The fact that it is not a dress invites a celebration in itself! Can you believe this? I have just sewn not one, not two but three shirts, all in silks of different colours.

Using a true vintage pattern for the first time

It is no secret that I adore the 1950’s style. I have been using re-edited patterns from this era quite a bit recently (mostly by Butterick). However I had never sawn using a truly vintage pattern. I had little interest in hunting them down on e-Bay or Etsy, paying a hefty price, only to find out that the fit was a disaster. I am boring like that…

However, as part of my recent Vinted addiction, I have discovered that not only can I buy the most stunning unworn designer heels for a fraction of their initial price. I actually have an entire theory on the second hand high heel shoe market (but here is not the place ). But I can also buy sewing patterns!! Similarly unused, similarly cheap. Oh God, the beginning of the end….

In any case, I had been looking for a shirt with a bow collar and here it was! Perfectly adjusted, looking extremely easy with very few pattern pieces… For £5, how could I resist? And how cute is this envelope?

I made a toile to check the sizing and I just had to add 2cm on each side… and then nothing else!! I am a size 10 for Vogue/ Butterick/ McCall so I think either 12 or 14 vintage is what I need. The shirt is very adjusted but it exactly how I wanted it! For the black one I mispositioned my buttons so will have to revisit this when I am brave enough…

Butterick Vintage 7396: full review

• Sizing: I used a bust 30/ size 12 for my UK 8/ FR 36/ US 2 and Vogue/Butterick/ McCall’s 10. I had to add 2cm on each side and I am very happy with the adjusted fit that resulted. I am an E cup and did not need an FBA.
• Level of difficulty: easy peasy, 4 pattern pieces (5 when I changed the sleeves), you just need to be precise with the darts (2 at the front, one at the back).
• Fabric used: for all 3 shirts, I used a lightweight silk dupioni and I love it! I used a microtex needle but otherwise no change to my sewing routine, this thickness of silk is very easy to manage.
• Changes to the pattern: I used the puff sleeves from M8197; and I did French seams throughout, for a more polished look for the inside of the garment.
• Love rating: extremely high, this will be my go-to shirt pattern for the foreseeable future. I cannot wait to make winter versions…

And a bit more photo bombing…

After many versions of the V9253 pattern where I made hardly any changes to the original, here is a very different one. With longer sleeves, a waistband and a full-circle ankle-length skirt, it is exactly what I had in mind!

So many versions of this pattern in my wardobe

V9253 has been an immensely successful pattern, so much so that it has been re-edited under a new name, V1735 – very confusing in my view but never mind.

I have been a fan myself and have sewn numerous version, for all seasons: Spring here, Summer here and here, Autumn here and Winter here.

I have reviewed each dress in details (if you follow the links) but here are my main conclusions:

• Sizing is spot on (my usual Vogue size 10 for my UK 8/ US 2/ FR 36) but the bodice is ample so you will probably not need an FBA (I am an E cup and the one I initially made was really not necessary).
• Choice if fabric is key – anything stiff will not work (like my white and red version), anything with drape (whatever the weight) will.
• The dress is way nicer with its belt – or anything that marks the waist.
• The cleveage is very low and you can extend the front bodice to cross it at the front, but I do believe it removes a kew charming design aspect of this dress. Wearing nice lingerie our underlayers is a better option in my view.

Hacking the V9253 pattern to reproduce a Dior dress

I had never dared making drastic adjustments to this pattern until I came across this beautiful dress in a Dior shop.

I was very keen to buy it but my husband (who, don’t be mistaken, is always very open to my clothes purchases) wisely mentionned that I had something very similar in my me-made wardrobe – which had not even crossed my mind!!!

So this summer, I had a go at reproducing this dress and the first version came out pretty spot on! – although I have no more pictures of it!

After such a success, I was bound to make another version. And what best that a Dior fabric for it? This one is pure silk and it has the most gorgeous jungle Toile de Jouy drawings.

Just 4 easy changes to the original pattern

• I created an 8cm wide waistband (plus seam allowance), by following the waist shape of the original skirt from the papattern. It is easier to do if you have already sewn the dress but you can also work on the pattern pieces.

• I lenghtened the sleeves the the maximum length my fabric would allow me while folded in 2 – I think something like 12cm; and I added a 4cm wide sleeve band (for each band, a rectangle of 8 + 2×1.5cm sewing margin = 11cm on one side and 25 + 2×1.5cm = 28cm on the other side, but this late measurement depends on the size of your arm where the sleeve ends).

• I replaced the skirt from the pattern with a very big one. I simply used 3 lenghts of fabric (nearly 90cm each) and I gathered the top. I would definitely have preferred a full circle skirt, which is what I used for my white dress. But I’ve learnt from my mistakes: these just do not work with patterned fabric.

• I removed the bust darts and replaced them with gathers.

Conclusion

And here we are! One of my favourite dresses to wear so far this Spring, and it perfectly fit in my black and white obsession!

My first sewing challenge of 2025 was to tackle a project I have been dreaming of for very long time: a dress with a fully integrated bustier. And for Valentine, what else than the so appropriately-named Lamour dress by Charm Patterns?

Pink & Red for Valentine

I am the lucky owner of an extensive collection of party dresses. But while I sew most of my daytime dresses, all of my party ones are store bought. Why will you ask? Given that most of my sewing is actually dresses, I should really be an expert by now… But combine difficult fabric with the technicalities of a structured bodice and here is a perfect excuse to buy yet another Marchesa Notte gown…Oh well…

What I really needed to break my sewing block was a challenge. So I invited loads of friends to a “Pink and Red” Valentine party and promised myself that I would make the dress for it if I found the right fabric. And so I did – a perfect pink and red brocade, not too stiff for a dress and super Valentine appropriate.

Before giving you more details about the dress, I cannot resist showing you a few pictures of the party decorations, another really fun part of party-planning.

And here are a few pictures with my Valentine. I always intended to make him a traditional bow tie. He also requested a cummerbund (a tuxedo belt). I could find no pattern I liked, so I ordered a very cheap belt on Amazon, dismantled it to draft a pattern and used the back elasticated part and… TADA!

Lamour dress pattern review

I am in love with Charm Patterns…

I am a huge fan of the Charm Pattern dresses (well, actually, of all their patterns) for several reasons:

• First, their nostalgic 1940-50’s style is all I want for my wadrobe.
• Second, they fit me to perfection, even more so thanks to the (very wide range of) bust cup options.
• Third, the written and video instructions are fantastic. I was dreading the application of boning so much that I watched this specific section of the video even before buying my fabric… It was so well explained that it convinced me to go ahead!

I love Charm Patterns so much I am actually a patron on Patreon . For a very reasonable monthly fee you get access to a treasure trove of exclusive past pattern and a new one every month. This is definitely a great motivation to try new patterns and I hugely recommend becoming a patron if you are not already one.

… and even more in love with the Lamour dress

Anyway, back to the Lamour dress. Here is the enveloppe, as well as the drawings of all the bodice and skirt options offered.

Do not fear boning the bodice!

As you can see, this dress is basically made of a boned princess seam bodice; and either a sarong or a circle skirt. For my dress, I went for the most basic bodice option – plain vanilla strapless, shash-less, decoration-less. I was absolutely terrified to mess-up and it turned out all very easy actually!

The main bodice has 8 pieces of fabric, which are interlined for structure. You can pattern-match if you want to spend ages cutting, which I did and seemed in restrospect very unnecessary. The lining uses the same pattern pieces, but you add boning to the seams to guarantee perfect hold.

Why did I dread this bit for so many years? It was actually very fun to do, it is invisible from the outside and and it works so so well to prevent the bodice from moving at all!! You can twirl and dance without any worries.

Add a big skirt for more puff

For the skirt, I could have gone with my all-time favourite full circle skirt. However this Valentine dress was the perfect opportunity to use another pattern of my stash, Vintage re-edited Vogue V9106.

The skirt has a circle shape, but is extended at two levels to add gathers and create even more volume. I am delighted with the effect.

I obviously fully lined the skirt but no need for gathers for the lining, a full circle skirt was perfect.

Only a tiny fit adjustment needed for the bodice

As for adjustments, I cut a size 4 with D/DD cup for the bodice (my usual for Charm Patterns) and I made a toile. This helped me adjust the bust princess seam so that it would perfectly follow my bust curves, but frankly nothing drastic. I went for a size 10 for the skirt (my usual for Vogue) and made no change whatsoever.

Conclusion

I can’t believe how well this dress turned out. I am beyond proud by how perfectly professional it looks and very keen to put my bustier knowledge to good use – I alreay have another project in mind for the summer.

After my first version of the B6018 pattern in a quite stiff silk dupion, I was keen to try and sew a second, more floaty version. Here it is!

I fully reviewed the B6918 pattern (which I adore), as well as explained in details how to make a Full Bust Adjustment (FBA) in a previous article. Here, I am going to solely focus on fabric effects.

For this version of the dress, I used a bright red, medium weight, cloqué polyester fabric from The New Craft House. I was so attracted by the fabric texture and its wonderful bright and at the same time deep red colour, that I broke my personal no-poly policy. The texture is definitely more visible on close-up pictures.

I definitely achieved my purpose of a floatier effect for the lower part of the dress, where the skirt falls and moves very nicely.

However, I am not that thrilled with the bodice. I did really struggle to properly iron my seams, I find it is really visible and it really annoys me when I wear the dress. The collar in particular is a complete miss. I am not sure wether it is because of the drape of the fabric or simply because it is poly, I can’t remember ever having such a struggle with floaty silk. What do you think?

In any case, this dress in completley wearable, especially ahead of Christmas in my Mother Christmas outfit…