Styling Handmade

Styling A Sunday Afternoon Handmade Outfit

One of the few times I've managed to wear a fully handmade outfit! 

Details...

The skirt is actually my Clover Dress in paisley polyester - check out my last post for more details on it. 

My lovely Gran knitted me the pretty, cropped, pastel blue jumper. It was just meant to be a tester piece as she didn't have much of the wool left, but I loved the colour so much I asked if she could just do me a cropped version. I love it! 

Finally, I made the coat using Burda pattern 6844. I think it's one of the best things I've made, mostly because I challenged myself with something that wasn't a dress! A full blog post will be coming soon on this one - just as soon as I've braved the buttons...

So it's all handmade apart from the leggings - but plain black leggings? They don't really count. I'm still after an overlocker to make my own of those. And they wouldn't be black. These are £3 Primark beauties!  

All styled with a necklace and bag from Accessorize and Topshop boots. I love a good statement necklace and Accessorize never disappoints. I've also always found that although Topshop boots are a little more pricey, they're always the nicest and good quality.

Clover Dress - Papercut Patterns

Clover Dress

I LOVE this dress! This is the first time I've tried Papercut Patterns and I'm a huge fan! This dress was so easy to make - it only took an afternoon start to finish. No zips or buttons to faff with!

This dress is such a gorgeous shape and the lace panels are so pretty. It's so versatile too. It can be dressed up with heels for a night out or down for casual wear with tights and boots... So I can wear it all the time!

I've had the pattern and material ages now but just couldn't decide what use as the insert. I loved the lace used on photos I've seen of other clover dresses but thought chiffon might be better because the main material is so patterned... But I went for lace in the end anyway! The polyester paisley print fabric  drapes perfectly and I'll definitely use this material again.

These patterns are a little expensive and a bit more than I'd usually pay for a pattern but honestly it's worth it! I'll be making this dress in all the colours/prints/lace combinations! And I reckon the top will be perfect for work. 

Coming soon... I also got the Sigma Dress from Papercut patterns for Christmas! I'll be onto that once I get some suitably beautiful material! 

Pattern Hack

Little Red Dress

It's the new LBD. And it's finished! 

I take inspiration from current fashion for my makes and red has been big this season. I got this red jersey fabric in a sale for just £3.99 per metre and used patterns I already had to make the dress I pictured for it. 

This is my first real pattern hack. I used the Cynthia Rowley 2054 pattern for the top, taking it in at the waist, and New Look 6262 for the skirt. This has been the first item I've used elastic for the waist and it was a lot more successful than I expected! Really easy to do too - just sewn in with the waist seam with a zigzag stitch. 

It didn't all work first time though. I had to take in the sides of the top about 3 times before I was happy with the fit (and if I did it again I'd still take it in more) and take the sleeves in twice too. I also unpicked the entire neck binding to redo it because it was such a mess the first time.

I'd still make it again though! Perhaps in a less festive colour...