In bowling jargon, “Pin Action” is when the ball causes the pins to smash into one another, knocking themselves down. The colour combo of my latest make reminds me of a bowling shirt, so I’m naming it “Pin Action”. Plus, it required a little handsewing, which required more than a few pins. So, “needleless” to say, “Pin Action” works on a couple levels!

Planning it:

I was very happy to receive an email from the lovely ladies at Deer and Doe asking me to review their newest pattern, “Passiflore”, a beautiful belted coat dress with a slightly relaxed fit. I have been thinking about making this sort of garment for a while, so this opportunity came at the perfect time. I said “yes” before pondering the obvious question: Do I have the right fabric and supplies to complete this by Deer and Doe’s deadline?

It may sound trivial, but as I’m sure many have experienced, getting certain fabrics and notions in a timely manner during this lockdown can be tricky. It turns out I couldn’t get what I had in mind, so I made my Passiflore with what was in my stash: some green and gray Tencel leftovers from two jumpsuits I made recently. Because of my low Tencel supply, I had to abandon the originally planned long sleeve version in favour of the short sleeve version. But I think it turned out pretty cute in the end 😉 And most importantly, it was fun to make.

Making it:

I went for the knee-length version with short sleeves. Like all Deer and Doe patterns, Passiflore was fun to make. It presented the right amount of challenge for my sewing level without overwhelming me (like when I made my first coat). And it fits me well, like my previous Deer and Doe makes. I cut a size 36 and made no adjustment. I found the construction to be satisfying: Step 1, which includes sewing together the gorgeous collar, bodice and sides, was quick to complete and gave me a good idea of what the dress would look like when finished. This is a great thing for me, as it motivates me to keep going though the parts I don’t enjoy as much (e.g., setting the sleeves or hemming the skirt).

Another thing I love about this pattern is how neat the inside looks. Thanks to the inner yoke and the invisible hand stitch to finish the facings, it looks great both inside and out. Which brings me to the last part of this review…

Wearing it:

Passiflore is a lovely dress on its own, and it also works well as a layering piece. Here, I pair it with my Tencel jumpsuit. Not so retro bowling chic when worn this way, but seeing as I bowl once every 3 or so years, that’s not necessarily a bad thing!