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It’s been ages since I bought myself a couple of Ottobre Woman Design magazines. Finally, I did it! I actually made something using a pattern from one of them (quite a few to go through still).

I took the plunge using issue 5 Autumn/Winter 2016. For the main body of the dress I used
Floral Print Light Weight Sweatshirt Knit Dress Fabric from MinervaCrafts and for the lower front and the sleeves I used black fabric which was a leftover fabric I got from Goldhawk Road years ago.

The pattern I chose to use with my fabrics is the relaxed fit jersey dress with dropped shoulders, cropped sleeves, slanted pockets inserted into the panel seam on the front. The skirt has a slightly tulip-shaped hem.

• Photo credit :https://www.ottobredesign.com/en/

As the dress seems a bit lose, and short on the model, I decided to trace size 38 and leave the length on the sleeves and skirt as they are. These patterns do not have seam allowance and I almost forgot to add it. Well, I did and realised while I was tracing my third piece. Luckily, I left enough space between each piece that I was able to just draw around 0.6 cm seam. Being a knitted fabric I was working with, it was a job for the overlocker.

This magazine is similar to the Burda Style magazine, but better quality in terms of diagrams and instructions for patterns. The instructions are structured to give information about cutting, type of fabric used, sewing techniques used in construction and construction notes. I have to make a note that the tracing sheets are not as crowded as the ones in Burda Style you do not need a magnifier to trace the pattern you want.

Working with an overlocker on knits makes construction super easy. No need to worry about sewing seams and then think about leaving raw edges unfinished, which I could not really do that with this fabric as the flower print being a sweatshirt type of fabric was shedding a little. Besides you know I like the inside to be as pretty as the outside.

Experience taught me (the hard way) that I must take my time when finishing the neckline on tops like this and baste the fabric before sewing/overlocking it in place. This is pretty much the only part of construction I pin and hand baste.

On the selves and front part of the hem I used the twin needle with black thread and wooly nylon in the bobbin.

My finished dress is a bit more fitted and longer than the dress the model in the magazine wears. However, it is the kind of fit I was looking for in the first place. It’s a nice little number than, is getting some wear.

By looking at the back of the dress, you cannot tell in the pictures that one of the threads I used in the twin needle to hem it was black.

I like that it looks like I am wearing a long sleeved top underneath a short sleeved dress. Paying tricks!

I have no idea why it took me so long to start making stuff from this magazine. I am going to try really hard , not to buy more patterns and use the ones I already have, and I have plenty between the paper/PDF patterns, the ones in books and magazines. I don’t think it would be an exaggeration to say I have about 1000 patterns. Shocking! I have the feeling will never make them all, but I find it hard to let them go, at least at the moment.