First Week of Me-Made-May 14 With Lola

I’ve decided to tie my MMM14 week one round up in with my Lola Dress post. Week one of May has been a short one and um, I wore my Lola dresses every day....

I had been dying to make up the Lola since I first started stocking Victory Patterns in my little store. It looked so comfy and cozy and I have seen some great versions getting around blogland, like this one from The Perfect Nose blog. So far I have made two, a cream one and a grey one but that is only because my local fabric store was all out of black fleece. Expect a black one soon. 

I have worn them for the first 4 days of May. I have only taken 1 me-made-may outfit pic so far. I forgot to take one from the 2^nd to the 4^th. On the 2^nd Wal and I caught the train to Melbourne to see the Jezabels play at the Palais. It was sooo good. I was way too excited about going on a date with my man to remember to take a picture so you’ll just have to visualize- Cream Lola, mauve tights, brown ankle boots and the stripy scarf. On the 3^rd and 4^th it was the grey Lola with black tights and Ugg Boots. I spent the weekend watching River Cottage on my iPad and knitting my Chuck Sweater. The Chuck Sweater is one of Andi Satterlund’s unbelievably cute knitting patterns.

 

I was a little worried about how to fit the pattern to start off with because I was over 3 different sizes (as usual) and I really wasn’t sure how I was going to grade it. I decided to just make it up in the largest of the sizes and go from there. Turns out there was no grading required at all and I ended up sewing the smallest of the 3 sizes (size 8). I prefer it a little more fitted than perhaps the pattern is supposed to be so the 8 worked out fine. I borrowed my Ma’s new overlocker, it’s so lovely to use. I have her old one and it works fine but the new ones are much easier to get the tension right on, not to mention the ease of threading it. Not that I am complaining about the old one at all! I know how lucky I am to be gifted an overlocker.  

I decided to make both versions long sleeved instead of 3 1/4 and I used the same fleece as the body for the ribbing. My local fabric store doesn’t sell cream ribbing so I tried with the fleece and like it so much that I did the same with the grey even though they did have that in store. I left off the little triangle detail because I was using white cotton in the overlocker and I think it would have looked funny with the cream Lola. I don’t miss it though so I am glad I left it off. Perhaps I’ll give it a go with the black one.

Once I figured out the correct fit, sewing her up was a breeze. It took no time at all to cut out and sewing with an overlocker is super fast though it’s also very unforgiving. I made a bit of a boo boo on the seam join ups on the grey Lola at the back and on the cuffs. They slid across a little while I was sewing them. Nothing major but I couldn’t really unpick it and do it again, which is what I would do with a normal machine. I was tired, it was late and I was rushing to get it finished. Not sure why I was rushing as I was under no deadline obligations. Does anyone else do this when they are almost finished a project? The excitement takes over and I just want to get it done. Oh well, just another reminder to myself to slow down and enjoy the process more.

This pic was taken on May 1st for the first day of MMM'14

I will absolutely be making more Lola dresses. I have no idea how I have survived previous winters without them. I love making them and wearing them so much I have actually been texting my girlfriends saying “Oh my goodness, you NEED one of these dresses. Come try mine on so I can work out what size you are and I’ll make one for you!” You know that feeling when something is so good you desperately want the people you love to experience the goodness too... this is how the Lola dress makes you feel.

Caitlan x

*The above pictures (except for the very last one) were styled for this post and were not worn on consecutive days as part of MMM'14.