It has been a bit busy the last few weeks! I mean, a LOT busy!! With 3 tests going at once (yes, there's another one coming!!) and all interconnected in one way or another (are you intrigued?), it's kept us on our toes. Finally we're seeing the light at the end of the tunnel and I'm finding time to sit down and tell you a bit about what our testers found in the Dandelion.
I really hope to keep up with these posts for each new pattern so sewists have a place they can go to find tips to get it right and to know what to look for when making fabric decisions.
Photo: Kara
As per usual, we have made sure to include the older girls in this process. Feedback from the girls that were a part of our tester group has been wonderful to hear! They're loving it AND they're rockin' it!
Photo: Emma @snowdropsews
Fabric choices. Our testers used mostly cotton lycras or double-brushed poly for our tests. In the end, both will work for the Dandelion, but they do sit differently. You will notice the difference mostly across the back. The lightweight knits such as DBP will need to be tacked at the criss-cross. This is in the instructions. With the more stable knits, however, this isn't always necessary. It may become your own preference.
Choosing a size will be important for Dandelion. Begin with chest measurement (always taken with arms down at their sides and not up!!) and choose the closest size, either up or down. This is meant to be a fitted top around the chest with a small amount of negative ease. It does not work well to be sized up too much as it will become wide at the shoulders.
When it comes to the waist and hip, you will need to make sure to blend sizes according to the size chart. Especially when making the tank! Unlike the chest fit, it is fine to size up for more room in the waist and hip, but you will not want it to be any smaller.
Early draft with too small waist and hip.
This is an exaggerated look at what will happen if you size too small at the bottom of the top. The negative ease at the bottom will cause the fabric to ride up to the smallest part and, as you can see, the top will start to gape and sit high over the shoulders.
Photo: Noortje @noortjesnels
The facings, in particular, the arm facings.... We tested out a few different lengths to include in the cut chart. In the end, I settled on the amount that seems to work the best for most fabrics. I think the majority of people will not be too concerned with how perfectly the facing goes on, but if you are someone who is concerned, I will always suggest to test out the fabric. Knits come in SO many different weights with recovery factors and stretch factors. This gives a variety of results that we learn about as we sew with different knits.
The instructions include a tip about choosing to attach the facings on the arms and the neckline to be either visible or not. This allows for some fun with accent fabrics.
Photo: Natalie @hunnybunnyboutique
This adorable little girl has a long torso and she's very blessed to have a mama that knows that and can make those personal adjustments for her. However, even with that knowledge I decided it was still too short (on others as well) so just before releasing this pattern I added another inch to the final length. That was after all our finals were finished so the pictures don't reflect that. I did want to make sure that you know that before you start.
Photo: Katy @katydesmarais
Photo: Lesley @frullemieke
We have three hems to choose from. The basic tank, the short peplum and the long peplum which is simply 2" longer than the short. Each of these options give a slightly different look. (Again, this picture of the tank does not include the added 1".)
Photo: Cassandra @dearviolette_btq
Here you can see what our two free patterns look like together!! I'm pretty excited about this. This is the Pinecone skirt without the cut-outs (The cut-outs don't really suit this particular pairing.) along with the Dandelion. Either peplum length works well with the Pinecone, but I sure am loving this long peplum.
Photo: Kyla
I would be crazy not to point out the Dande-Shore combo! I love everything about this top with the Rocky Shore tights for a playdate outfit.
I think that's it. My brain is feeling scattered so I'm hoping I have included all the important notes! I hope you enjoy this pattern and that you share your versions with us in the FB group.