Sewing Recently... #2 + Mini Pattern & Fabric Haul

A quick review of the Style Arc Francesca Shirt plus a few sewing bits I've picked up recently.

1/7 Wearing Style Arc Francesca Woven Shirt

Hey friend! I hope you are having a good week so far. It feels like Spring has finally sprung here in Edinburgh and with that, my Spring/Summer sewing list is growing by the minute.

Sewing Recently… Style Arc Francesca Review

A recently completed sewing project of mine (which it is now warm enough to wear) is this Style Arc Francesca Shirt made in a viscose cotton seersucker. This pattern and fabric combination actually made up the 2023 Spring Project we sold at my shop Hey Sew Sister (every quarter/season I put together a mystery seasonal project kit). In both my personal dressmaking and in planning Hey Sew Sister seasonal project kits, I aim to seek out undiscovered or underrated sewing patterns. We see a lot of the same patterns being made and shared, especially across the Instagram sewing community, and whilst this is great and is usually testament to how great a pattern is, it can be refreshing to see different styles and designers sometimes. Style Arc is definitely a larger and well-established sewing pattern company, however some of their patterns, including the Francesca, I’ve seen far less of online. Indeed at the time of writing, the pattern’s Instagram hashtag (#SAFrancescaWovenShirt) has only four tagged posts! I’m not going to speculate too much as to why this is the case, however I would say that perhaps the sample/model images provided online are not the most inspiring and do not do the pattern justice.

I would describe the Francesca Shirt as an elevated basic shirt as it has sleeve darts and neckline ruffle which add some interest to an otherwise basic shirt. This is a straightforward shirt pattern to sew as the button placket is a simple fold over from bodice with no separate placket attachment, the cuff is just a basic circle cuff with no button or opening and there is no fiddly collar to deal with. The ruffle is neatly and simply sewn sandwiched in between the bodice and the facing. There are five small buttons to fasten up the shirt which keep it looking neat and keeping the focus on the pretty neckline ruffle.

I made a size 10 with no adjustments (Style Arc uses Australian sizing which is equivalent to UK sizing though you should refer to size chart as always). I have a fluctuating bust measurement of around 33 inches and waist around 27 inches. I am very happy with the fit. The shoulder breadth is just a tad too wide but not enough for me to make the adjustment and I like the extra room.

When making the shirt, I did not follow the instructions included in the pattern but used Style Arc’s photographic tutorial which I found very clear and easy to follow.

Style Arc class this pattern difficulty level as medium/challenging. Although I have a bit of sewing experience, looking at it as objectively as I can I do think someone with less experience could manage this pattern and would perhaps recommend it to a confident beginning who has a few projects underneath their belt as the online tutorial is very helpful.

The fabric choice I am very happy with. The result is a shirt that is light, airy and relaxed. Styling-wise I will be wearing this with light coloured denim jeans, shorts and skirts. It looks great with sleeves rolled up too. I would definitely recommend the Francesca Shirt if you are in the market for a quick shirt pattern with something a little bit different or quirky about it.

Recent purchases

2/7 Mini pattern haul from Sew Direct

As you might know from my post reviewing the McCalls M8358, I subscribed to Sew Direct’s VIP, a benefit of which is that you receive 40% off all pattern purchases. I’d wanted the Simplicity S9644 knit dress pattern for a while. Having recently bought some retro-feeling red and white organic cotton jersey from Selfmade (pics below) while on holiday in Copenhagen I had the idea to make it into a comfortable little jersey dress and remembered about the S9644. I think the shorter view will give me a 60s inspired mini dress.

Whilst on Sew Direct I had to have a nosy at some other patterns in case I could manage to reach the £25 threshold for free delivery! I was attracted to the Simplicity S9594 due to the beautiful 1960s drawings I am not going to lie. The ladies are looking very glam I have to say but I envision this pattern sewn up in plan or simple print structured fabrics this summer worn with white tennis shoes or ballet flats for a more casual look. I bought some gorgeous floral embroidered cotton in a lovely dusty blue shade from Lamazi (pics below) last week without a plan. I don’t often buy without a plan but I just loved this fabric so much (got a thing for blue at the moment) and knew I would find something for it. I think the S9584 could work!

The McCalls Laura Ashely 80s M8306 pattern I have no solid plans for right now but I’m thinking a lovely small-scale gingham will make a super pretty set. Again paired with white tennis shoes I think it will be the ultimate picnic in the park vibe.

Finally the New Look 6892 is maybe a little boring but I think the main view, view A made up in a white cotton is a basic layering piece that my wardrobe needs as I like to make strappy or sleeveless dresses and tops work for when it’s not quite warm enough (a lot of the time here in Scotland).

3/7 Fabric is a lovely organic cotton jersey from Selfmade.

4/7 I love the retro vibe of the print which is possibly why I thought to come up with a 60s inspired dress.

5/7 Mini dress inspiration from Mango

6/7 Stunning embroidered fabric from Lamazi. I am hoping the holes are small enough for the fabric to go unlined.

7/7 Potential pattern and fabric pairing.

Thanks for joining me today and for making it through all my ramblings! Are there any dressmaking patterns out there which you think are undiscovered/underrated and not getting the recognition they deserve? If so, please

Thank you for reading and speak soon,

Love, G x