Voila: Some Deer and Doe Plantain Dresses

Happy Friday, if it's Friday where you are! Before I get ahead of myself (as I've been making HEAPS this week), here are some of my plantain dresses, that free pattern by the Deer & Doe peeps! I've also just discovered their flickr group too, so might join in there. Continuing in on my 'joining in' vibe!

The first blue one above is pretty much the plantain bodice but curved down under the bewbs to the side seams (I honestly measured my hand width from thumb to pinkie stretched out on the middle/on the fold piece... and then traced a new line to the side seam)... thought you'd like to see some inside photos too:

Nice overlocking and neckline I reckon! The fabric is *almost* a ribbed knit and I bought it at my local fabric store but I wouldn't shop there again for stretch fabric... there were only 5 knits to choose from! I wanted a few fabrics to quickly try some tshirt patterns, one was my made up (draw around singlet and add sleeves) version and then this one... and I thought a few dresses would be nice for summer. But now I've worn the dress a few times in the hotter humid days, it's not that comfortable. Hot and sticky.

But I really like the shape and I'm thinking of making some more in lighter fabrics... Oh just remembered I have some light floppy black and white gingham that might TOTALLY suit this shape. And I'm hoping to send a million to my bestie in Berlin! The only trap with this fabric (and maybe all knits if I don't use elastic...?) is that bobbly look at the high waist seam... the top bodice stretches out a little as I attached the gathered skirt pieces... maybe the skirt is to heavy, to wide, to full for the bodice? And then yes, maybe the fabric stretches a bit to accommodate it... any thoughts?

What a sweet little child and a LOVELY bulldozer. There are always random bulldozers and building machinary around in Shanghai, such progress and construction going on! A little child's dream come true!

So, just a warning (now I'm posting LARGE photos) don't scroll too quickly down! ARGH it's so bright! Here's another Plantain dress for my Housekeeper! She brought me this fabric asking for a dress like my Spring for Cotton one - she says it's beautiful! Thank you Ayi! But the fabric she had was stretch NEON NEON NEON and not cotton like my dress... so I used the plantain pattern and the sleeves I slashed and spread-ed for that cotton dress.

WOOHOO bright! I have no idea if she likes this, sometimes when I give her things she hides them away quickly... I don't think it's polite to open gifts in front of people in China, but I like the feedback. I'm pretty sure she'll fit into it ok... anyways, she hasn't worn it yet while visiting our house, maybe she will while riding her electric scooter?! She has taken a huge interest in sewing lately, and tells me her friend gave her a Japanese sewing machine that I may need to help her with! We'll see! This blog might turn into 'Teaching Ayi How to Sew'!

As you can imagine if you've tried this Plantain pattern, it's SO easy and quick to make up and there's just so many possibilities for fabric & style... I've got some new tracing paper too, so it really is a lot of fun just measuring and tracing! I won't post all the plantains I've made but maybe just once in a while. Now I'm super happy with this pattern, I have to choose which Deer & Doe pattern I like the best... save one to the wish list. For when I have money!

Notes:  
Pattern: Deer and Doe's Plantain
Fabric: Blue Stretch from my local fabric store on Xinhua Lu and the Neon from my Housekeeper/Ayi.
Size: Um, can't remember, I'll report back!  
While Sewing: Changed the bodice length and just added two rectangles for the gathered skirt. I think I looked at the Colette Pattern Moneta Sewalong, but decided it wasn't the same.  
Will I Wear It? Yes but it might retire til autumn time! We'll see how hot it gets in Shanghai!

xoxo Have a lovely weekend! And do tell me if these LARGER photos are not working on your computer/tablet/phone... they look OK on my devices, but just wanna check... thanks for the feedback! Happy sewing xoxo

Voila: A Deer and Doe Plantain

Last week, I posted my Holly Palazzo Pants and I'm wearing a Deer & Doe Plantain tshirt... yes... a tshirt pattern that is NOT a Built by Wendy one. Back in the day (2009-2011) I started sewing stretch fabric like the world would end and we needed supplies... it was so easy and fun and once I got the overlocker all was well... the Sew U Stretch Built by Wendy was my main inspiration and I used those patterns as blocks and created my own versions for dresses mostly for me and all my friends.

Lately, of course, I am in Shanghai without my usual supplies (no BBW books!)... but I actually think that's a good thing, because now I can try other patterns instead of the same ones... AND test what works for my current body shape... instead of attempting something that suited me 5 years ago. I have seen oodles of Plantain patterns made up, so considering it's a free pattern, it's a quick & cheap one to try. But it's not a cheaply put together pattern in my opinion!

The pattern is pdf, and as we don't have a printer at home, I waited a while for Husbie to grab it for me and it was a quick one to put together... but I think the work printer drags on one side as it was just out by 2 or 3 mm. So annoying! I'll have to find a place in Shanghai that prints, but maybe can print the full A1 or A2 or whatever as well. Other than that, I traced it to balance out the print and it's probably the best pattern in the world for knit tshirts... especially for the larger bust size as that scoopy neck is quite flattering.

This is my second version, because like Elena at Randomly Happy, I don't think you can stop at just one... I had a bunch of knit fabric to test out and I've made (at the time of writing) 4 versions already - one for my Housekeeper even, I'll show you soon! So this black knit is light, feels rough though and I think my knit guy said 'LINEN' but who knows... it's definitely stretch, and definitely slightly see through in parts. The fabric reminds me of a H&M top I got in LA which was lovely to wear, and that's why I kinda cut it differently along the hem... it's about a hand size shorter. My hand size!

The pattern is completely easy to follow, and a little similar to the Built by Wendy stretch way, but you sew both shoulder seams and then sew the neck binding together and attach... the sleeves are sewn in the flat, which I like the best anyways, and then the side seams all together. It's a great way to sew tshirts!

My changes for this version were to shorten the bodice, I folded the pattern pieces to shorten by about 5 inches, making the front piece a little shorter... and I also scooped the sleeve by about an inch... I did that in the pattern cutting as that's how I used to get a mock cap sleeve (or maybe it is a cap sleeve? I have no idea) when I did my Built by Wendy dresses. Back in the day, mate, back in the day.

So yeh, the top is completely casual, and I like the shape overall. It'll be great with my short shorts and I quite like it with the Holly Trousers. This fabric makes it floppier and MORE casual than the other versions I've made, but it is so comfy to wear. It *is* a little booby, which I don't mind... but if you're going for a looser fit, remember that with the scoopy neckline and I'll remember not to bend over in public.

Hope you're having a great week so far! I'm trying to toss up which dress pattern I'll sew up next, I'd like to try Sophia By Hand London - the full skirt version - but also I have the Kim By Hand London to try as well. It's raining so much this week in Shanghai - but super humid - so it's hard to feel like wearing fitted dresses. I'd really love something floppy... maybe a wrap dress? I like this Maria Denmark one!