Merchant & Mills Workbook

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My copy came today! Have been drooling over the patterns but can't pick which one to make first...happy problem to have

Anyone else treated themselves to it?

Meant to say altered the neckline again.

Ooh, that's lovely Lavender. The self binding really sets it off beautifully and the checks ( plaids - do like that word ! ) look very chic.
It will probably be very comfortable to wear but it will look very smart at the same time, which is actually a very good combination and normally hard to pull off.
I hope you enjoy wearing it.

It has grown on me, exponentially, overnight Getmeout . After a very quick trip into town I now have a choice of necklaces to wear with it.

Might wear it tomorrow with my clogs.

Impressive! Looks really lovely

Thanks Sponsored, I have ordered a bottle green cardigan to wear with it, hopefully it should arrive today.

I am going to make a Camber dress today, to wear in London at the weekend! Hopefully I will finish it, will post a photo if I do!

Well, I have just cut out my dress, but, foolishly cut one of my sleeves from the front I had cut out. I chose the Liberty stuff I linked to above as very thin so will be cool, no pattern matching required as too busy.

I do have another metre of it somewhere in a box so I can rescue it and use the other pieces to make a dress for my daughter.

But, really. I searched the house for the 'front' for a while thinking I had put it somewhere, then decided to check the back of the sleeves and there were my dart marks.

Decided to quit while I am ahead today and do something else - such a fool!

That sounds very very annoying Lavender.
I have felt like throwing things out the window sometimes ( the binding on the Camber actually made me feel like that the first time I did it. )

I did find my spare piece of fabric (bought another metre to make something for my daughter (we will not wear them at the same time, obviously, but she loved it).

I re-cut my front and it is sat there waiting for another day/week!

Resurrecting this to say that I managed to finish the dress I had the cutting out disaster on today.

I had forgotten how silk like some of the Liberty lawns are when you sew them (read absolute pain).

I went down a size from my last Camber dress and it is still roomy. Currently drying after a post finish wash.

Do you like your Camber dress getmeout, I can't remember if it was the first one you had made.

I was in love with them a couple of months back but think I am heading towards making something with a bit of structure/darts next.

One of my go to patterns is a simple shift dress with darts and a zip, I think I want 'shape' next. I have worn the trapeze - still not sure about the hugeness of it. I wonder if it would be better in something softer and heavier that draped better.

Actually, after washing and ironing it it has grown on me.

I have a cardigan which is a good match and a necklace (that was one of the purchases for the trapeze).

Oh wow, Lavender, that's a lovely dress! I'm glad that it has grown on you as it is really special.
The one I posted was my second Camber, and definitely my better one, but really only in terms of fabric choice. I did make both of them a lot slimmer than the pattern and longer, as I too wanted a bit of shape, even in a shift. Shifts are great, but you don't want too feel you are drowning in them. I've really enjoyed wearing mine and have already worn it 3 times to work ( without telling anyone that I had made it ) and got two great comments ( one from a French colleague and one from a New York colleague who both definitely know their clothes and both dress beautifully ). I then let on that I had made it and they were both absolutely astounded ( in a good way! )
I've just cut out the Racer back top and dress from the Workbook, oh, and I made another sleeveless bias top last week, but it's not as good asmy first one ! We keep having the odd hot day and I quickly throw on a sleeveless top and then it's back to jumpers the next day.
Oh, almost forgot, I made the Saltmarsh skirt in the very fine black denim ( there is a small shot of in the work book p.67 bottom right hand corner ). They had this made up in the shop when I went in and I really liked it. I have made it about 15cm shorter though, so you can see my ankles. I really like it, but have only worn it round the house so far as haven't felt confident going out in it as it is not something I would normally wear, but it is super comfortable and I love the deep pockets.
Lavender, would the Curlew dress suit your requirement for fittedness (if that's word ) ? The top is certainly more fitted and flattering than I was expected so hopefully the dress would be the same. I have bought some dark blue chambray for M & M ( again when I was on the shop )as it was only 6.75 a metre as you do need 3m for the dress and I didn't want to spend a fortune ( well, another fortune ! )

Thank you getmeout, I am wearing it today - very cool and silk like. The bit I am not very fond of on all of my Camber dresses is the centre back near the waist. They all seem a bit too baggy there. I might try a couple of slim darts. I did try encasing a 4" piece of elastic in a self binding on the first one but it was really wrong for the dress.

You must be really pleased with the compliments on your dress. Who they come from does make a difference .

I will have a look at the curlew dress when I get home (I am killing 3 hours outside music school right now). Does it take so much because it is bias cut? I have got lots of 2m lengths but I don't think I have any 3m lengths.

Off to browse M&M .......

Yes, a couple of slim darts in the back is a good idea - hadn't thought of that.

Yes, you need so much because of the bias and it needs to be cut in the centre of the fabric as well as otherwise you make get an annoying twist. ( so they said in the shop ). I also think a tighter weave would be the best. I got away with it on the tops ( looser weave and squeezing out of smaller piece of material ) but I wouldn't risk it on the dress.

Thanks for the suggestion GetMeOut. I am going to try the Curlew.

I have read the book and looked at the layout and I am going to make a sleeveless one out of one of the wide 2m lengths I have, I might even have a separate 1m somewhere (I do this thing where I buy 2m and then think another metre might be useful - no idea why but it came in handy when I made my last dress). If not I will make it as long as I can without compromising the fabric.

If I like it I will buy something else to make it in. I really like some of the Indian fabrics M&M have.

Your chambray seems to have sold out. Hopefully it will come back into stock.

Good idea, Lavender, especially for the 'summer'.

It suggests using seam tape and I bought some iron on seam tape from ebay, which was super easy, but now I've used it I realise that I could just have easily cut up some thin iron interfacing into strips.
I did also follow their instructions for a very fine zig zag for the seams.

merchantandmills.com/products/cotton/cotton-chambray-dark-blue/

This is the one I got, though I did originally want the other one that is still out of stock

I finished the racer back dress last night and I'm wearing it today over a long sleeve t shirt, and might also go and put leggings on it a minute.

This is very straight up and down so I did take a little bit in at the waist and slightly shortened the shoulder strap and widened it . I altered the curved hem seam at the back, but I think that might have been a mistake. But overall, a nice quick comfortable dress. I made it out of a 1.5m of the laundered linen.

I've come to the conclusion that I think all the M & M patterns have been deliberately designed so we can alter them to how we want - I think that is part of the ethic ie you become your own designer for your own body type and taste. This, however, is also a testament to the good overall basic design of the their patterns.

I was going to ask you which seam tape you used. My mother always made her own from lightweight cotton and sewed it in. Didn't it used to be called stay tape? I think I will probably try to find some to sew on rather than iron on as I am not always careful enough when I wash things for iron on.

The racer back dress sounds nice. I have got a lot of work to do this week but I will sew as soon as I can .

Getmeout - two long darts, tapering to an inch wide in the back of the Camber are perfect for me. That is a lot of fabric isn't it, 4" at the waist.

I have just bought two card patterns (they won't be selling them anymore once their current stock runs out). Park Lane and Panel Dress. I have admired the style of both of them for ages and wanted them in case they don't re-produce them in paper.

I have just seen that East has gone into administration. I used to buy linen tunics and cotton lawn bias cut dresses from East but haven't bought anything for about 18 months - since I started sewing my own clothes again really.

I often think that M&M reminds me of East.

Thank you , Lavender - I will give that a go on my next Camber ( I have some material in mind )

Interesting about the card patterns - I had been admiring those two as well, so might treat myself too ! Thanks for the heads up

I plan to cut out another Saltmarsh skirt this weekend. I managed to get some of the stripy linen in which it is made up in the book. My teenager DD's suggestion ! ( who actually has a very good eye as to what looks good - even though she dresses head to toe in black ! )

Did you sew anything else Getmeout?

I put back darts in all my Camber dresses - much better. I experimented with two very narrow front darts (in different places) but they looked odd.

I am in the process of severely altering the trapeze dress. So far four narrow darts in both front and back. I bought some more thread and binding to allow me to take in the sides and re-do the hem. We have a tipi tent and when I walked down the stairs it billowed up and reminded me of our tent . I think it will be more fit and flare when I have finished with it.

I actually made another Camber dress today - should have been working, but I am out all day in the sun on Wednesday and decided that a longer Camber dress in cotton lawn would be nice to wear. I already had the fabric which is OK, I am not in love with it (hence the fact it was still in my fabric pile).

I made size smaller than previously and did french seams everywhere, adding my long darts at the back. I made it 6" longer than the pattern. I am really happy with the fit, the best yet I think.

My patterns arrived last week, they are very luxurious. I might wait until Autumn to make them though - lack of time and more than enough clothes to wear really.

Lavender,

That sounds really interesting - I will experiment on my next Camber. It sounds as though it makes a good fit. It's annoying to have to go back and make amendments but well worth it in the long run if it makes you more comfortable with the fit and hence more likely to wear it.
I also amended my racer back dress at the weekend and took some length off the hem (the back is meant to be longer than the front but I felt it was too much longer. I think it might have had something to do with me taking some length off the shoulder straps as well )
I then made another Saltmarsh skirt in stripey linen and also knocked off another racer back sleeveless top in some Nani Iro double gauze ( lovely and soft with great drape ) This wasn't in my plan and was a spur of the moment decision and it's the one I most pleased with !
I really must slow down now ( I have been pushing myself as I wanted new things to take away with me in a couple if weeks time and I had set my self the idea of making everything !)
I haven't made things for myself for about 25 years and then since Easter I have made 2 Camber dresses, 1 Camber Tunic, 4 sleeveless tops, 2 Saltmarsh skirts and 2 pairs of 101 trousers ( one of which I need to unpick and take some weight out or I won't wear them !)

Me too GetMeOut. I learnt to sew with my Mother from about 8 and used to sew everything I wore at uni and for a few years afterwards (am now 47), unpicking things from the charity shops. Thankfully I was quite poor and photos are few . Stopped sewing for me for a long time but sewed everything around the house.

When my daughter was 3 she was in a play (!) at her nursery and needed a bumble bee costume and I started sewing clothes again.

I surprised myself by making things I am really happy with (used to buy few items but expensive, well made ones). I find it really relaxing. I sew at one end of my study and have a little radio. I am of the age where R4 or R3 is it.

You have been very very busy though! I can imagine us accidentally bumping into each other in an airport and recognising each other as our Mnet personas .

Isn't that strange, Lavender ! A very similar pathway. I love the idea of spotting a fellow mumsnetter by looking for clues in clothing

I've made the Shirt Dress and Factory dress - in fact have made about 4 Shirt dresses and am about to make a couple more for winter! Have been wondering about this book so may ask for it for my birthday. I tend to use vintage fabric as a rule but broke my rule to buy one of the block printed fabrics. Have had so many compliments on the dress made from that fabric.

I am the same Joffrey, end up with several of the same style - but they all look so different. I bought the Landgate pattern recently and some stay tape so that I can make the bias cut dress in the book.

As usual, all I need is time.

Hello, so nice to hear that there are people out there who have similar hobbies. I've made the curlew in that heavy-ish linen on MM...the colour is called something like 'acqua'. It's definitely the best thing I've made so far, and gets worn a lot. My only issue is that I couldn't sew it up with a zig zag, as the instructions required (my machine is an indestructible old backwards-and-forwards-only) so some of the seams have needed a bit of patching up. Which I'm too lazy to do.
I love the linens on MM- they don't look all crumpled and harassed after 5 minutes wear.