Sewing the Cielo Dress and Top The day we started stocking the Cielo dress and top pattern by Closet Case all sewing plans went out of the window! I knew I needed the dress version in my life, which I loved so much I ended up making the top too and that almost never happens! Read on to find out why I loved it so much.

Sewing Pattern and Fabric

The Cielo dress and top by Closet Case immediately jumped out at me thanks to the clean lines and simple, modern aesthetic. I loved the simple silhouette of the dress and top and knew they would be comfortable to wear without compromising on style. I loved the dropped shoulder, interesting bust darts which angle down from the armhole towards the bust, angled yoke and multiple design detail options including a neckline facing or binding, gathered sleeves or cuffs and in seam pockets across the front of the dress. Pattern and fabrics I chose to make the dress in a medium to lightweight denim and the top in a pretty cotton lawn. These fabrics were perfect for summer when I sewed the Cielo, but can also be layered up for Autumn and Winter too. One of our lovely YouTube viewers suggested wearing a turtleneck under the dress in cooler months - what a great idea! The top can easily be layered with a vest and cardigan. The Cielo dress and top is part of the Rome capsule wardrobe collection by Closet Case and can also be mixed and matched with the Pietra shorts or trousers and the Fiore skirt pattern.

Adjustment and Sizing

The Cielo Dress

I made the Cielo dress with in seam pockets first and graded from a size 6 on the top to an 8 at the waist down to the hem. There are handy instructions on how to do this included with the pattern if you're unsure. I made my usual high round back adjustment and forward shoulder adjustment, which are standard for me. You can see a tutorial on how to make these here. The Cielo Dress and Top Yoke It was quite a brain teaser working out how to make these adjustments thanks to the angled yoke. To work it out I laid the yoke pattern piece on the bodice piece as it would be once constructed in the fabric accounting for seam allowances then slashed across both pieces and created the necessary extra width by inserting tissue paper. Once I'd made the adjustment in the tissue I checked the pattern pieces fitted together ok before cutting my fabric. It probably wasn't the way a professional pattern cutter would approach it, but I'm pleased to say it worked! Cielo Dress Cielo Dress Back View

The Cielo Top

After falling head over heels in love with the dress I decided to make myself the top too. I decided to raise the bust dart 1/2" because I felt the darts were a little too low on the denim dress. You can see a tutorial on how to do this here. I was concerned the top might be too cropped so I checked the length before cutting my fabric. In actual fact I really liked the length and left it as standard. For me, this is one of the features that gives it a very contemporary feel. The Cielo Top Sewing Pattern I also widened the shoulders on the top by tracing the curve of the armhole onto a piece of card then pivoting the card out from the armhole notch upwards so extra width was created at the shoulders. I often find the shoulders are too scant for me on indie patterns and I wasn't quite getting the dropped shoulder as much as I would like on the denim dress. I altered the sleeve piece to match by measuring between the notches and adjusting accordingly. Cielo Top Back View

Construction

The construction of the top and dress was super duper easy, such a quick and satisfying sew. I particularly liked the cuff construction method. The cuff was folded wrong sides together then sewn to the inside of the sleeve, trimmed, graded and then turned out to the right side of the sleeve and top stitched down. It gave a lovely clean, neat finish. Sleeve

Final Thoughts

The Cielo dress and top pattern really is a wardrobe winner. So many different options to try and different looks to create, possible to make in a wide range of fabrics perfect for all seasons and easy to wear thanks to the stylish yet casual vibe. Sewing the Cielo Dress and Top by Closet Case Patterns

Shopping List

Have fun sewing! Lucy For more tips and tricks on how to make sewing easy you can follow our blog via Bloglovin and receive updates via email each time a new post is added. Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and Twitter for news, tutorials, special offers, sales and more.