Spellbound Hack

I was stoked  to be part of the testing team for the Spellbound Hack by Pattern Emporium. I am a huge fan of the Spellbound. It is an easy sew and it’s the type of dress that is flattering on all body types. This is possible because if the way the pattern is designed. Kate has included a bodice adjustment in the design allowing the bodice to be shortened and the skirt part of the dress to be lifted – meaning that the dress now flows and doesn’t get stuck on any problematic tummy areas. 🙂

 

Whilst in the original Spellbound the bodice and skirt  are continuous with no horizontal seam at the waist,  the  hack has separate skirt and bodice pieces.  Although this modification affects the shape of the dress slightly, the two dresses have essentially the same silhouette. The hack gives it a different look and the beauty of the hacked version is that it’s compatible with colour blocking – meaning that you can use those smaller pieces of fabric that you have in your stash…yay!!

The Spellbound Hack requires that the bodice and skirt pieces be reshaped at the waist where they will join. Don’t worry it’s surprisingly easy to do and  as usual the instructions are clearly layed out and easy to follow. Kate also includes instructions on how to modify an existing Spellbound ! This is what I actually did with one of my creations. Oh and the hack also works with the Wanderlust if you wanted a sleeved version…I also created one of these. Winning!! So lets take a look at hat I came up with.

With my first hack  I modified an existing Spellbound that I’d made which needed a bodice adjustment. It was a size 8 with flutter sleeves.

I had some fabric left over that I couldn’t bear to throw out so I did an extra hack of my own and made a sash.

Next I made a Wanderlust version in which I conducted a bodice adjustment. You can see that the skirt sits a bit higher on this one. Holy Spots!! Thanks I like how it turned out.

This sleeved Wanderlust version is so comfy and summery looking

I couldn’t resist adding a sash to this one either!

Finally I wanted to try my hand at colour blocking and made a sleeveless Spellbound. I love loud colours and I can generally get away with wearing them. These reds went together superbly. I did have a couple of goes at getting it right though. I initially tried the short sleeved version of the Wanderlust(same as the spotty one) and I didn’t like the combination at all. The closed in sleeves seemed to make me look very boxy and short in the bodice. In an attempt to save the bodice I toyed with skirt and bodice length but finally decided that it needed more skin! So I cut another Spellbound sleeveless bodice and hacked that. I’m glad that I did. Although the solid red is a great match for the skirt it was a crepe stretch fabric and seems to be pulling a little around the side seam in this pose. I would try and use another fabric in future that was more similar to the skirt.

So with the Spellbound and Wanderlust and this hack you have everything you need for your summer wardrobe. So many sleeve, skirt length and neckline options, and as you can see form my post different fabrics create totally different looks.  As always the patterns by Pattern Emporium are extremely well drafted and have very extensive and easy to follow instruction. Go check them out.

Happy sewing….Karen

The Sandy Tunic

Sinclair Patterns has just released another gorgeous design The Sandy Tunic  and I was part of the testing team.It is designed for knits and is fitted at the shoulders and bust, loose at the waist and and then flares out at the hips flared at the hips.  I made a US 2 petite size (because I’m a shorty) with a crew neck but it also comes in regular and tall versions too. It also has a turtle neck option that will be perfect for the colder months.

I love the feminine design of Sandy

 

This is such a pretty pattern and I just love the interesting hemline.

Its a perfect length to wear with jeans or leggings. Depending on your fabric choice can work as a winter sweater or a summer tunic.. My fabric was a light weight knit kind of like a crepe with a nice drape

I made the crew neck version with long sleeves

I have never hemmed a top with this type of hemline before. The pattern offers a few ways to hem but I was conscious of bulk at the points of the hem. My hemming technique  worked well with this fine fabric but I think you would have to be mindful of this when using heavier weight fabrics and perhaps trim some off the points so that you remove the bulk.

I contemplated not hemming but I was worried that the fabric would curl in the wash. If I had a non curling fabric I would just use the flip method in the seams and leave it unhemmed…..then it would be even quicker to sew…yay

I love the interesting hemline

That’s a perfect one day sewing project, very quick and satisfying.

As always ….Happy sewing

 

 

Karen

Spellbound Hack

I was stoked  to be part of the testing team for the Spellbound Hack by Pattern Emporium. I am a huge fan of the Spellbound. It is an easy sew and it’s the type of dress that is flattering on all body types. This is possible because if the way the pattern is designed. Kate has included a bodice adjustment in the design allowing the bodice to be shortened and the skirt part of the dress to be lifted – meaning that the dress now flows and doesn’t get stuck on any problematic tummy areas. 🙂

Whilst in the original Spellbound the bodice and skirt  are continuous with no horizontal seam at the waist,  the  hack has separate skirt and bodice pieces.  Although this modification affects the shape of the dress slightly, the two dresses have essentially the same silhouette. The hack gives it a different look and the beauty of the hacked version is that it’s compatible with colour blocking – meaning that you can use those smaller pieces of fabric that you have in your stash…yay!!

The Spellbound Hack requires that the bodice and skirt pieces be reshaped at the waist where they will join. Don’t worry it’s surprisingly easy to do and  as usual the instructions are clearly layed out and easy to follow. Kate also includes instructions on how to modify an existing Spellbound ! This is what I actually did with one of my creations. Oh and the hack also works with the Wanderlust if you wanted a sleeved version…I also created one of these. Winning!! So lets take a look at hat I came up with.

With my first hack  I modified an existing Spellbound that I’d made which needed a bodice adjustment. It was a size 8 with flutter sleeves.

I had some fabric left over that I couldn’t bear to throw out so I did an extra hack of my own and made a sash.

Next I made a Wanderlust version in which I conducted a bodice adjustment. You can see that the skirt sits a bit higher on this one. Holy Spots!! Thanks I like how it turned out.

This sleeved Wanderlust version is so comfy and summery looking

I couldn’t resist adding a sash to this one either!

Finally I wanted to try my hand at colour blocking and made a sleeveless Spellbound. I love loud colours and I can generally get away with wearing them. These reds went together superbly. I did have a couple of goes at getting it right though. I initially tried the short sleeved version of the Wanderlust(same as the spotty one) and I didn’t like the combination at all. The closed in sleeves seemed to make me look very boxy and short in the bodice. In an attempt to save the bodice I toyed with skirt and bodice length but finally decided that it needed more skin! So I cut another Spellbound sleeveless bodice and hacked that. I’m glad that I did. Although the solid red is a great match for the skirt it was a crepe stretch fabric and seems to be pulling a little around the side seam in this pose. I would try and use another fabric in future that was more similar to the skirt.

So with the Spellbound and Wanderlust and this hack you have everything you need for your summer wardrobe. So many sleeve, skirt length and neckline options, and as you can see form my post different fabrics create totally different looks.  As always the patterns by Pattern Emporium are extremely well drafted and have very extensive and easy to follow instruction. Go check them out.

Happy sewing….Karen