Like most people, the Hamptons evokes images of relaxed beachside style, white and blue décor and fabric and quiet luxury. Style Arc were kind enough to offer me a pattern to review so I chose this because I already had the perfect fabric from Linen Lab to match it. I’ve had this piece of Ramie Cotton since I did a pattern test for Linen Lab. I chose the stripe seersucker because of the fabric content which is Ramie Cotton. Ramie is a natural fibre made from the Nivea plant. It feels almost linen-like but is quite sheer. The cotton component makes it so soft. When I visited South Korea, I came across unblended Ramie fabric which was used to make Hanbok. It was explained to me that the fabric starts out very stiff but softens with washing. I love the texture of the seersucker and the relaxed look it gives the dress.
Style Arc has its sizing chart on its website so looking at my measurements of 38-inch bust, 33-inch waist and 40-inch hips fits into the size 12 for my bust and hips and the size 14 for my waist. I checked the finished measurements and decided that I would be fine to sew the size 12 without grading between the sizes. There are a lot of detailed measurements included on the website and the pattern instructions which makes it easier when deciding what to sew. I remember struggling with this when I first started to sew but I learnt to always start with checking my measurements (maybe not each sew but time to time) and to disregard my ready-to wear sizing because it doesn’t always match up with sewing pattern sizing. Also, sewing pattern sizing can vary with different companies so it’s important to sew a few items from the company to understand their sizing. Often, I will also make a toile, but I skipped that this time because I knew from my pattern pieces that I would be okay. I wonder if anyone else has found that after a few years of sewing?
The Hamptons Woven Dress has so many gorgeous features. I love the fit that princess seams give especially with the bust dart that starts from the centre front rather than the side. It also features a curves high-low gathered skirt with inseam pockets. I’ve made mine with the sleeveless option which is finished with binding. It’s also neatly finished with a deep skirt hem with facing. Overall, it’s a beautifully designed shirt dress perfect for a day in the Hamptons.
When I saw that the instruction booklet was only 7 pages long, I was a bit worried that I might not have the skill to finish the dress. I saw that there is a QR code which says to scan for the tutorial, but I wanted to challenge myself and see if I could sew the dress with just the written instructions. I was happily surprised that I could! So, the instructions are quite detailed but concise which I found to be better for me as I sometimes get a bit lost when there are too many words to focus on. I like the illustrations which match and enhance the written instructions. There was only one very small detail that I would have liked included which is to number the pattern pieces so that it’s easier to match the pieces to the instructions which uses the numbered system. There must be a key somewhere in the pages, but I have missed it.
The Hampton Woven Dress from Style Arc was enjoyable to sew, and I love the dress I’ve made. I’m so glad that I found a match for my Linen Lab Stripe Seersucker. I feel justified in my fabric collection. Sometimes it’s worth hanging onto the fabric until the right pattern comes along! I’m currently looking for some storage solutions for my fabric. I feel that it’s a bit exposed now but currently researching storage solutions. So grateful to Style Arc for gifting me the pattern and of course, all opinions remain my own.
Thanks for reading and happy sewing!
X Em
Em Sew Happy Blog 