't do a FBA. If I were to make this again I reckon I could get away with not doing an FBA and just lengthening the bodice pieces a tad. I would also lengthen the skirt portion of the top. It's not particularly short, it just cuts me at the widest part of my hips rather than skimming over them. 



Another change, should I make this again would be the fabric. I would look at perhaps using a lightweight jersey or satin for a nicer drape. I feel that I captured the blouson effect similar to that of the pattern model, but the skirt section is very peplumy (yes - I made this word up). 

Here are some close up shots so you can see the fabric in slightly better detail. 


All in all I felt that this is a very blah pattern in terms of the drafting.  
It's not hard at all, but I wouldn't say it would be the perfect beginner pattern (bearing in mind this is a See & Sew pattern), the fit of the pattern wasn't great and there were no parts or details that I overly enjoyed sewing. 


That said in terms of a wearable muslin it's fine. Including fabric, pattern and all other materials (elasctic, thread, bias binding) this garment cost me less than £5. 

I have a couple of staycations this Autumn/Winter, so I am actually looking forward to being cosy and spending time with my neglected sewing machine. I am going to wrap up warm and start on my stash of summer clothes that I haven't sewn. When I visited my parents this summer I picked up some really fun prints from Fabricland.

You can see my Pattern Review here

Hope you have all had a lovely summer!
Happy Sewing

Comments

  1. Ms. McCall5 September 2013 at 17:01

    I love it! It reminds me a lot of a RTW top that I have and wear all the time, but I never would have seen the potential in the pattern if it wasn't for your post.

    So many times in the past I have had the same thoughts early in the sewing process, noticing a problem but forging ahead thinking it will work itself out. I suppose we have to learn to listen to our instincts!

    Having said all that, you did an amazing job with a lovely but difficult fabric, and I think it looks really flattering on you!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Gisella8 September 2013 at 09:52

    Great that you got some sewing done, that always perks me up.
    I was thinking peplum as well, shame that the length happens to go to just that point.
    But at least a £5 expense to try out the pattern is really good and it got you back into the sewing mood!
    And it looks great from the back.

    ReplyDelete

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