Our monthly Pattern Review

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Hello and welcome to our monthly review blog post!

Each month we will be trying patterns from different independent pattern companies and working with different fabrics we stock here in the shop. We will make them up on our work bench, so you can see the finished garment sample. We have found having the samples made up in the shop really helps people decide on a pattern, so if you can’t pop in and browse the rails, hopefully this will help you decide.

We always make the garments up in our current fabric ranges so they match the season and this month we have chosen the lovely soft floaty fabrics by Fabric Godmother and patterns from The Assembly Line.

This months Patterns used are:

The A line midi skirt from @The Assembly Line £21

The Cuff top from @The Assembly Line £21

The  Minimalist Kaftan from @The Assembly Line £21

 

 

The Cuff top from @TheAssemblyline £21.00

The cuff top pattern is a simple beginners pattern. It was easy to follow. Very detailed and helpful tips along the way.  There is a small seam allowance (1cm) so just be careful with the markings and notches. An overlocker is really useful to edge the fabrics as the seam allowance is so small, but you could do this with a zigzag stitch on your machine.

This pattern is available in two size options.  XS-L has a straight fit and features a boat neck. XL-4XL has a more curved fit with more volume under the arm, bust darts and a round neck with keyhole opening at the back. They both feature cap sleeves with wide elastic cuffs.

Sized from XS-4XL (approx 6 to 22), but we always recommend you go by your measurements rather than dress size. Dress sizes vary so much between designers and none of us really fit in the same box do we? There are no zips or buttons. Great for beginners.

The lovely soft petula crepe Fabric by @FABRIC GODMOTHER  was perfect for this pattern (£20 per metre).  This would also be fabulous in a rayons, chambray or linen.

A Lovely pattern to get started with and one to make over and over again, a wardrobe staple. There is also a V Neck pattern which has a looser fit with full, gathered sleeves and a cuff dress pattern which has a keyhole opening, elastic waist and side pockets.

Level Beginner

Sizes  – 6-14 or 14-22

Total Cost £48.69

Buy here:

Pattern £21.00

Fabric £24.00 (1.2m)

Interfacing £1.45 (25cm)

Thread £2.15

Elastic £0.80

 

 

 

 

 

The midi skirt  from @The Assembly line £21.00

 

Another lovely pattern for a beginner to garment making. The A-line midi skirt has an A-Line fit and is detailed with an elasticated waist and and slant pockets. Alternative waistband  included in the pattern is a paper bag skirt with belt loops and a belt. There are also different hemlines included in the pattern with the option of an elasticated or rounded hemline.

The lovely soft cotton chambray Fabric was perfect for this pattern (£14per metre).  This would also be fabulous in a Linen or  midweight cotton. It might be ok with a light needlecord for autumn months, we will give it a try later in the year.

Available in sizes, XS-3XL (6-20), The fit was true to size , so the fabric requirement was good, with very little wastage. Again the seam-allowance is small so an overlocker is useful. The slant pockets are really simple to add. Everything is topstitched with gives a really professional finish.

Level – Beginner

Total Cost £49.30

Buy here:

Pattern £21.00

Fabric £23.80 (1.7m)

Thread £2.15

interfacing £1.45

elastic £.90

 

 


The minimalist kaftan by @TheAssemblyline £21

 

The minimalist kaftan dress has a wide, relaxed silhouette. It features a v-neck both from and back,  a box pleat in the back and front panels with slant pockets. This challenging dress pattern is available in 2 sizes. Small fits XS-L and XL fits XL-3XL. As with the others the seam allowance is small and an overlocker is useful.  Although it does require a lot of fabric (approx 3m) There is very little wastage.

It is suitable for Advanced beginners. It’s a fairly easy pattern but the origami style is a bit confusing when you first attempt it. Keep going! It will make sense.

The lovely soft Tobu crepe Fabric by @FABRIC GODMOTHER  was perfect for this pattern (£20 per metre). It would be a lovely dress of a wedding or a summer cover up for a holiday or maybe made in a soft bamboo jersey to lounge in at home. This would also be fabulous in a rayons, chambray or linen.

Level Advanced Beginner

Total Cost £80.15

Buy here:

Pattern £21.00

fabric £56.00 (2.8 metre)

Thread £2.15

Interfacing £1.00

 

 

ABOUT Fabric Godmother fabrics

Fabric Godmother has created fabrics that are desirable, innovative and fun to wear. The Fabric Godmother Collection is full of vibrant conversational prints with a number developed in a exclusive collaboration with the Print Pattern Archive, bringing vintage prints to life. Available in crepe, lawn and Viscose, these fabrics drape beautifully.

(Viscose is a fibre that is derived from wood pulp, making it a natural fabric that is more breathable than cotton. It is also known as Rayon.)

All of the fabric factories are Oeko-Tex standard 100 certified, giving you piece of mind in our modern era of eco awareness.

ABOUT The Assembly Line Patterns

Modern indie sewing patterns from Scandinavia. The Assembly Line is all about clean lines and contemporary designs, functional yet stylish, Simple with an unexpected twist. Whether you’re a beginner or a skilled maker, you’ll love sewing and wearing The Assembly Line designs.  All the patterns are available in paper format and come with easy-to-follow assembly instructions.

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Hopefully these will have inspired you to have a go at one our patterns. If you still feel nervous why not book onto one of our workshops with Anna. Never used a sewing machine before but want to learn, book our beginners workshops. Just need a little help on specific project then maybe a 1-1 session would be better for you. Just take a look at our workshop pages with upcoming dates. You can book online or in store.

If you have made up one of the patterns, drop us an email with your review and we would love to see pictures! Info@milliemoonshop.co.uk

Happy sewing

Rachel and Becki x

The April review

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Hello and welcome to our monthly review blog post!

Sorry this one is a bit late, got distracted with all the bank holidays, still  not sure what day it is!

Each month we will be trying patterns from different independent pattern companies and working with different fabrics we stock here in the shop. We will make them up on our work bench, so you can see the finished garment sample. We have found having the samples made up in the shop really helps people decide on a pattern, so if you can’t pop in and browse the rails, hopefully this will help you decide.

We always make the garments up in our current fabric ranges so they match the season and this month we have chosen the lovely bright fabrics by Ruby Star and patterns from Liberty. The windows look bright and cheery, even on rainy spring days.

This months Patterns used are:

The Zina Wrap skirt from @liberty fabrics  £18.50

The Bella tea dress from @liberty fabrics  £18.50

The  Mabel tiered dress from @liberty fabrics £18.50

The Zina Wrap skirt from @libertyfabrics £18.50

 

The Zina wrap skirt pattern is a simple beginners pattern.

This pattern has lots of options, Short, long, and with a ‘flounce’ edge.Sized from 6 to 22, but we always recommend you go by your measurements rather than dress size. Dress sizes vary so much between designers and none of us really fit in the same box do we? There are no zips or buttons. Great for beginners.

I had been looking forward to making a wrap skirt but hadn’t found a pattern that worked well. This one is really simple and makes a lovely style skirt. Its instructions allow for it to be well finished on the inside too. The only fiddly bit was making the button hole to thread the tie through. This was made easier with the buttonhole foot on my machine.

The lovely soft cotton “reverie’ Fabric by @Ruby star was perfect for this pattern (£18 per metre).  This would also be fabulous in our new rayons or linens that have just arrived.

The pattern is printed on a fine traditional patternweight paper. This can be fiddly as the paper tears easily. If you want to use it more than once, then maybe  trace the Pattern onto thicker paper to begin with. The instructions are set out in a traditional format with line drawings. It’s made in an apron style, sewing the panels together to make almost a semicircle. The fit was true to size , so the fabric requirement was spot on, with very little wastage. 1.5cm seam allowance included

A Lovely pattern to get started with and one to make over and over again, a wardrobe staple.

Level Beginner

Sizes  – 6-14 or 14-22

Total Cost £66.45

Buy here:

Pattern £18.50

Fabric £45.00 (2.5m)

Interfacing 80p (20cm)

Thread £2.15

 

The Bella Tea dress from @liberty fabrics £18.50

 

The Bella tea dress is a gorgeous vintage style dress. Based on the tea dresses of the 30s/40s it has a beautiful round collar and a puff sleeve. The pleating on the front adds delicate detail. This pattern is more for intermediate sewers who have done some garment making in the past.

This pattern has a couple of variations but I went with the traditional option B  Sized from 6 to 22, but as before, we always recommend you go by your measurements rather than dress size.

The lovely soft cotton “daffodil’ Fabric by @Ruby star was perfect for this pattern (£18 per metre).  This would also be fabulous in a Liberty Lawn or maybe in our new rayons and crepes.

As above, The pattern is printed on a fine traditional pattern weight paper. This can be fiddly as the paper tears easily. If you want to use it more than once, then maybe  trace the Pattern onto thicker paper to begin with. The instructions are set out in a traditional format with line drawings.  The fit was true to size , so the fabric requirement was good, with very little wastage. There are a lot of pieces so make sure you mark the pieces well with numbers, darts and notches. 1.5cm seam allowance included. It has a side zip. The opening at the neck is closed with a hook and eye but you could use a button and loop. I also added the ribbon bow detail.

Level – Intermediate

Total Cost £85.95

Buy here:

Pattern £18.50

Fabric £61.20 (3.4m)

Zip £2.50

Thread £2.15

interfacing £1.60 (40cm)

 


The mable tiered dress by @liberty fabrics £18.50

The beautiful dress pattern is  for ages 6m to 4 years and suitable for beginners.

The flutter sleeves  and tiered skirt make it suitable in light weight fabrics, like lawn, linen or cotton. I chose a beautiful floral liberty fabric  for this one to complement our adult outfits for the window. This sample is age 3-4 years. The dress has a couple of options, with ruffles, elasticated sleeve or sleeveless. There is also a coordinating hat in the pattern. There is a zip.

A very simple pattern to make with good quality pattern paper and multi sized. It has photos to help you follow the instructions. The only tricky bit is probably adding the zip and the bias binding. Binding can be a bit fiddly, just take your time.

A really pretty little dress.

Level Beginner

Total Cost £54.75

Buy here:

Pattern £18.50

fabric £31.20 (1.2 metre)

Bias Binding 40p (1.m)

Thread £2.15

Zip £2.50

 

 

ABOUT LIBERTY FABRICS

The new Liberty Fabrics dressmaking patterns draw inspiration from their fashion archive, with contemporary style details offering a fresh twist on classic vintage shapes.

“The Liberty Fabrics department is a true design institution. World-renowned for our historic 50,000-strong print archive, and for our in-house studio where new artworks are painted and drawn by hand, the Liberty Fabrics offering reflects our storied heritage and century-spanning passion for art and design. From ornate Art Nouveau layouts and classic 1930s ditsy florals to bold geometrics, landscapes and offbeat conversationals, our fabrics offer a colourful canvas for bespoke creations of all kind “  taken from @liberty.co.uk

ABOUT Ruby Star FABRICS

Ruby Star Society is a sisterhood and collaboration of five modern day makers. Ruby Star Society consists of Melody Miller, Alexia Abegg, Rashida Coleman-Hale, Kimberly Kight and Sarah Watts.  Along with collections such as Rise, Stay Gold, Tarry Town, First Light, Speckled and Spark.

“Friends, sisters, creators, trendsetters, star-gazers, hell-raisers, and modern-day makers. Our designers’ talent and vision are the backbone of Ruby Star Society.” – Ruby Star Society

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Hopefully these will have inspired you to have a go at one our patterns. If you still feel nervous why not book onto one of our workshops with Anna. Never used a sewing machine before but want to learn, book our beginners workshops. Just need a little help on specific project then maybe a 1-1 session would be better for you. Just take a look at our workshop pages with upcoming dates. You can book online or in store.

If you have made up one of the patterns, drop us an email with your review and we would love to see pictures! Info@milliemoonshop.co.uk

Happy sewing
Rachel and Becki x

The March review

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Hello and welcome to our monthly review blog post!

Each month we will be trying patterns from different independent pattern companies and working with different fabrics we stock here in the shop. We will make them up on our work bench, so you can see the finished garment sample. We have found having the samples made up in the shop really helps people decide on a pattern, so if you can’t pop in and browse the rails, hopefully this will help you decide.

We always make the garments up in our current fabric ranges so they match the season and this season we’ve gone very pastel for spring! Although the wet dark day outside is not really shouting spring but our windows are cheery!

This months Patterns used are:

The Stevie by Sew La Di Da vintage £18

The Elvis by Sew La Di Da vintage £18

The tunic dress (kids) by Anna Vickery £10

 

The Stevie BY Sew La Di Da Vintage

The Stevie pattern pays homage to the legendary Stevie Nicks. It’s floaty, swishy and has fabulous sleeves. Perfect for swirling and dancing.

This pattern has lots of options, Short, long, with ruffle bottom, with ruffle sleeves or go for it and have all the ruffles. Sized from 6 to 20, but we always recommend you go by your measurements rather than dress size. Dress sizes vary so much between designers and none of us really fit in the same box do we? There are no zips or buttons. Great for beginners.

I used a lovely soft lightweight cotton gingham on this pattern (£16 per metre). Perfect for summer, dress it up for a wedding or even for the beach over a bikini. This would be fabulous in our new double gauze fabrics that have just arrived. Customise it with fringing, or maybe make it in lace for true Stevie style.

The pattern is printed on a lovely heavy weight paper, making it easy to use. The instructions are clear with photos making it easy to follow. The fit was on the generous side, so please do check your measurement before you buy the fabric. The version I made was a size 16 and had no frills to make it more of a casual day dress, plus it saves quite a bit of fabric if you are on a budget. However I think next time I will definitely add the frill on the bottom.  Think the double gauze is calling me. “Everywhere”

Level Beginner

Total Cost £63.75

Buy here:

Pattern £18

Fabric £42.40 (2.65m)

Interfacing £1.20 (30cm)

Thread £2.15

Back of Pattern

Back of Pattern

Finished dress

Finished dress

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Elvis Jumpsuit by Sew La di da Vintage

The Elvis pattern needs no explanation . You “can’t help falling in love” with it’s stylish collar and has fabulous wide legs. Perfect for swinging those hips!

This pattern has lots of options. It can be made in full length, shorts or as a dress! With optional cuffs and back yoke, the creative options are endless. Plus you can alter the length of the body to make it fit well.  Sized from 6 to 20, but as we said above we always recommend you go by your measurements rather than dress size.

I used a soft lightweight cotton look linen on this pattern (£8 per metre) in a bright blue with a coordinating pink zip. This could be made up in denim, Canvas, linen, cotton or even a rayon. You need a lot of fabric for this pattern, so this fabric was a cheaper option than using 100% linen but still has the soft slubby look. The fit was on the generous side, so please do check your measurement before you buy the fabric

The pattern is printed on a lovely heavy weight paper, making it easy to use. The instructions are clear with photos making it easy to follow. It gets a little tricky with the collar, which is why it is an intermediate pattern rather than beginners. Hopefully it won’t leave you “all shook up” !

Level – Intermediate

Total Cost £62.75

Buy here:

Pattern £18

Fabric £36 (4.5m)

Zip £3

Thread £2.15

 

Back of pattern

Finished jumpsuit

About Sew La Di Da Vintage:

Based in Lyme Regis, Caroline Smith and her team create “vintage patterns’  cut to modern sizes. They have designed and produced a range of vintage style dress patterns that are great for beginners. The ‘Stevie’ and the ‘ELvis’ patterns are  from their new “frock star” collection and are £18.00. Find out more @sewladidahvintage


The tunic dress by Anna Vickery 

 

The tunic dress by Anna Vickery is a versatile kids pattern for ages 3-12 years.

The long sleeves  and short length make it suitable all year round. It can be worn with leggings, jeans or tights underneath. Also it could be lengthened to make a longer dress. I chose a bright floral Robert Kauffman fabric ‘FLorista for this one to complement our pink and blue adult outfits for the window and used a  bright orange bias binding around the neckline. This sample is age 3-4 years. The dress has an elastic waist and optional elastic around the cuffs.  There are no fastenings or facings. Keeping it simple for beginners to dressmaking.

A very simple pattern to make with good quality pattern paper and multi sized. It has photos to help you follow the instructions. The only tricky bit is probably adding the bias binding. Binding can be a bit fiddly, so take your time.

Level Beginner

Total Cost £29.25

Buy here:

Pattern £10

fabric £16 (1 metre)

Elastic 50p (1 metre)

Bias Binding 60p (1.5m)

Thread £2.15

Back of pattern

Finished dress

About Anna Vickery:

Anna studied Fashion Design at The University of the West of England in Bristol, and has been our in-house dressmaking tutor for 10 years. Anna also works with Womenswear and Bridal designer Alexandra King. 

You can follow Anna on facebook

Anna designed this range of 10 versatile and simple patterns for everyone to have a go with. All patterns are tried and tested in our workshops here at the shop. These patterns are available as Paper patterns or as PDF versions for download and print at home. Multi size easy patterns for ages 1-5 years or 3-12 years

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Hopefully these will have inspired you to have a go at one our patterns. If you still feel nervous why not book onto one of our workshops with Anna. Never used a sewing machine before but want to learn, book our beginners workshops. Just need a little help on specific project then maybe a 1-1 session would be better for you. Just take a look at our workshop pages with upcoming dates. You can book online or in store.

If you have made up one of the patterns, drop us an email with your review and we would love to see pictures! Info@milliemoonshop.co.uk

Happy spring sewing
Rachel and Becki x