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Make Of The Month; Kateryna

July’s top make is a double feature from Kateryna (@kk_sews) who used the double gauze from June’s Escape To The Country box and the viscose from May’s Wild Side box to make a Tilly and the Buttons Indigo Dress.

Hi! I’m Kateryna and I recently discovered how much fun sewing is! I’ve been sewing for only a year since June 2020. Like many people in the UK I’d been furloughed (and made redundant) during the first lockdown so I had an abundance of free time. One day I watched a video online where the author recorded a few “ugly” dress transformations and I got inspired to try sewing myself. Since I’m fairly short, finding something that fits has always been a challenge so I thought that even if I only learn how to shorten my jeans that’d be an achievement and a great skill to have. Little did I know! Now sewing is a big part of my life. It brings me joy and inspires me to new adventures.

I came across a SewHayleyJane subscription ad in one of the sewing magazines and immediately loved the idea of a surprise-gift to myself and the potential to turn it into a beautiful outfit. However, it took me a while to build my sewing confidence and join the subscription. One day I looked through the previous subscription boxes’ pictures and could no longer resist. I wanted all the beautiful fabrics. As soon as I joined, I realised that this subscription is so much more than just beautiful fabrics. I discovered a beautiful virtual community of like-minded people and now my favourite part of unboxing is reading the magazine included in each box. 

As soon as I opened my June Classic box I fell in love with this fabric and like Gemma (from the magazine) my first thought was to make a floaty dress. I’ve been planning to make an Indigo dress by Tilly and The Buttons for a while. Actually, I wanted to make it using the fabric from the May box but May has been busy and I didn’t get the chance to do that. Hence, I decided to make two dresses that weekend. 

Previously I made a Stevie dress in size 5 so I traced the same size for Indigo dress onto my baking paper and decided that both fabrics were too precious to gamble so I made a toile for the bodice. That was the right call! As soon as I tried it on I knew it was too small around my chest. The back of the bodice was just perfect but the front was too tight. I probably needed to make an FBA but I was too intimidated by that so I decided to trace size 6 for the front bodice and try that. The fit was much better and very comfy but I noticed that bust darts were way too low. This is a common issue for me when I try on clothes at the store because I’m 5 feet tall so I had to lift them up somehow. I brought it up and pinned it at the shoulder seam. It looked like I needed to remove 1.5 cm at the outer side and more like 1 cm at the neck. So I did that and made my third toile. I had no idea what I was doing and somehow it came out just perfect. Now I have a “me” pattern for the Indigo bodice which is size 5 at the back, size 6 at the front and 1-1.5 cm shorter at the shoulders. 

Once the toile had been completed and the pattern pieces for the back, front and the respective facings had been adjusted, I cut into my precious fabrics. I decided that I wanted a fuller bottom ruffle so I cut the biggest size (size 10) for those pieces. Also, I decided to add ties at the side seams of the bodice. Although I love the loose style of the Indigo dress, such dresses don’t usually suit me because of my height. Hence, I thought that I’d give myself an option to have one dress and two different styles. Bring it in with the ties for a more fitted bodice / dressed up look and tie them very loose for the original more casual look.

I really enjoyed working with this double gauze. It is so soft and feels like I’m wearing a little white cloud. This dress is light and breezy and somehow snuggly at the same time. It is just perfect for the summer and has already become my go-to outfit.

My biggest struggle now is to decide what to make next… too many ideas! I can’t wait for my next SewHayleyJane box as I know it’ll be another gorgeous fabric that will take me along new sewing adventures. My biggest thanks to Hayley for selecting such amazing fabrics and unique haberdashery pieces and bringing together like-minded people into this friendly and welcoming virtual community.