Pattern Review: In House Patterns Blossom Blouse

The In House Blossom pattern had been languishing in my stash for well over a year but after recently scoring a yard of Nancy Ann Liberty of London fabric, I knew I had to try it out.

I love Liberty Tana Lawn fabric but due to the cost, don’t get to sew with it as much as I would like. As soon as I saw this fabric on eBay, I remembered where I had seen it before…on Mad Men!

I may not be as beautiful or famous as Betty Draper, aka January Jones, but I think my interpretation came out well!  If you ever have the opportunity to try In House Patterns, give them a whirl. This is actually my second In House pattern. The first was the Cool Cowl reviewed here and I think you will find their patterns to be easy to follow and fairly quick makes.

Pattern Details: Size ranges from 32 to 42 bust so I graded up to a 48. I also increased the waist and hip pieces by grading out the side seams. All In House Patterns are pdf only which in my opinion makes grading much easier.

Things I liked about the pattern:

1. Instructions were very clear and logical
2. Grading was easy due to the pattern piece layout
3. No FBA required because the pattern can be printed in A, B, C, or D cup sizes!!!

Things I struggled with:

1. Sleeves! Since my upper arms were far outside the size range, I initially tried to grade up with zero success.
2. I later tried tulip sleeves but could not make them fit comfortably so I finally gave up and made some bias tape from my remaining fabric and opted for a sleeveless version.
3. The front curve at the neckline ended up a bit wonky due to my less than perfect cutting. This type of neckline requires PRECISE cutting to remain even. My solution was to make some ties so there is a keyhole detail instead of a simple vee. I actually ended up liking my final version better than the original so my “design feature” worked out!

Kate & Rose Giselle Pattern Review

I have been a fan of Kati’s since I first tried her Roza pattern so when she asked me to be a pattern tester for the Giselle dress I immediately jumped on board!

The Giselle dress is part of the Midtown Collection and features two versions on a traditional European style. There are two variations to the sleeves, skirt and midriff so the possibilities are endless!

 

My beta version, which I dubbed the Luck of the Irish dress, is made out of thin cotton lawn. I used the skirt length from version 1 and opted for the narrow midriff and no sleeves. Even though my measurements are outside of the size range, the grading was straightforward and within a few hours, I had a lovely dress for spring!

Since I had so much success with my first version, I chose to use the Giselle pattern for my Dolly Clackett Mini Me dress. The fabric was somewhat sheer so I lined the bodice and add piping along the bustline. This version was reviewed here.

My latest version, gives a nod to summer with a blue and white seersucker cotton and contrasting bias at the neckline. The fabric is much thicker than the previous two versions so the gathering is more pronounced but I actually think this is my favorite version yet!

If three Giselles were not enough, I have a fourth in mind that highlights the midriff with embroidered floral designs from Kati’s Faraway Garden hot iron transfer pack. This pattern has so many embellishment options, it might overtake my TNT Roza as number one in my book!