The Telarie

  • Pattern Review of the Everyday’s A Weekend Dress

    Pattern: Everyday’s A Weekend
    Designer: Pattern Emporium
    Fabrics: Cotton Lycra from The Telarie
    Skill level: Beginner
    Measurements: Bust: 45″; Waist 42″; Hips 50″
    Size made: 20
    Adjustments: None
    Pros: This is the comfiest dress and I am LOVING wearing it.
    Cons: None

    Summer Joy: Turning a Tiered Dress Pattern into a Single-Tier Skirt Delight

    I’ve had this pattern on my list for a while with every intention of making it, but I just never got around to it.  So when I recommended it in my end of year pattern sales episode of Sewcial Moments with Megan, I had a renewed desire to make one!

    The fabric I used is a Cotton Lycra from The Telarie that I got in one of their Mystery Boxes and I LOVE it!! Cotton Lycra is the same as Spandex or Elastane, they are just known by different names, which can be really confusing! It’s one of the reasons I go so in-depth in my Knit Confidence course. It’s just one of the modules that helps you understand how to sew with knit fabric better which I know has helped countless students. Happy Teacher right here!

    The original pattern is a tiered dress, but I wanted to make it a single tier skirt. Luckily it’s such a simple hack to do. First I finished the bodice. I then took a measuring tape and held it up to the bottom of the bodice while I was wearing it and decided where I wanted the skirt to sit. 

    Once I had that measurement I added about an inch for the seam allowance and cut the front and back pieces at that length and carried on with the pattern as normal!

    I would make one note, be careful that you take note of the bodice line you are cutting. I cut the regular length for my front but didn’t pay attention on the back and cut the tall. It was a simple fix to adjust, but just be aware and don’t make the mistake I did haha.

    I think one of my fave things about this pattern is the generous ease in the waist measurement so it doesn’t cling to my tummy making me feel uncomfortable. It’s the perfect dress to throw on in the morning and just cruise around in all day. I imagine in winter I could pair it with some leggings and a cardigan and I’ll have the perfect easy winter dress as well.

    And you know the VERY BEST thing about this dress?!

    I was shopping at the supermarket and someone stopped me to tell me how beautiful my dress was and that is was just so summery and happy. I of course thanked them and said I made it, which they couldn’t believe. It made my day and I had the biggest smile on my face for the rest of the day. Having wearable, comfortable AND flattering clothes is just one of the reasons I sew, and sewing this dress sure didn’t disappoint!

    What next?

    Stop wasting fabric and time on projects that don't fit right. 

    Learn to sew with confidence and let me guide you to more sewing success.

  • Pattern Review of the Diana Dress & Top

    Pattern: Diana Dress & Top
    Designer: Ellie & Mac Patterns
    Fabrics: Bamboo Lycra from The Telarie
    Skill level: Beginner
    Size made: 2XL/3XL
    Pros: I adore this flattering top and dress. It is so beautiful to wear and has some great options.
    Cons: Sometimes a lined top annoys me as it uses more fabric.

    Sewing Serendipity: The Delightful Dance of Fabric and Pattern

    As soon as I saw this pattern release, I knew I had to make one. Or as it currently stands, three! haha.

    For starters, this pattern is named after one of my good sewing friends, Diana from @eloiseandezra. If you don’t already follow her on insta, definitely check her out. She also shares lots of fun tips and tricks on her YouTube channel.

    I also really liked that there were quite a few options to choose from. There are multiple skirt lengths and tiered options as well as the peplum top, which is the 3 types I have made. It also has a couple of necklines, including the square neckline, which is a big fave of mine. I’ve made two with the square neckline and one with a low scoop. On the Square neckline you can also add some ruching at the front centre to make a cute sweetheart neckline.

    The sleeves were another big draw card for me as there were so many options!! I loved the 3/4 shirred sleeve and also I am a sucker for a flutter. Shirring is a lot of fun and has such a great effect. If you’re new to shirring or not sure how to do it, I cover how to shir in one of the Master Classes in my membership, The Sewing Corner.

    I am always a bit hesitant to do knit patterns that are lined as its extra fabric to cut out and use, but I didn’t mind so much for this make. There really isn’t any other ‘neat’ way to get a square neckline either without lining or doing some kind of facing. And I do NOT like facing on a knit garment haha. So lining is the lesser of 2 evils for my fave neckline! It shows how to include elastic in the neckline for extra stability as well which is nice. My Knit Confidence course covers elastics in knits if you need some support with this technique.

    Two of the versions I have made have been with The Telarie Bamboo Lycra and they are SO lovely and flowy. The quality of the material is gorgeous and I just love the prints I chose. 

    I would not hesitate to try this one out, its especially nice in the more flowly fabrics like Bamboo Lycra, Modal, Rayon Spandex and a Viscose Elastane. Try it out and tag me in your makes!

    FYI. This pattern is on sale for 50% off for the month of November 2023. Grab it now!

    What next?

    Stop wasting fabric and time on projects that don't fit right. 

    Learn to sew with confidence and let me guide you to more sewing success.

  • Pattern Review of the Avonlea Knit Party Dress

    Pattern: Avonlea Knit Party Dress
    Designer: Peek A Boo Patterns
    Fabrics: Cotton Lycra from  The Telarie & Netting from Spotlight
    Skill level: Adventurous Beginner
    Size made: 2
    Adjustments: None
    Pros: I love how sweet this one looks and the tulle overlay really makes it.
    Cons: The collar takes some time to get right and I recommend basting it before you sew it in properly.

    Where sweetness meets rainbow dreams

    I’m not sure there is anything sweeter than a peter pan collar on a little one, so I LOVED being able to use this pattern for a friends little girl.

    This is a great staple to have in your pattern library and lends itself well to quite a quick sew. Littlies also love twirling, and the half circle skirt on this one is perfect for that. When I gave Miss I this dress she immediately wanted to put it on and start to twirl in it. Made my heart sing.

    I was a little worried about how the collar would sit being that it has the neck band over the top, but the only way to avoid that would be to line the bodice, either fully lined or partial, and to be honest, I couldn’t be bothered. I needed have worried as I think it turned out really well with the neck band anyway. I wouldn’t hesitate to do another one that way.

    My other thing I loved about this pattern was the cute puff sleeves. They looked just so adorable!

    To add the tulle overlay I simply cut the skirt piece out of the tulle and then treated it as one piece while I was attaching it. I did actually initially try a gathered skirt over the top of the half circle but it didn’t work. I didn’t have enough volume in the gathered skirt to give the circle skirt underneath the correct movement.

    All in all I highly recommend this one!

    What next?

    Stop wasting fabric and time on projects that don't fit right. 

    Learn to sew with confidence and let me guide you to more sewing success.

  • Pattern Review of The Lenox Top and Dress

    Pattern: Lenox
    Designer: Love Notions
    Fabrics: Cotton Lycra from The Telarie
    Skill level: Beginner
    Measurements: Bust: 45″; Waist 40″; Hips 47″
    Size made: XL graded to 2XL
    Adjustments: None
    Pros: I love a square neckline on a garment and I love the way this one is constructed.
    Cons: No pockets, but fairly easy to add. Also, make sure you read the instructions on how to construct the neckband and MAKE SURE you mark the notches on the neckband.

    The Wrap Up

    Anything with a square neckline I am super keen to try out as I think it really suits my shape. I was curious about this pattern as generally when you have a square neckline the garment needs to be fully lined to achieve the corners of the square across the front, however this one is done with bands. If I can avoid fully lining I generally do as it is additional fabric I don’t always want to have to use. I also really liked the princess style of the front seams, which is why you can achieve the neckband the way it is.

    Essentially the neck band is done with 2 neckbands pieces, laid over the top of eachother to create the neckline. It’s not just for the square neckline either, the Lenox also has a really cute sweetheart neckline version. I’m yet to try that one, but I think it looks pretty cute also.

    One downfall for me on this pattern is that it doesn’t have pockets on the dress version. However, they are pretty simple to add and you can take the pockets from something like the Sybil Skirt Collection and easily add them to this dress. In fact, you could really mash any of the skirts from the Sybil Skirt Collection if you wanted to change it up and make it your own. I also talk about how to add inseam pockets in my review of the Willow Wrap Dress.

    All in all I think this pattern is well worth having in your collection. Watch my YouTube review to get my construction tips on how to get your neckband looking beautiful and I think you will be very happy with this pattern.

    Use code Megan10 to get an additional 10% off when you purchase this pattern.

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