The Alexandra Dress - Re-issued FREE pattern

 

FREE PATTERN

 A few years ago I attempted to do some pattern drafting and grading.

I had very little knowledge but a desire to try something new. I'd drafted a pattern and decided that I would try digitising it and grading. I used Inkscape - which is free and I found it OK to use. I've since discovered a love for Adobe Illustrator and did an online course earlier this year.

I published my Alexandra dress online and it was available on the sidebar of my blog. However a blog revamp saw me remove the link and I never got around to redoing it.

I really should revisit the pattern, but the format I drafted it in isn't compatible with Ai, so I decided to leave it as is. I've recently had a couple of emails from people who wanted to sew the pattern and I just sent it to them.  Murielle recently sent me a couple of photos of the versions that she has made and is keen to make more. she has given me permission to share her images on the blog.

She has made a couple of versions for friends and I think they look stunning.

I'm aware that this pattern may not be perfect, but Murielle was happy with the drafting and found it easy to sew. You might also want to have a go - after all it's a free pattern and it's certainly something summery (although I often wear one of my versions with leggings and a cardy in winter). Get the pattern Here.

If you do have a go - tag your make #alexandradresspattern on social media.

The Hunter Tank

A while a go I had the opportunity of testing the Hunter Tank for Jennifer Lauren Vintage. The pattern has been released this week, so grab yourselves a copy. This is a lovely summery top with a tie at the front waist. It is designed to sit at the waist.  and would look fantastic paired with high waist skirt or trousers. I made this in a light weight navy cotton with a strawberry design and used navy bias binding for the neck and armholes. 

This is a quick make and I made it in an afternoon. The fit was good and I liked the design, although I'm not sure it really fits with my style. My daughter really does love this and it goes really well with her skinny jeans.

If you're looking for something to sew for your holidays then this is a good option. I made this using less than 1m of fabric.  

Floral shirt dress.

Last year my hubby brought me some fabric back from China. It's a cotton with purple flowers on. It also had quite a deep border print. I decided to make a shirt dress and used the Maudella bodice as I knew it fit well. I added a dirndl skirt, originally keeping the border print.

Once it was made the border print looked a little odd, so I shortened it and got rid. I also had to be quite careful when cutting as the fabric had been stored on a bolt and the edges had discoloured and yellowed slightly. I think I've hidden the worst! I plan to wear this type of dress after I've had my hip op as it will be easier to get on than shorts or skirts and it's perfect for the warm weather we have in the UK at the moment.

Soundtrack - Vehicles and Animals by Athlete