New Look for Spring in Stalks Teal Viscose Twill by Suzy

Hello! 

I’m Suzy of @sewing_in_spain on Instagram, and I´m so excited to bring you my first make as part of the Lamazi blogger team. We are all living through an uncertain time right now, so before we take a look at our dress, please let me share this thought with you …….

Here in Spain and all over the world we’re learning to cope with the dramatic effects of the Covid-19 Coronavirus – and there have been a few comments on social media that this isn’t an appropriate moment to be talking “frivolous” frocks and fabric. Oh yes it is – I feel strongly that while we need to be very aware of what we are facing,  more important than ever is the need for the normality of our creative hobby, and for the comradeship of the sewing community. Fun and friendship is the key to staying positive – I hope you agree!

So now – let’s enjoy some sewing…….

The weather at beginning of spring is unpredictable, so it’s great to have a dress at hand which you can wear with boots and tights or bare legs as the temperatures fluctuate…and believe me, here in March they certainly do!

Choosing fabric from Lamazi is not only a joy, but also really tough: a joy because they have so many beautiful quality fabrics to choose from; and tough, well – because they have so many beautiful quality fabrics to choose from!  Eventually, I chose this Stalks Teal Viscose Twill from Mind the Maker, which is also available in Coral and Off-White colours. 

The fabric was just what I’d hoped for, enough weight for a fairly fitted dress, but also the lovely drape of a viscose.  I´d say the colour is more Forest Green than Teal, but those sprigs of bright coral pop beautifully on this background – by the way, the photos on Lamazi´s website are true to colour.

I had in mind a dress with a high waist, Empire Line style, but without lots of gathers.  Not so easy to find as it sounds, but I hit on this pattern, New Look 6574, as there were a number of great versions on Instagram. 

While I waited for my fabric to arrive, I used some viscose to make a toile of the bodice.  When you make a toile, it´s always a good idea to use the same sort of fabric, as the fitting requirements will vary depending on the material.  

I have smallish sloping shoulders, so I shaved off the main curve of the upper raglan sleeve seam and carried on down the seam, as there was a lot of ease.  The other changes I made was to reduce the length of the front slit by 2.5cm, and I took 1cm out of the length of the back bodice, a normal adjustment.  There are two variations of sleeves, long or short, but I decided that three quarter length would look best:  I made a size 12. 

The dress has rouleau loops on the front with two buttons, and a zipper at the back, so I had two 1cm buttons covered by my local haberdashery.

The viscose twill was easy to cut out with a rotary cutter, and didn´t move about as lighter viscose fabrics are prone to do.  A new microtex needle, and I was ready to sew. 

This is a lovely fabric to sew with - viscose twills I´ve sewn in the past have snagged, and often left little runs, however sharp my needle, but no worries with this Mind the Maker fabric…it behaved itself from start to finish. 

I used strips of interfacing to stabilise the zipper seam. 

The weight and drape are just right for the skirt of this dress.  The details are subtle but pretty, with the rouleau loops and cute buttons on the front.  This photo makes the neckline look a bit uneven, but in reality it´s just right.

The light gathering under the bust and at the back is flattering.

My garden is coming into its finest season of the year, and I´m so delighted to be able to share it with you – Spain’s state of emergency regulations mean no one is allowed to visit in person.  Here the Wisteria is starting to bloom – I just wish you could hear the bees!

Where ever I go, Lucy goes too…here it looks like we´ve had a tiff – but we’re always the best of friends.

I have a jacket and cardigan which match the coral sprigs and really make them pop.

After putting the photos together, I saw that the dress has a defect – a slight pooling of fabric at the centre of the Empire Line seam…here you see it more closely.

The seam allowance is pressed down, but if you snip the seam and press this central part up, this problem is less noticeable.

This dress will definitely be one I turn to again and again.  Thank you Lamazi Fabrics for this wonderful material – I have a number of great ideas to use some more viscose twill from the collection.

So keep smiling everyone – and keep sewing!

Suzy xx