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I made a Marfy pattern! Its a big deal for me because I have idolised Marfy patterns and Vogue Paris Original vintage patterns for a long time. I am yet to find a VPO pattern I can afford so I bought a Marfy pattern in lieu. Marfy are a small Italian pattern making company that releases a whole year’s collection of patterns around January. They have very unique and interesting designs but they come with no instructions or line drawings. After buying 3879 earlier this year I procrastinated as I honestly didn’t think I had the skill set to make it. I sat on it but I got tired of  my pity party so I reminded myself it wasnt heart surgery and got on with it!

Some background…..I ordered the pattern via email but it can be done over the phone as well. At the time that I ordered this particular pattern wasnt yet on the website. The website has a small selection of patterns to buy online but the catalog has over 200 designs in it. If the pattern you want is not on the site, it can be ordered via telephone or email. My orders from Marfy have both times arrived within 1 week of placing the order.

I made 2 for the Pattern Review One Pattern Many Looks competition. My review is below after the pictures.

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Pattern Description:
Trendy dress with curved-seam bodice emphasized by animal print on plain fabric.

Pattern Sizing:
Marfy size 42, 44, 46. I used size 42.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?
Yes it did.

Were the instructions easy to follow?
This was my first time using a Marfy pattern. I ordered the paper pattern which is made out of a durable type of paper (onionskin I think).
Marfy patterns do not come with instructions. They hand clip each piece, in a single size. They don’t include seam and hem allowances. They do come with all the notches and letters to put the pieces together. You find the picture of patterns on the website or in the catalogue to use as reference for how it is supposed to look.

This is why I rate this for advanced. They are designed for the experienced person in mind. This was relatively simple to put together – the front has 3 pieces and I sewed up the semi-circle first then the longer curved seam with the corner. The corner was a bit tricky but taking my time really helped.

I had to watch out for how I cut out the pattern pieces because all the 3 front pieces had to be cut single layer. It was important to make sure that I was cutting with the pattern piece on the right side of the fabric – I messed up once and that was enough to make me more careful after that.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
I loved the curved seams – they look so elegant and fluid giving the dress a lot of interest. I knew that colour blocking would look great with this design.

Fabric Used:
For both dresses I used ponte knit fabric. The ponte was thick enough to handle the curved seams without a lot of puckering.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:
The grey/snakeskin dress has no pattern alterations done to it. I had to take in at the waist for better shaping. The pattern comes with facing pieces for the neck and armhole. I didn’t like how they made the armhole chunkier after sewing one side so I left them off and finished with a twin needle instead.

The navy/pink was the second make and it has a couple of alterations to it :

• I added sleeves to it. Marfy 3879 is a sleeveless pattern and as such I had to use my sleeve sloper which fit without fuss.
• I lowered the neckline by 1/2″ and widened by 3/8″.
• I also took it in slightly at the waist for better shaping.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
Yes I would sew it again. It’s such a well drafted pattern that I am convinced Marfy patterns are worth it. The only caveat is that they are meant for advanced sewers hence the no instructions or line drawings.

I see more versions of this dress(tops and tunics too) in my future – I didn’t have time to make third in different tones of the same colour with some gold piping on the curved seams. It’s quite a versatile pattern that actually sewed up quickly.

Conclusion:
I really quite love how these 2 dresses turned out. I am pleased with the fit and the look. Taking my time to sew the curved seam really paid off and I find myself staring down my dress mesmerized by the seams. Plus being ponte, they are very comfortable to wear. I also like the detail I put into the navy/pink one with the hem and neckline by using navy thread on the navy bits and pink thread on the pink bits. Makes me feel like a grown up seamstress

Thanks for reading and I hope you found this useful.

Hila.

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The fit was spot on for me and I know I will be buying more patterns now that I have tried them out. These here are some patterns from the current catalog that I am drawn to – the darts are eyecatching dont you think? Have you tried out Marfy patterns?