Doctor T Designs

The latest collection from McCall’s has been announced!  If you have a fancy party to attend this winter, McCall’s has got you covered – plenty of sexy evening gowns abound.  If you are looking for practical winter wear, you might have to wait until the next release, because this collection is all about the fancy party and family gift sewing that is likely to happen in the weeks leading up to the holidays.  I’m definitely much more on excited by what McCall’s has going on than I was with much of the recent Vogue release.  Let’s take a look:

M7683 – Create It! gown.  We are starting things off right with this stunning gown.  The red version is a total show stopper, but I love the simpler, short version as well.  Those could be equally wearable in summer, made up in a different fabric.  Plus, with the Create It! designs, you mix and match elements (bodice and skirt here) so you can create a your unique look.  It look like there are three bodice and three skirt options, which could give you as many as 9 different dresses to make and wear.

M7685 – Nicole Miller gown.  The neckline might be a bit low for comfort, but I somehow think this sexy gown isn’t really something you put on to be super comfortable.  Looks great both with and without contrast.  Gorgeous.

M7684 – David Tutera gown.  Probably the most conservative of the gown options this release.  It is pretty, but not as unique as the other two gowns.  I like it, and the combination of fabrics is quite pretty, but I feel like I have similar patterns in the stash.  Could be quite pretty, and it comes in some of the expanded larger sizes which is great.

M7681 – Learn to Sew dress.  I sort of feel like we don’t need any more bell sleeved dress patterns, but I could see this “Learn to Sew” pattern being bundles with a sewing machine as a gift for a new sewer for the holidays, so I sort of understand the rational for having it in this release.  At this point, though, there are so many fancy sleeve patterns on the market that I don’t have anything else to say about a new one.

M7682 – This shirt dress is actually pretty cute!  I do like the sleeve options, and the skirt length options as well.

M7688 – My first thought was, how great these would be to decorate for the traditional ugly sweater party!  A bit harsh, perhaps, but I’m not a fan of all the cutesy ruffles and gathers.  If you quint though, you might notice a plain sweater, and by combining pieces, you could also make a decent basic hoodie.  So, not a total reject of a pattern, but all of the features that should make me excited for it aren’t doing much for me.

M7692 – Nicole Miller.  It’ll probably sound weird to say, but I really like this even though I’d never wear it.  The one sleeved top has got some attitude, and I like it.  The whole outfit is certainly a lot of look, but I feel like very straight, slender body types could look very fashionable in it.  Definitely too much ruffle and flounce for me, but if you could pull off this this look it would certainly be a stand-out at a party.

M7689 – Nancy Zieman top.  Another pattern that I really like, but expect would not be the best choice for myself.  It’s probably the skater in me, but I think the movement of the dangling bits could be really pretty.  I think this is another look that would be better on straighter, taller body types (as shown in the model photos).

M7693 – Love this jacket!  Very sleek lines.  I’m not sure that the model photo does it justice, but the line drawings make me pretty excited.

M7692 – Melissa Watson for Palmer/Pletsch jacket/vest.  I like this, but I feel like if I were making a moto-jacket I’d probably go with a Burda.  There are some nice elements to this pattern, and it looks very wearable for fall, but I feel like I’ve already got similar patterns in the stash.

M7695 – Palmer/Pletsch jacket/vest.  The puffer jacket was everywhere last year, so I could see this being a popular pattern for this fall and winter.  It’s a pretty basic jacket pattern, but it could be good for newer sewers.

M7687 – More sleeves and ruffles.  I actually like the ruffles on the view A top, but I’ll never understand the back buttons.  Seems like too much struggle to get the top on without help.  Back buttons – other than the “pretty detail” aspect, can someone explain the appeal to me?

M7686 – Love this knit top!  I’m all about the one shoulder detail (it’s a skater thing) and the ruffles and bell sleeves aren’t too overdone here; I think they provide a nice balance.  This one is going on my pattern wishlist for sure.

M7690 – Of course, if the ruffled sleeve market is pretty full, just migrate them south!  The simple trousers are fine, but not overly interesting.  I’m not a huge fan of the ruffled trousers though.  The could be great for a 70s costume, but not my favorite look in real life.

M7691 – There are a lot of PJs in this release, so get ready!  I suppose you could use these pieces are normal clothes, but when it is made all in one color my brain immediately screamed, PJ!

M7696 – Laura Ashley pjs.  The loose fit looks like it could be pretty comfortable.

M7697 – This PJ pattern also comes in regular and plus sizes.  The lace-hemmed pants are a cute detail, and the night shirt looks really loose and cozy.

M7698 – Another PJ onesie and a nice robe.  A little sleeker than the other offerings, but might not be the most functional for late-night bathroom breaks.

M7699 – Family PJ onesies.  Same comment as above.

M7700 – Learn to Sew family pjs. These separates are perhaps a little more functional, but quite as sleek as the previous two options.

M7680 – Sew Zoey dress.  Pretty simple, but still pretty cute.  Allows for some fun choices of fabric and trims, and could be nice for holiday parties.

M7679 – More Pjs.

M7678 – Even more PJs.  I could see kids liking the cute details here.

M7677 – Baby clothes.  Stylish baby clothes?  I need someone to weigh in here, as I’m not too immersed in the baby fashion scene at the moment.

M7701 – McCall’s Crafts doll tote backpack and clothes.  On one hand, I see this being very practical for the transport of toys, on the other hand it’s possibly a little creepy.  I mean, maybe just a little?  The doll bomber jacket is pretty cute though.

M7703 – McCall’s Crafts.  The sloth is adorable!  The kiwi is pretty cute too.

M7702 – McCall’s Crafts sleeping bags.  I suppose this could be fun for kids?

M7704 – McCall’s Crafts holiday decorations.  It wouldn’t be the winter/holiday release if we didn’t have at least one of these.

M7705 – Formé Millinery hats.  I’m actually really impressed with the shapes of the hats here.  Would be great to add to any Cosplayer’s pattern stash.

M7706 – Kathryn Brenne boot covers.  Definitely see applications for steampunk styles, historical costumers, cosplay, or Lolita fashions.

And that’s it!  Aside from the slew of PJ patterns, I’m much more excited by this release than I was by Vogue.  With the Vogue I picked up more practical winter-wear patterns (pants and coats), but with this I’m looking at all of the fun gowns and dramatic styles.  Perhaps not the most practical release, but certainly a lot more “ooooh, pretty!” than I feel we’ve gotten from a lot of the other more recent patterns.  I don’t think there are a lot of patterns I’ll be buying from this set – the overwhelming majority are focused on family PJs, kids clothes, and crafts – but I am really excited about the few I have added to my list.  What do you all think?  Is it too far down the fancy party path to be of interest?  Or are the styles more suited to your holiday looks?  Feel free to discuss in the comments!