I’m adding a few of my past makes onto this blog (partly to bulk it out and partly to make it look like I’m a much faster dressmaker than I actually am…) from my other blog Emily’s Little World. You can check out my original post here.

  
This is the Orla pattern from indie designer Tilly and the Buttons. I was lucky enough to score a 3 month part time internship with her last year and I managed to get a few patterns as swag when I left so you’ll probably see those on here too as I make them! Orla was one of the patterns I worked on whilst I was there. They were already at the testing stage when I started and I got to see the pattern come to market which was pretty cool! That did mean I have a bit of a head start when I came to make up my own Orla because I’ve basically already made a few!

From seeing the pattern and the drape, I already had a fabric in mind from my stash – a bright coral colour crepe which I hadn’t yet found a project for. And I knew I wanted a contrast colour for the snowdrop collar and chose a navy blue.

I did make a slight booboo with the sizing though (silly me!) because I kinda rushed ahead without rechecking the measurements but when I’d last made an Orla at Tilly’s to fit me, I made a size 3 which came out tight so I assumed I’d be a 4 now but they’d added more ease to the pattern without me realising! Fortunately that’s not too much of a problem with this style but I could probably have gone down size! 

This is me and Orla!

   
    
 As you can see we’re getting on just fine.

I added the embellishments to the collar to bring it to life a little more. It took a bit of time and effort as I don’t do a lot of that kind of thing but I think it works well! I love the exposed zip at the back. I do a lot of exposed metal zips anyway but I love how it works here!

Future plans for Orla: a long sleeve colour blocked version and a dress version!