If you've read my blogs before you've probably realised that when I find a pattern I love, I get a little obsessed and I end up using that pattern over and over again.
It all started with the Miss Ruby Tuesday Dress by 1 Puddle Lane. That was the first women's knit fabric dress pattern that I had ever attempted and from the first dress I made I was obsessed. The pattern was so easy to follow, perfect for a beginner seamstress.....over 100 dresses later (and I'm not kidding) I still haven't gotten sick of it! I love the fit, style and variations and I just love how much fun it is to modify.
Next came the Heartlight and Starlight Skirts by Pattern Emporium, then the culottes pants pattern I designed and currently it's the Wiggle Dress by Patterns for Pirates.
I bought the pattern when it first came out but I kept putting off making it because I didn’t think it would suit my body type and I have never been comfortable wearing figure-hugging dresses.
……And then I saw the gorgeous Blythe Tait wearing her amazing Wiggle and I was sold. I still hesitated, as I just wasn’t sure it would suit me, however a very good friend of mine was celebrating her 30th birthday party and it was a 90s theme. I’ve always loved the gorgeous red dress Julia Roberts wore in Pretty Woman so I decided to push through my body image issues and make myself a Pretty Woman Dress.
Instead of making the main dress in three pieces I chose to make a bodice and attach it to the skirt as it would need to be lined. I altered the neckline of the Wiggle bodice and added a V wire so that the bodice kept it’s shape.
I received so many comments from my Pretty Woman dress that I decided it was time to make an every day wear Wiggle. But first I needed fabric and I didn’t have to wait very long. The super talented Jodie from Fizgigs and Fezziks Fabulous Fabrics asked me to create something with a super funky print she designed. As soon as I saw it I knew it would be transformed into my first ever non-fancy dress Wiggle and after that, I was hooked.
The only alteration I made to the pattern was that I added binding to the neck instead of hemming and elastic.
Two of my last dresses that I made as a Lush Motivator Seamstress for Lush Fabrics Australia were wiggles.
This print reminded me so much of Alice in Wonderland that I just had to add an Alice themed applique to this Wiggle.
I love supporting Australian fabric businesses and one of my favourite online stores is Crafty Mamas Fabrics. Earlier this year they started stocking gorgeous retro-style print fabric from a Swedish designer Fabric
The prints are so very me and I thought the Wiggle Dress would compliment the fabric’s retro vibe.
As it’s coming up to Summer here in Aus I knew I’d need some summery dresses. So altered the Wiggle again and made it sleeveless.
So far I have made 12 Wiggles in total but I know I’m not going to stop just yet. I can see many more Wiggles being made in the new future. And I can’t wait to discover what my next favourite pattern will be.