DIARY OF A NOVICE SEWIST: Wattlebird Dress
Wattlebird Dress Made With FS SILVER LILAC Lightweight Linen
Wattlebird Dress Made With FS SILVER LILAC Lightweight Linen
I AM BACK!
I know I know, it took some time for me to get back behind the sewing machine. A lot has been changing too fast and too slow at the same time – and the combination of those things made me very stressed.
So I started knitting again which helped me a lot in coping with the situation. And a few sweaters, hats and slipovers later, spring finally arrived in Vienna. And with the first rays of sunlight I felt this tickling feeling in my fingers again. And all of a sudden I had thousands of ideas and started working on moodboards again. Jackets, patchwork, simple dresses, kids wear, bucket hats, …
I wanted to make a slipover dress that I could wear over a t-shirt in the summer or with a sweater in spring. Super simple, a light color, nothing too fancy. Just an easy-going comfort dress. And so the search for the perfect pattern began.
Wattlebird Dress Made With FS SILVER LILAC Lightweight Linen
To be honest – it took some time for me to realise that I already had the perfect pattern in my collection. The Wattlebird Dress by Common Stitches is a really easy dress – no big darts or crazy closing techniques – just a nice everyday dress. I made my first Wattlebird Dress back when I started sewing my own clothes 1,5 years ago, so I thought “why not start the dress season again – with the same dress from the first time?”. So here I am – same dress, different person!
Ok – pattern: check.
Next: THE COLOR
FS LILAC SILVER Lightweight Softened 100% Linen
I don’t know which ones of you have read my other entries, but in one of my first blog entries I confessed my love for the color ultramarine (which I still love by the way – and I promise you, we will see the return of ultramarine soon), but nowadays my heart beats for lilac. Sweater for my son? Lilac. Tulips? Lilac. Those 90s/00s mum hair clips my son calls BeißBeiß (engl. BiteBite) because they look like teeth? Lilac. I just love it – everything looks better in lilac! It’s the perfect balance between cold blue and warm red in a light and soft version. And you know what’s cold and warm aswell? Right – SPRING!
The only thing I would change next time – I used one of the lightweight fabrics (in SILVER LILAC) but would recommend one of the Midweights (for example Iris) more, as my dress is a bit transparent. I don’t really have a problem with that, but not everyone is comfortable with wearing a see-through dress.
Wattlebird Dress Made With FS SILVER LILAC Lightweight Linen
So enjoy spring with its sun and new flowers and soak up all the fresh new energy!
Bussis
Sophie
PS: I love sewing kids wear – would you be interested in some kids wear pattern recommendations?
PPS: Behind the (analog) camera – the one and only Sophie Nawratil!
About Author
Sophie Frank
Sophie is a self-taught sewist living in Vienna, Austria. If she's not sewing or taking analog photos, she's probably running after her son. Instagram: @bitte.mach.dasLeave a comment
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4 Comments
Kionie Gonzales
Good morning from California! Thanks for the read 🙂 I would love some patterns for kids that are a bit more size inclusive. My 6.5 yr old is at the very last size in kids patterns. He still has the stature of a little boy. Just has a protruding belly and I’d love for him to feel confident that he looks good in what he is wearing 🙂 thank you!
Ryan Green
Greetings from rural New York,
Thank you for your lovely articles. I always find inspiration in them. In regards to your P.S. I would love recommendations on sewing patterns for kids. We have a 4 year old son and a 7 week old daughter, and I am itching to try my hand at clothing for the first time.
Best wishes!
Ryan
M Leath
Good morning from Texas. You are aware faster than I about the different weights of this wonderful linen. I agree with you that the 3 or 4 ounce are better for blouses or glass drying towels. In turn the 7-9 ounce is better for pants, skirts and daily bath or dish towels. The 5-6 ounce work well for dresses, kids hooded towels and most anything else. I get so caught up in the wonderful colors I forget to check the weight until recently. The projects have turned fine but they will last longer if I pay attention better and use the appropriate weight for that project.
I’m hoping that one of my next projects is going to be a rag rug with these scraps from my many projects. It’s hard to throw out even the scraps I like this linen so much.
Keep sewing Sophie. You are on a wonderful adventure of discovery. Sewing one of my most enjoyable pastimes.
Sharon Dicrosta
Good morning from the USA. I thoroughly enjoy your articles so thank you. The Wattlebird dress is the style I am hoping to make for summer days. Also, I would love some suggestions for children’s patterns…especially infant/toddler boys. Thank you again for the fun posts…enjoy your day!