Bella Top & Dress by Zen Llama Patterns

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Hello Friends,

I had the pleasure of testing the Adult Bella Top & Dress by Zen Llama Patterns. Rarely, if ever, do I find that unicorn of a pattern that not only fits me perfectly but is perfectly modest. The Bella was that unicorn.

The Bella is drafted for three heights - petite, regular and tall. It has a large range of sizes (bust 32-60, waist 25-55, hips 35-64), making it accessible to all sorts of body shapes and sizes. The princess seams accentuate the curves while doing a great job of hiding the "mum tum". The gathered option was designed with the pregnant tummy in mind however I chose this option on my dress and it was love.

And the options! There are 8 versions - gathered / non-gathered skirt, nursing / non-nursing, varying sleeve lengths, hem lengths and of course, pockets. Those pockets are what defines a good pattern from a great pattern. They are nice and deep so your little ones can secretly hide their treasures in there (pro tip: always check pockets before doing the wash! I have found everything from toys, to rocks to food in there. The worst was silly putty 🙈).

The above photo was from testing. The final version includes a much fuller skirt and options for a below the knee hemlime. I love how I was able to contrast that beautiful floral scuba with the black. It's a stunning dress and I feel so pretty when I wear it!

The Adult Bella has a corresponding Baby Bella Dress. If you would like an adorable Mommy and Me outfit this is The One.

If you sew up a Bella I would love to see what you make. Be sure to post in the comments below 🙂.

Comments

Thread Faction Zero Waste GIVEAWAY

Hello and welcome to Sew Tsnius ! For those of you who are reading my blog for the first time I am a petite Canadian sewist who dresses modestly. I write about finding patterns that suit my body, preferences and lifestyle. I am also mom to a bunch of adorable kids and so I also review children's patterns. Sewing has opened up a world of fashion possibilities for myself and my family. It has unleashed so much creativity and I'm loving every minute of it. Recently I decided to take the plunge and start pattern testing. It is so much fun helping a designer bring their project to life. There is a lot that goes on behind the scenes. Designers really listen to the comments and suggestions made by their testers. It's definitely a collaborative process. Now, onto the pattern review! For the giveaway scroll down to the bottom of the post. When I spend money on fabric I want to use every square centimeter. I Pattern Tetris to make everything fit as snugly as possible and use scraps ...

What is Tsnius?

Hello Friends, I am a mother of a bunch of boys who discovered the joys of garment sewing. I've always been crafty. In fact, when my husband and I met I was going by the moniker "Art Attack". Back then I was into drawing, painting and digital scrapbooking. I was open to exploring different media and thoroughly enjoyed the process. But then I had one child after the next and my creativity turned toward pompoms, glue and getting glitter out of diapers (spoiler alert: it is impossible). When I finally discovered sewing it reignited that creative spark and I haven't looked back! What is Tniyus? Tsnius simply means modest. As a modern, petite woman who wants to dress fashionable yet modest it can be a challenge. Luckily I am able to take most patterns and adapt it to my specifications. Hemlime too short? I simply add an extra few inches. Neckline too low? I can raise it! Sleeveless bodice? Add sleeves. And so on. Having the ability to make these modifications has opened a ...

Alexis Dress by Sinclair Patterns

Sinclair Patterns is a favourite among us petite sewists as all patterns are drafted for the following heights and sizes: US0-US22 / UK8-UK26 PETITE 152-160 cm /5 1” - 5 3” REGULAR 162-170 cm / 5 4” - 5 6” TALL 170-178 cm / 5 7” - 5 9” I am only 5 feet so there's still a three inch difference between my height and the petite pattern. Still, it's an improvement over other designers that use 5"5 as their baseline. According to the instructions I would have to subtract an inch and a half off the height of all Sinclair petite patterns. The Alexis Dress is so incredibly comfortable. I sized down and there is still quite a bit of ease. To make this the ultimate winter outfit I used sweatshirt fabric. It's fuzzy and cozy and the absolute best. Have I mentioned how much I love it? Although I should have subtracted 1.5 inches I actually added length to this dress. This is simply because I require my dresses to be below the knee. I used pink fabric for visual clarity (an...

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