Two Tilly and the Buttons Cleo dresses
Greetings. This month for the Minerva Crafts Blogger Network I have made a pink corduroy Tilly and the Buttons Cleo dress. If you want to read more about it and/or see more photos, you can do so on Minerva’s page here. I bought the pattern and interfacing myself and Minerva provided everything else. I love the pattern and I love the dress!
My January Minerva Make – Tilly and the Buttons Cleo dress in pink needlecord, worn with White Stuff tights, Doc Marten shoes, Primark t-shirt.
Before I made the pink version, however, I made a red one, which is equally awesome! I used a fabric called ‘Gaberchino’ which is a combination of gabardine and chino fabric, so it’s medium/heavyweight hard-wearing fabric.
Tilly and the Buttons Cleo dress
I got the jeans buttons and dungaree fasteners from Abakhan in Manchester. It was the first time I had ever used jeans buttons and they needed a surprising amount of hammering!
Hammer and awl
The dungaree fasteners are ok, although the straps are that bit too narrow for them I think, which is why, when I made my pink corduroy version, I widened the straps to match the clips.
Early morning no make up selfie – I was just so excited when I put it on for the first time!
I used a twin needle and regular thread to topstitch my red Cleo dress. I didn’t use a triple stitch or anything, just a normal stitch with a slightly longer length for some subtle topstitching. Using the twin needle was great – I set it up on my old Elna machine so that I didn’t keep having to switch needles.
Left: my main machine
Centre: overlocker
Right: machine set up with twin needle
I didn’t make any alterations to the red dress, but I did cut a size bigger than normal as I prefer a looser fit in these dresses. I first wore the dress for a weekend away in West Yorkshire; the photos are taken on Scar Top on our way to Haworth. It was very, very cold!
Nautical vibes on a snowy hill far away from the sea
During our visit, in a shop where I crouched down to look at something on a low shelf, I heard a rip of stitching and later discovered one of the straps had almost pulled out at the back! I have since resewn it and reinforced it, and when I made my pink version, I made sure to triple stitch it, twice!!
Red dungaree dress FTW
What I love about these dresses is how practical and cosy they are as part of an outfit, not to mention cute! When I first started wearing them, I worried that I basically looked like a five year old. But then I got over it. I don’t care! I feel great! I love how you can layer up underneath them with one or more t-shirts (even my Grainline Studio Linden sweatshirt looks good underneath), you can wear thick, cosy tights, warm boots with extra socks for foot warmth, and then throw a big slouchy cardigan over the top (which I did right after these photos!).
Warming up with a coffee in Haworth 🙂
I may have to make myself at least one more version – I’ve got some lovely navy blue fabric that would look great with contrasting topstitching!
Tilly Buttons Cleo – winner!
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These are lovely! And you certainly don’t look like a 5 year old haha. This is one of the only Tilly patterns I haven’t made for fear of looking like a child/shapeless but your versions are beginning to convince me otherwise. Plus needlecord is just lovely for winter weather!
Ooh yes give it a go. I think they’re actually quite flattering to the body. And the needlecord is lovely 😊
I love your Cleos! I do think it’s honestly young for me 🙂 (I’m 62) but they suit you to a Tee and are certainly not too young for you! I made one similar for myself in 1972 when I was 18 out of a wide whale purple corduroy and everyone asked me where I bought it they loved it so much. I wore it a lot with black leotards and a black turtle neck.
You look so great! This is an adorable pattern and I’ve been thinking about making one for myself. And as a reply to PsychicKathleen, I’m 66 and I would wear this in a heartbeat. I dare you!
Do it! Make one! 😁
You’re not too old, wear what you love! The 70s one sounds fab!! 💜
Very cute! I would wear this and I’m 69, I would just make it a little longer.
Glad to hear that you would wear it too! I think it would suit most people to be honest!
Both are lovely, but I really like the red. If you make the straps wider do you have to alter the back pattern piece/ Will it still fit?
I didn’t alter the back pattern piece because I forgot! I ended up with maybe 1/4″ seam allowance each side but that was enough to sew it securely. After sewing even with a 5/8″ seam allowance you end up trimming it down anyway!
I love them both! 2 gorgeous dresses