inari | english girl at home

We’re currently in Cornwall for a few days holiday. I could have driven, but decided to get the train down so that I could use the time to knit. It was a very successful train journey as I read two magazines, finished knitting a scarf, and listened to an audiobook.

During our first full day on holiday, yesterday, I wore this new-ish Inari Tee Dress to go for a long walk and to sit on the beach (where I added tassels to my scarf, and made a start on the second knitting project I packed). Wearing it reminded me that I ought to blog about it before winter is here.

This fabric was one of three I purchased when we visited Japan in 2017. It’s a double gauze with a lion and tiger print made by Kokka and purchased in Tomato. I bought it with the intention of sewing this dress – Named’s Inari Tee Dress – and three years later I have.

I haven’t sewn as many new outfits for myself this year, as I’ve been busy with test sewing for my forthcoming patterns, but I got the sudden urge to sew this dress one weekend last month. I knew I had sent the pattern for A0 printing sometime ago, but found the pattern pieces already cut out, and I made this dress in a day.

Past me had cut a straight size 38, but in future I might grade between sizes for more ease in the hips. It’s a really simple and satisfying sew. I used a tip I picked up recently – possibly from Threads Magazine – to start overlocking the bottom of the facing from the shoulder seam, rather than the centre back, so that it looks neater on the hanger.

Have a good week everyone. I’m off for a walk on the beach followed by a pasty for lunch.

This is my first Named Clothing Inari Tee Dress, sewn using a metre of Liberty Tana Lawn, purchased as a pre-cut length in a Liberty sale.

This print reminds me of Japanese woodblock prints, so I made sure to pack it for my recent holiday to Seoul (where these photos were taken) and Tokyo. However, Karen notes on her vlog that the print was actually inspired by Mount Stuart in Scotland. A perfect excuse for a trip to Scotland next, methinks.

This dress was one of those projects which, I decided lateish in the evening, I absolutely needed to make to wear to work the next morning. Sometimes those projects turn out ok despite me, other times not.

In this instance, I selected a size based on the wrong size chart (i.e. I took the finished measurements chart to be the size chart) and cut the dress two sizes too small (a size 4 instead of 8). The dress ended up thrown aside in disgust for a couple of weeks before I revisited and realised that it did still fit, if a little lacking in ease.

As an aside, I made Phil walk towards that lovely purple wall, as a perfect photo background, until we got close and realised that it was a paper covering over the real wall…

I’ll definitely cut a larger size next time, as there’s quite a bit of pressure from my hips on the seam at the top of the side slits in this version! In fact, I’m planning to go back and reinforce them to protect this dress.