Dressmaking: Lessons From The Past Five Years

I'm not a very prolific seamstress, much of my wardrobe is still shop bought. Some of my makes have been far more successful than others and but recently I thought I'd take a look back at the last five years and see if I can draw some conclusions as to what makes something more wearable.

2014: Autumnal PJ Trousers - although I don't wear PJs to bed, I roll these out each Autumn for the cooler evenings. They have faded a little but are still super comfy and a classic pattern - see my tutorial here. They also get a bit of wear if I need to do some early morning yoga!

2015: Dressing Gown - this is my summer dressing gown and still going strong. I went the extra mile with the finishing on this one and it really makes a difference as to how well it has lasted. I wear it every day during the warmer months. 

2017: Burda 04/2017 117 Cutout Bias Dress - still wearing this in the summer at work with a cardigan. It's a classic shape and I really love it, especially the way that the bias skirt balloons out when I trot down the stairs. I may sew up another version next year.

2018: Burda 08/2013 122 Cape - although I love it, I have only worn it about three times. It's no good in the rain and I need to swap my little leather rucksack for a hand held bag when I wear it (because - no arms)! I'm not giving up on it though - just give me a crisp Autumn day, and I'm good to go.

2018: Colette Taffy Blouse - I loved making this and the colour combo pops, but the fit is so awfully irredeemable that I need to consign it to the charity shop. My lesson here is that even though I read the reviews and made a small adjustment to the neckline, I should have made a muslin. I tried to resurrect this by wearing it to work this week but ended up changing it just before leaving the house.

2018: GBSB Pencil Skirt - I don't wear this, I fear it makes me look too large in the hips. I may be able to reshape it a little, but it may be time to say goodbye. I made a pencil skirt many years ago and didn't wear that either! But I have RTW pencil skirts that I do wear.

2019: Coppelia Wrap - the finish on this is not perfect, but I love the style and the colour so much that I wear it really frequently. It is the perfect partner to a dress. I need to make another!

2019: Adrift Dress - I adore this dress and wore it a lot over the summer. It's light and flirty and I feel great in it. It's also one of those wash and wear dresses with no ironing - bonus!

2019: GBSB Simple T-Shirt - cobbled together out of my Coppelia leftovers but actually worn quite a bit for yoga or with jeans at the weekend.

2019: Tulip Dress - this has become a bit of a work staple (I even bought some lovely navy shoes to wear with it)!

In short, the key to a dressmaking success seems to be the winning combination of gorgeous fabric with a great pattern, along with reading reviews and making a muslin if required. The item needs to make you feel good, and I'm not feeling it with the Taffy blouse or the Pencil skirt. But looking back, I'm actually surprised at how much I do wear.

Having said all that, there have been times when the process of sewing is reward enough. This time last year was hugely stressful for me and just sitting and absorbing myself in sewing a cape was such therapy. 

Do you always wear what you make? What have been your successes?

Love Mrs Jones x