Tammy Handmade Pattern – Em Sew Happy Blog

When I saw that Tammy from Tammy Handmade was looking for testers for her latest pattern, I was quick to apply. I had sewn her free pattern, the Etty Camisole earlier this year. Her patterns are well set out and written, and I liked how her pattern fit me. The Daisy Dress is the latest pattern and has the bonus of including cup sizes. It’s a summer dress with the option for sleeves, straps of different widths or adjustable straps. It also comes in two lengths and has elasticated or shirred back bodice. This dress is the ideal holiday dress that I’ve been looking for!

Being a tester means that we get to preview the pattern before release. I was so impressed by how much work had gone into the pattern before testing. It was such a pleasure to sew and test this pattern. I chose to sew the Size 14 for my measurements of 38-inch bust, 33-inch waist and 40-inch hip. There was some give in the fit because of the shirred back so even though it is fitted through the bodice, it wasn’t necessary for me to grade at the waist as I would if it was a fitted dress with a different closure like a zip.

Tammy also mentions that this is the first time that she has included cup sizes in her pattern. It makes it so much easier when pattern makers include cup sizes! I used the B/C/D cup. It’s easy to choose the cup sizes with the inclusion of the upper bust measurements. Everything fits so perfectly because of this inclusion.

Ever since I used adjustable straps for my True Bias Calvin Dress, I’ve wanted to add this to other garments. Since one of my shoulder sits a bit lower than the other, I’m always dealing with falling straps. Oh, did I mention this dress has pockets?

With the gathered skirt, I thought I would choose a fabric with fluid drape. I came across this poppy printed rayon at my local Spotlight store. It had the perfect amount of drape and weight. I do love to wear rayon in hot and humid climates. It’s so comfortable and breezy. It’s also an easy fabric to sew because even though it’s lightweight and breathable, it’s fine to use the overlocker to finish the seams. No French seams required.

The part that I worried a little bit about was the shirred back bodice. I have used shirring in other patterns but not to such an extent as this pattern. At first, I followed the pattern where the fabric is doubled over to line itself the shirred. This didn’t seem to work for my machine even after playing with the tension and stitch length, so I made the back bodice with white muslin lining. The muslin is thin and loosely woven and this change made it possible to shirr my rayon. If this didn’t work, I was going to use the other method outlined in the pattern which uses elastic.

Overall, I think this is a great pattern to sew. It’s easy to fit and the instructions are excellent. Tammy has also made a YouTube sew along which is great if you’re a visual learner. I really liked the illustrations that she included with the pattern which are super clear. Now counting down to wearing this dress in the sunshine!

Thanks for reading and happy sewing!

X Em

This is my first Tammy Handmade pattern. It is always great when a pattern maker provides a free pattern to try. This is a lovely camisole with a scallop neckline. The neckline is a great point of difference. The length of the camisole with thin straps makes for an elegant looking top.

I was so happy to match the pattern to a beautiful piece of fabric that I had received from Devonstone Fashion. It’s a Liberty Tana Lawn named Mrs Gardener. The print shows brightly detailed flowers on an off-white backdrop. There was a recent showcase by Regent Street Fabrics and Two Green Zebras in Brisbane and Melbourne showing some beautiful Liberty fabrics. So many beautiful prints. It looked like such an inspiring event with all the outfits showcased on the catwalk. I was gifted 600 cm of this fabric but with the 130cm wide width, it was easily enough for this Cami top.

My measurement of 38-inch bust, 33-inch waist sits between the size 12 and 14. The finished garment shows a bit of ease in the waist, so I chose my size based on my bust size and made the size 12 without any modifications. It’s a little bit snug under the arm but feels like a good fit. The pattern is true to size. Next time I would reduce the seam allowance by a little.

The construction was very beginner friendly. The steps were logical and easy to follow. The facings are attached separately to the front bodice and back bodice. It was also an easy method for attaching the straps. The instructions and illustrations are comprehensive so I feel that someone with little experience could pick up this pattern and follow it easily.

The cotton lawn is a lightweight breezy fabric. It’s a great fabric for a beginner to sew with because it’s stable. It’s also such a comfortable fabric to wear for summer. The most challenging part of the pattern was sewing the scallop neckline. The instructions were great for this, and it was a good practise for sewing curved lines. I really enjoyed the process, and I’ve seen Tammy use some decorative stitching in her versions and would love to try this next time.

Overall, a great experience sewing this pattern. I think Tammy Handmade is a great indie pattern company that I’ll be returning to. This camisole has been a great quick project. I’m tempted to try sewing a few in a batch even though my previous experience sewing in batch has ended in disasters. I think with a little bit more experience under my belt, I might try again. I’ll explore sewing with different fabrics next time maybe with viscose or rayon. It’s nice to be dreaming of things to sew.

Thanks for reading and happy sewing!

X Em