Jungle meets garden
The call from Jungle Headquarters is always very strong, and this year was no exception.
Due to my fear of wearing animal prints, my previous Jungle January entries have always pushed the boundaries of fabric selection. In 2013 it was all about birds and in 2014 my fabric featured zebras, giraffes & elephants.
This year my Liberty Clifton Jersey (purchased from Shaukat) ended up being jungle meets domestic garden. There are elephants, birds, monkeys and numerous jungle plants, but the print also incorporates watering cans, buckets, spades, garden forks, snails, flowers & bikes. What the?
This is one of the issues of ordering fabric online. There are often quite a lot of unknowns. The product photos on the Shaukat website are particularly small, and in this instance, they only showed the more jungle-y components of the print. Not too worry, the colourway is divine and the print… well I love it in all it’s quirky glory.
By the way, while you’re looking at the close-ups above, see if you can see my red twin needle top stitching that is hardly visible in the super busy print. Design feature fail? Yes, but let’s just notch that up to experience.
Have you guess the pattern yet? My Aeolian obsession continues (for previous makes see here, here and here).
For this version, I sized down from a medium to a small to test the designer’s sizing theory. Pattern Fantasique’s website says… “Sized down, it makes a perfect sheath. Neat, but not tight. Excellent in a glamour knit for a super clean, mini, cocktail dress. Sized up it responds with mega drapes and kaftan-esque volume.”
A sheath is a excellent way to describe this dress. The dress is still very comfortable, it is after all made from jersey, but it’s a whole lot less boxy than my previous Aeolian jersey dress and perhaps more flattering. In the right fabric I can definitely see this as a cocktail dress so I’m filling that idea away! Disclaimer… the Liberty Clifton jersey is a slightly finer fabric than the European knits used in version one.
I love how the same pattern with some tweaking can look so so so different. I think this is the reason that I like to re-sew the same patterns over and over and over and over (you get the picture) again while mixing up the sizing, hemlines, fabrics types and fabric combinations. Have I finished with this pattern yet? Ah no… I have two more version still featuring in my sewing day dreams.
How about you… do you love a pattern repeat or are you more of a use it and move on kind of sewer/sewists?
Pattern: Pattern Fantastique’s Aeolian T-shirt Dress (knee length)
Size: S
Fabric: From the Liberty Clifton Jersey range. Purchased online from Shaukat
Alterations: I shortened the pattern by 3 inches and created a 3 inch hem for an above the knee hemline
Accessories: My necklace was a gift
Another lovely dress Anna – you do have an eye for a fabulous print – so much detail up close! Love the necklace too & beautiful photography 😉
Thanks Nic. On these hot humid days all I want to wear is this dress. I obviously need another…
It looks fab Anna – and the fit is great. I love the oddness of the print. It rewards a closer look. I am definitely a ‘make again and again’ sewist. Currently Fiona and I are both trying to move away from our obsession with the Stylish Dress Book ‘Box Dress’ but we keep coming back to it! Of course, there’s always the lure of a new pattern too….
This dress might end up with ‘the most comfortable sew of 2015 award’!
I dare not sew the Box Dress in case I too can’t move away from it!
So great to make a repeat “offender” (just joking) look different every time. This is fab and I love the print. Very nice!
Repeat offender is a draft name for an upcoming post. Stay tuned reader… 😘
I really like this pattern sized down on you and that print is very interesting. Beautiful photography. I am guilty of using the same pattern over and over again…I’ve nearly done the Coco to death, but why stop when a pattern works for you.
I totally agree… If the pattern works then Use it repeatedly . I’m very lucky my best friend is an awesome photographer. So blessed.
Yes, buying Liberty from Shaukat is pot luck. It’s really hard to grasp the scale of the print of the real colours. Sometimes these purchases work, other become nighties 🙂 I love this dress.
Pot luck is an excellent description. I brought the other colourway in this print. It showed the garden parts of the print in the photo & I though it was something totally different. Oh well…
Fantastic fabric, blown away. I want some!!
Thank Coco. It is an awesome print.
[…] Anna always finds fabric that I want to steal! This dress is no exception!It also marks our first elephant sighting! No, offense, Anna- I meant the print- you are perfection! […]
I like this. It looks cool and comfortable in the sunshine. (We have rain. It’s extra special to see sunshine somewhere!) 🙂
It grey and raining here today Linda, but I’m hoping for sunshine later in the day so we can take the girls to the park for a spot of bike riding.
Ok ok, I’ve finally caved and bought this pattern. It looks like a fun, easy make and I like all the variations you’ve made…and perfect for this hot hot weather we’re having.
This is the dress I pull from the cupboard on those hot and humid days. I hope it’s a winning pattern for you too. Jersey shopping is actually hard. Good luck!
It’ s lovely. You have such great style. 💝
Thanks Amanda.
This is the best jungle print fabric ever! I love that it has watering cans too. You did a great job on altering the pattern. It is indeed so flattering on you. I’d love to spend more time exploring patterns and the ways they can be adapted but I also get distracted by new (or old) patterns that come along at the same time! 🙂
I too get over excited at time with the shiny new things. I’m trying to slow things down and try a pattern to it’s fullest before moving on. I hope I don’t bore my readers in the process!
Lovely dress! It goes quite well with your necklace. Revisiting a favorite pattern is the way to go! I love trying new things, but when I want a successful make I go back to my TNT patterns.
Me too and this is definitely a TNT pattern for me. I’ve blogged five, but actually used this pattern six times and I’m still not done yet!
I really like the shape/fit of this one. Hilarious take on the jungle print and now that you’re posing in front of a mountain bike trail I know exactly where you are this time (not like the mystery train station)
Can you believe it was the first time that I’d been to that spot on the river and it’s only 10mins or so from my house? It’s such a gorgeous part of town. I’ll be back!
[…] second Jungle January make for 2015 is another woven Aeolian Dress. Yes, my obsession with this pattern […]
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