The Mabel dress is one of the recent releases from Tilly & The Buttons; it’s a dress and blouse pattern with shirring around the waist and cuffs. It caught my eye as the design is really ‘on trend’ at the moment and the sort of dress that you would definitely see in the shops. It also interested me because of the interesting details like the shirring, the neckline tie and the nice square neckline shape.
Fabric
I have made two versions of the Mabel (so far!). My top version was made from a sage green cotton poplin (with a linen look) from www.poundfabrics.co.uk This was really stable and easy to work with and gave a nice structured look to the top. I would recommend using a cotton like this if you are a beginner. I liked the fact that it was a plain (solid) colour as it has made the top easy to pair with other clothes.
For my dress I used a beautiful viscose covered in flowers and foliage with a black background from www.sewoverit.com I was interested to see how different the pattern would look in a drapey fabric and I really love it. Its slightly sheer so I may need to wear a slip with it but it feels lovely against the skin. Due to how lightweight it is, it doesn’t give too much gathering around the waist which is what I wanted and the skirt flows so nicely.
Fitting
Fit wise Mabel was a dream! My measurements always fit more or less perfectly into a size three with Tilly & The Buttons. Sometimes I need to make adjustments but with this pattern both the top and the dress fit with no problems at all which was amazing! The shirring at the waist and cuffs helps a lot as the elastic is obviously very forgiving around the waist and hips. Length wise, the peplum section of the top hits me just around the hips and I added the suggested 23.5 inches to the pattern piece and was happy with the length of the skirt portion of the dress.
So far I have found that the elasticated sleeve heads stay in place properly with no slipping down which is great and the front and back neckline sits nicely against my chest / back with no problems. The only issue I have experienced is the sleeves do seem to twist round a small amount when I wear both the dress and the top, so I have found myself fiddling with them a little bit. I’m not sure whether that’s my sewing, the pattern, or anything else. But that’s just a very minor point, so all in all, a great pattern fit wise!
Sewing
I always say this in my Tilly & The Buttons reviews but its true…..the instructions are brilliant. They hold your hand throughout with great clear, colour pictures to support you along the way. There is also a useful YouTube video which gives you advice on shirring if you need it. Together with advice on fitting, how to sew bra stays and fabric inspiration on the Tilly & The Buttons website www.tillyandthebuttons.com/p/mabel.html
I found all of the sewing steps straight forward to follow and the whole garments came together quite quickly. You could definitely sew this in a day if you are an advanced beginner to intermediate level dressmaker. The neck ties can be a bit fiddly if you are using a drapey fabric but take your time and if worst comes to the worst they are cut from a really narrow piece of fabric so you can probably cut another one from your scraps if needs be!
I especially liked the way that the seam allowance on the two front bodice pieces is folded in to avoid any raw edges without having to overlock it. The instructions also include a step on how to prevent the armhole seam allowances from popping out at the neckline which is nice.
The only step that slightly tripped me up was sewing the sleeve to the bodice neckline. On my first attempt with my top, I pinned them together at the wrong angle. There is actually a zoomed in shot within that step of the instructions which I perhaps didn’t pay enough attention to! The seam is slightly curved for about three quarters of an inch to maintain the 5/8ths seam allowance but through that section the fabric edges do not match. On reflection, it is actually clear in the photos but it may be something to watch out for. Other than that, the sewing process was very smooth!
Style
In terms of style, I have worn my top version several times already and it’s the ideal top to dress up a pair of jeans. The square open neckline is perfect for showcasing a nice necklace and jewellery. The shirring at the waist cinches you in nicely and the option of elbow length or full-length sleeves makes it appropriate for different seasons and occasions!
I think your choice of fabric will dictate how and where you wear your Mabel. My black floral dress feels much more dressy than my top and I can definitely see myself wearing it to a night out or a nice dinner. Whereas a solid colour dress like the one the model is wearing on the pattern envelope would be lovely as a day dress.
In summary, I love Mabel! It’s a style which makes me feel fashionable, its easy to make and can be dressed up or down depending on your fabric choice!
Comments