Long sleeves in linen

Debbie Iles14 Comments

I started sewing clothes for myself in 2012. Before that, my sewing was all about kiddie stuff and quilting cotton. It was also the year I discovered that I could sew with ponte knits and linen. I quite simply overdosed that year. Lucky for you guys, this was also before I started blogging.

I’ve always loved linen, but it’s one of those fabrics that I rarely, if ever, saw in the RTW shops I frequented back then. So it was mindblowing to me that I could suddenly make everything in linen. So did I? Yes. I. Did.

I’ve since had a few years without a lot of linen in my wardrobe. There’s been the odd thing, but nothing like it was in 2012. However, I feel the season changing. I am so in love with it right now. It’s like my long lost friend has returned.

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The thing about linen though, is that it is one of the fabrics I am most pickiest about in terms of quality. I loath buying it online. I’ve been disappointed a few times when I’ve opted for the cheaper option. I recently purchased a length of European white linen from Fabric dot com. In the description it was recommended for making dresses, pants, anything. Let’s just say, I’m ditching the idea of using it for a Summer top and might simply hem it for use as a pretty table cloth instead. I think I’m a linen snob.

The linen I used for this top came all the way from Tessuti Fabrics in Sydney, one of the few places I trust implicitly in buying linen from without ordering a swatch first (online shopping is sadly my only way to purchase quality fabric in the Midwest). This linen is truly delicious. I could iron it better, but I really, really love linen crinkles.

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This top is the long sleeve variation of a pattern I’m working on right now. I paired it with my long leather shorts.

If everything goes to plan, I might be ready for testers in a few weeks. It takes time because I want to make sure that even my testers get a good experience.  If you are interested in testing this or anything else in the future, please head over to my Facebook page, Lily Sage & Co. To avoid driving non-tester inclined blog readers batty,  I will only be putting the tester call out there from now on.

Cartwheel shorts

Debbie Iles9 Comments

I love having little girls to sew for, and lately I’ve been having a lot of fun creating new styles for their Summer wardrobes. I’m especially excited to be sewing shorts for them in the first time in FOREVER!

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Now I know there are already some great kiddie shorts patterns out there, but I kinda like to do things my own way. I get a big thrill out of making something completely new. I also had quite a few specifications from Miss Seven that simply had to be met, namely pockets, pleats, and cartwheel worthiness.

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These little shorts were also a pretty good scrap bust. You’ve seen the yellow sateen before (here and here) and the printed sateen trim has been around the block too. I don’t know what I’m going to do with all my scraps when these girls get bigger.

NEW PATTERN ALERT: The Sea Change top + discount code

Debbie Iles17 Comments

I’m so excited to announce a that a new pattern is available in my shop today. It’s the Sea Change top, an easy fitting, kimono style top that is just perfect for high waist jeans and skirts. And in honour of this exciting day, I’m also discounting the pattern (and everything else in my shop, including the Twirl to Me dress pattern) for the next seven days. Use code: SEACHANGE15

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I’ve already been getting a lot of wear out of my versions, and I have a few more planned for Summer.  It’s such an easy and versatile top. Check out the pattern yourself here.

FBA test top

Debbie Iles8 Comments

It’s quite obvious that my bust is not so full that it requires any pattern adjustments, but in the interest of testing for the wider population, I thought I’d see what this top could do. It was a very easy adjustment to create more room in the front of this top. Because I don’t *fill* that space, I’m left with bigger gathers. I think I prefer my earlier version better in terms of fit (for me).

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This version was made very simply in a medium weight, quilting cotton. The fabric is pretty, but not really my style. To toughen it up a little, I paired it with my very versatile neoprene and faux leather mini.

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The Sea Change top is tester ready!

Debbie Iles7 Comments

This is the kind of easy fitting top that works well in both a knit or a woven. My striped version was made up in a knit, so I thought I’d trial this one in a woven. My fabric of choice is a special length of silk CDC from Tessuti Fabrics. I don’t buy much fabric on whim anymore, but this one just jumped in my shopping cart without any project in mind. I’m glad it did.

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I’m very pleased with the way this top turned out. I love the contrast panels and I especially love the opportunity they provide for mixing fabrics and prints for different looks on the same simple top.

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My blog has been a bit unpredictable over the past week while I’ve been getting it set up properly, so I started my call out for testers on Instagram for this pattern. I’ve had an overwhelming response for some sizes, but I’m still looking for testers in the following sizes: L (14-16) and XXL (20). If you think this might be you and you have the time and energy to trial this very simple top, please let me know. Once again, I have no interest if you blog or shout out to the masses through social media (although if you do, that’s fine by me too). I’m simply interested in your honest feedback.

Sign up form.

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Twirl to Me: a pattern in the making

Debbie Iles13 Comments

There’s a lesson to be learnt from this dress. Always, ALWAYS measure those little printer test squares before you make a pattern. Seriously guys, this is my own pattern. I put the test squares there myself, but did I bother to measure them? No! I could have saved myself a whole day of angst. But on the plus side, it did make me add another cutting line to the pattern for the extra option of a tunic/top as well as a dress.

I also discovered some nifty little post-make fixes for the dress, should the sizing not be perfectly spot on (which happens, because who is a standard size anyway?). The true size of this version is a 5. I thought I was sewing a size 3! Miss Six is a tall size 6, and Miss 3 is a perfect size 3, so this dress doesn’t actually fit either of them. But I guess it gives you an idea of how the dress will look if you accidentally make a size too small or a few sizes too big.

 


For those of you who follow me on Instagram, I’ve been hinting (not so subtly) at the fact that I’m in the process of putting this dress into a PDF pattern. It’s certainly been a rollercoaster ride for me so far, not helped by the fact that I am perhaps somewhat of a perfectionist. In fact, my husband, having seen the way I’ve been fretting over corners, lines, and calculations, has decided that I’ve missed my calling and thinks I should get myself into coding.


It will be my first PDF pattern so my anxiety levels are probably higher than normal. I want it to be perfect, as you can imagine. And it’s close. It should be…these dresses are now exploding out of my daughters’ wardrobes and I’m running out of nieces.

I’m just about to enter the third phase of testing. We’re talking human trials (unrelated humans). So I’m going to include a sign up form here for those of you with a little human, who would like to consider testing for me. I’m not interested if you have a blog or any other social media account. All I want is honest feedback from a range of different sizes. I will need to see some photos though, on a real human, so that I can see your creation and how it fits. Unfortunately I can’t pay you, but I will value your time and efforts immeasurably, and of course provide you with a final version of the pattern when it is eventually released.