The Bellini Sew Along - FBA!

Hey cats and kittens! Remember when I promised you an FBA tutorial just for the Bellini? Well it's here!

Well, it's not EXACTLY here. It's over at the Capital Chic Blog! Head on over and check it out, and if you haven't already, pick up your Bellini pattern while you are there. It's a Sew Along!

Capitol Chic Bellini, take 2

I wear my first Capital Chic Bellini so often that I just had to make another.

This time, I went with basic white. A girl can never have too many simple white blouses. This fabric is a tencel shirting with a nice drape that complements the unstructured style of Bellini. Since I was going for a super wearable basic, I used the cutaway collar this time, and a very understated white button.

The only minor complaint I have with my first Bellini (which I made with no alterations to the pattern) is that there is a teeny bit of pulling at the bust. Not even enough to make the buttons gape, but it does create an unsighly fold at the bustline.

I did a small FBA, adding a horizontal bust dart, and now that little pull is gone.

The back didn't require any alteration at all. Despite the lack of shaping back there, I think the silhouette is nice.

I took a few pictures of the process, so an FBA tutorial for the Bellini is in the cards. Stay tuned for that!

Capital Chic? Yes, please!!

You guys. I have had the hardest time keeping this under wraps. I am so freaking excited about it!!

May I present Capital Chic Patterns? From the talented Sally of Charity Shop Chic comes a new line of beautifully crafted, fun to sew patterns with a London style vibe.

She's starting off with a bang, bringing us a full collection of patterns for a complete work to night life to weekend wardrobe that can easily mix and match to fit your lifestyle.

When Sally emailed me and asked if I could test I was thrilled. The styles are so beautiful, I had a very hard time choosing just one, and she was kind enough to let me do two! She did give me these patterns in exchange for my feedback, and I sewed the beta versions. The opinions are my own.

The patterns I chose to test are Bellini, a lovely cap sleeved blouse with two collar options, and Champagne, a sleek fitted skirt with options for two styles of flounce.

I started with Bellini. The pattern itself is very simple, but all the details for a beautiful finish are there. The sleeves are cut on, and the front opening is faced. It's a perfect wardrobe basic, but with lovely details that will make it a stand out.

The pattern has two collar options. One is a simple cutaway collar that is the perfect blank canvas for embellishment. I couldn't resist the cute scalloped collar though! It requires a little more precision to sew, but I think it's worth the trouble. Such a fun detail.

Here you can see how cute it is buttoned all the way up. I don't ever wear my tops this way, as it rather accentuates my large tracts of land up there, but the blouse is designed to be worn either way, so if this is a look you like, fear not! There will be no gaping or constricting neck to worry about.

The full busted among us will be pleased to hear that I sewed this right out of the packet, without an FBA. I know. That said, you may note a bit of pulling in the armhole. As soon as I'm settled in the new place I plan to make this again (and again and again), and I'll show you how to FBA it.

The fabric I chose was a lightweight poly-cotton pique. It has a pretty sheen and a nice drape. This blouse works for any number of blouse weight fabrics. The instructions call for an impeccable finish with french seams throughout and a machine sewn baby hem. Since there are only a few seams to sew, this really takes no time at all. You'll be amazed how quickly it goes together.

Now, for Champagne. I just love this skirt. The pattern has two options for the flounce. One, which you see here, is a circular flounce all around the hem. The other option (which I will be making soon) has a front band that ends in a cute little rear flounce that acts as a vent.

The body of the skirt has a basic pencil shape with a narrow waistband that sits at the natural waist. There are front and back darts for shaping and the skirt closes with an invisible zipper at the center back. There is a full lining included.

It's very sleek both front and back. You can spot the darts that shape the backside here. They were perfectly placed for me.

The flounce is the fun part though. It really swings! It makes the whole skirt feel light as air.

The fabric I used is a silk tweed that I have been hoarding for a few years. You can see the bias sections in the flounce are accentuated by the plaid. It's a fun affect. The lining is white polyester satin. I love satin linings and white was perfect to brighten the pink of the silk.

The size chart placed me in a 12 for the waist and 14 for the hip, so I blended between those two sizes. I also added a bit of length, as I have long legs and a high waist. With just those changes, I am totally thrilled with the fit. I love it when a pattern really fits the size it says it fits! Although, Sally includes the finished garment measurements in the pattern, so you can cut with confidence. Hey, I cut into my silk without a muslin! Confident!

Overall, I'm completely impressed with the quality and style of Capital Chic patterns! Please head over to the website and check out the full collection! Sally offers two dresses, two skirts, a blouse and a knit top, each pattern with variations to suit your style. The patterns are available as PDF, both in a print at home and print at copy shop version. So, which one will you make first?? I know, it's hard to choose!