Hi all, welcome to my June post for The Monthly Stitch which is also a contest entry for the dress competition. The focus for this month is Indie Patterns but as I have only ever sewn Indie patterns I am on familiar territory!
During the first week of Me Made May when I was managing to keep up with all the IG posts, I spotted one garment made with a fabric I found so fabulous I immediately set about tracking it down – thank you Fondant Fabrics.
Isn’t is fabulous? Just in case you too want to buy it, here are the details:
I wish I had made a note of whose IG I saw the fabric on so that I could say a huge thanks. My plan was to make a BHL Kim with it to wear on the last day of MMMay15 as a sort of grand finale – also coinciding with my husband’s birthday. I made it by the skin of my teeth – sewing the bodice lining in whilst sat in bed having my early morning cup of tea on the 31st.
Regular readers of my blog Clarinda Kaleidoscope will know I have a bit of a love affair with Colette Patterns Sorbetto and usually manage to squeeze one out of my scraps. I did things a little bit back to front this time. After I cut out my Kim, I eeked out my Sorbetto – no pleat and made that up first. It very quickly became a favourite.
Anyway, back to Kim. I spent ages cutting out. I wanted a centralised Frida on the bodice – tick.
I also wanted to do the same on the back – sadly I made a right ole booboo. Can you spot the obvious mistake?
Retrospectively, I think it may have been too much having two centralised Fridas.
This is my third Kim; my first was for a wedding (a Flamingo Border) and the second was a fun, nautical version. I am not known for my muslins (naughty girl) but I have made adjustments. I chopped off about an inch from the shoulders to save them slipping down and I sewed a wider, sweeping arc for the seam allowance at the Princess seams because my boobiloobies don’t fill the bodice. I think this is the most I have altered a garment in terms of fit.
Anyway, if I say so myself I think it is an absolute glory. I am SO chuffed with it. The Kim is a great pattern – the instructions are really clear and if you need extra help with fiddly bits, the details on the Kim Sewalong give all the detailed advice you need.
It is such a glorious day we decided to visit Parham – an enormous country house with massive parklands, formal gardens and today, a craft fair. I thought it was a fitting location for my new, favourite dress and was delighted when one of the “crafty” ladies told me that she thought my dress was the best one she’d seen this year!
Anyway, let’s hope the sun continues to shine on us. I think I might even have a mid week post this week, as on Tuesday I am starting a three week workshop at Sew Over it to learn how to make their new Vintage Shirtdress – can’t wait. Will close with a couple more pics from Parham but please feel free to skip if you have Frida/Kim/Clarinda fatigue!
Toodle pip,
Clarinda
clarinda kaleidoscope 
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I absolutely love it!!! total fabric envy. I’m really missing sewing. Hopefully my machine will arrive in the next month (or two)!
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Absolutely love your dress, the fabric is fabulous! And the gardens are stunning too.
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Thank you for your lovely comments
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This is brilliant! The fabric is amazing, and I love the colours in it. Argh to cutting out the back! I find it difficult to visualise what I’m trying to do when I’m matching a print. It really can be a hit and miss process. Isn’t Fondant Fabrics great? They really do have some lovely fabrics. I got some fabric from them that has Mexican tarot cards on it, and made a Belladone dress from it.
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Thanks! I have looked at the Belladone but it looks a bit complicated for me at god moment.
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Stunning! Brilliant pattern choice to show off the fabric, but not too much. I don’t think no one will notice the back pattern matching – I’ve done that and forgotten the seam allowance! Doh! But you won’t do it again. 😀
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Thank you – when you look at just the fabric it seems REALLY loud but somehow made up it is more subtle. Knowing me I will probably forget and make exactly the same mistake again!
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I love this dress SO MUCH! Great fabric/pattern combo, and the overall colour looks spectacular on you.
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Thank you for your lovely comments – I tend to go for blues but these earthy colours did seem to suit
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This is such a fabulous fabric – really colourful. I do like all your Kims! I haven’t tried this pattern yet but I am obsessed about making dresses lately so I may have to give it a go!
Louise
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Thanks! The pattern most on my To Do list is Anna – like you I a having a dresses phase.
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Love the Frida fabric, it lights up the screen and looks really tropical. I love your dress, it looks really good.
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Thanks Abigail, I feel it looks quite Mediterrean (although of course it is Mexican).
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That’s a beautiful dress, the fabric is amazing & I think you’ve done a fab job of matching & placing Frida on the front. I’ve got the Kim pattern, but I think I need to find the right fabric before I think about starting on it!
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Thank you! I have squeezed all of my KIms out of two metres by using a different fabric for the bodice lining – I still think the skirt looks full enough so you might be able to save some pennies.
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That’s a good idea. I might have enough fabric left for a sorbetto that way:)
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Agree with all above and gosh darn it Ms Kaleidascope I am trying to not buy more fabric! Stunning dress…wish you had some twirly pictures- that dress is made for twirling💃😃
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I would have loved a twirl but my photographer is not a willing one and is already super embarrassed taking photos in public – had I started twirling I think he would have shoved me in the fountain and ran off!
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Fabulous dress! I may just have to get this pattern!
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Thanks! I would highly recommend it.
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Amazing fabric! Your dress looks perfect and I think that the centralised Frieda on the front gives it a real wow factor. You must have been really frustrated after pattern matching the back pieces but I think it looks great without a ‘rear’ Frieda! 😉
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Thanks for your lovely comments. I am frequently frustrated when sewing – my skills are not keeping pace with my ambition!
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