We are patient people here at Megan Nielsen Patterns…most of the time. One of the main times we’re not so good at keeping our composure is when we are waiting for images to come through from some of our fabulous makers because they are always so incredible!! Honestly, friends, we get have been so excited to share with you the Protea Maker Round-Up that it’s been kind of hard to keep our cool.
So today, I’m SO excited to share with you the beautiful Protea & Protea Curve makes by our incredible Protea Makers!
Romy @sewlike
Romy has a gift of sewing up makes that just exude joy. She has made two stunning dresses in View C with a square neckline and flutter sleeve.
“As soon as I got my hands on the pattern I knew immediately what fabric it had to be in. I wasted no time in ordering this incredible linen from @blackbirdfabrics . I had been eyeing it for so long, but I’m so glad I waited for the right project! So I present to you my second version. For my first, I cut a size 18, based on my measurements, but I did have quite a bit of space so I went down a size on this one. I made two changes to this version; made the casing for the waist tie to be thinner & shortened the skirt by 2 inches.
To say I love this pattern is a complete understatement. I love the waist tie, the square neckline and the various views that are included. Overall, the sew-up is really lovely. I see many more of these in my future! “
– Romy
Ella @handmademillenial
Ella has nicknamed her beautiful Protea top her Squiggle top! Made from two different linen fabrics, she’s got a great reel on her Instagram on how she put this gorgeous top together and even a little list of steps that you could follow if you’d like to give it a go yourself!
“The squiggles took a while to get right but I:
– Copied the pattern front and back pieces onto new paper
– Drew the shapes (front and back are different), cut these in two
– Traced those pieces on new paper again and added seam allowance
– Lined them up to make sure they matched and added notches
– When sewn together, the two squiggle pieces need to be offset by about the width of the seam allowance, so the edges will match up together along the sides when assembled.
– As @minimalistmachinist says, pin the s&*t out of it (#ptsooi) along the curves, and take it slow! Curves are hard, but not unattainable with some practice.“
– Ella
Lauren @laurelrosecreative
It’s always a good day when we get maker photos in an apple orchard! Lauren’s stunning Protea Curve makes are perfect for a day of apple picking and show just how wonderfully versatile Protea can be!
“I looooved the hack-ability of this pattern! For the rainbow version, I shortened the bodice by about 2 inches, omitted the tie, and lengthened the sleeve by about 3 inches. I love how the dress billows and flows – it feels so so comfortable while looking really dressed up! The tiers are so easy to customize – I added one longer tier in the middle and a shorter tier on the bottom to create a maxi dress. All-in-all this is the perfect fall dress! :)
For the second dress I used the square neck bodice and omitted the sleeves (I thought it would be the perfect transition to fall/winter by being able to layer a bodysuit underneath it!) I used the longer tier on the skirt and it’s a lovely transitional fall dress. Perfect for apple picking with my family! :) Love being able to make such different pieces with the same pattern – the Protea is truly a capsule workhorse!“
– Lauren
Suna @threadbitchbrighton
The skirt that Suna has made is exactly what we had in mind when we added this variation to the pattern. Comfortable, summery, soft, twirly, swishy goodness. We can imagine it would work just as well with sandals as it does with boots and with a sweater as it does with a summery top!
“Oddly this is only the second skirt I’ve ever made. I’m not sure why I don’t make more of them because I really enjoy wearing them- especially when they’re big and swishy like this!
I love a pattern made up almost entirely of rectangles, especially since I learnt that you can rip them (!) straight from the fabric rather than cutting, which is a lot quicker and incredibly satisfying.
I shortened the panels slightly so that I could add an extra tier for more swish. I also omitted the drawstring.
Although not obvious in pics, the skirt also has pockets!“
– Suna
Nandita @divinedita
There is something so wonderfully sweet about Nandita’s Protea Curve dress. The pop of colour, the joy and the super cute styling is the perfect picture of a spring/summer day.
“I love this pattern! I used a vintage bedsheet and finished my hem with a contrasting thin bias tape plus twill tape for my ties.”
– Nandita
Parikha @productbyprocess
Be sure to note this down as inspiration for your next quick make! Parikha’s Protea skirt, made from a beautiful tie-dyed soft cotton is such a great example of how an understated garment can look so effortlessly cool and comfortable yet special all at once! Worn with a t-shirt or with a silk blouse, you could honestly dress this skirt up or down as much as you like!
“The Protea Capsule pattern is fantastic, very beginner friendly and endlessly adaptable. I tinkered with the size and number of panels here to reduce the volume.
I immediately had visions of the skirt (View E) in a bandhani fabric. Bandhani is a traditional Gujarati dyeing technique, similar to shibori on a very fine scale. Looking at the number of repeated on just two or three yards of bandhani fabric and imagining human hands creating each little one is nothing short of awe-inspiring, and the fact that it originates in my family’s home state makes it extra close to my heart. ”
– Parikha
Jessica @jessicawaldegar
Jessica’s Protea Curve is a mash-up of a few views and shows how you can mix and match elements to make the perfect make for you! She’s sewn View C with a round neck, fitted sleeves and a tiered skirt.
“Swishy dress of my dreams! I love it so much that I’ve already I’m already sewn up three in the past week. Looove I say! The pieces can be mixed and matched which allows for lots of options. You all know I’m a fan girl for versatility!
Great transitional dresses. We’re heading into Fall weather here in the Midwest but will have both cold and very warm days alternating for a while. Looking forward to having fun, layering these with my knit, wool pieces. “
– Jessica
Carole @carolerankin
We’ve seen some beautiful Protea’s made from printed fabric, but we LOVE how beautiful the pattern looks in block colours also. Carole’s beautiful View C with square neckline, flutter sleeves, and sans waist tie; is a wonderful example of how the various design elements of the pattern can shine when sewn in a solid colour.
“I made a dress and it didn’t take me an entire season! I love the square neckline and flutter sleeve – I already have fabric set aside to make a top version. And maybe the skirt in dark chambray?? Right??
In this version I omitted the drawstring waist and the pockets. I know, I know, everyone loves pockets. But honestly I only put my cellphone in my pocket and it never feels secure in a dress so I don’t use them. And I know what you’re thinking and yes, I am also lazy.
Ok so this gorgeous beauty is made out of @merchantandmills viscose wool crepe in Smokey teal. “
– Carole
Manju @sewmanju
Could Manju have picked a more gorgeous colour for her incredible Protea Curve dress?! We think not! How lucky we have to have such wonderful makers who are experts at picking the colours and fabric that suit them and our patterns so well.
“I’ve been looking for a bra-friendly square neck dress pattern with sleeves for ages! This one came together so easily with minimal alterations to the pattern and I just love how it turned out.”
– Manju
Emily @thestoryclubpdx
Emily made her stunning Protea Curve dress and documented the process on Instagram! She even saved the stories as a highlight for you to check back on if you’d like! Wearing her final make she said she felt like an “elf princess off duty”…which might be our favourite way to explain how Protea feels!
“I had so much fun making this pattern – the instructions and diagram were great and I love the finished product. It feels both glam and comfortable which I think is rare! I made View C in the 18 Curve size and the only modification I made was that I lengthened each tier of the skirt by 1″ for a total 2″ added length (I am 5’8”). I used a rayon/linen slub in the color “hunter” from my neighborhood fabric shop (Bolt Fabric in Portland).”
– Emily
Nastasia @poshpilar
There’s always something beautiful coming our way when Nastasia is making one of our patterns! This purple-hued cotton sateen is ideal for a floaty Protea dress, complete with flutter sleeves and a cleverly hacked waist tie (with elastic) so it cinches beautifully at the back!
“I did a small bust adjustment and created a tie that is connected to elastic. This way the back of my dress waist channel is cinched with elastic (it’s sewn at the side seams) and then tied with the fabric tie in the front. I used a cotton sateen from Mood fabrics. “
– Nastasia
I hope you’ve enjoyed today’s maker round-up! We’ve been so excited to share it with you and can’t wait to see all of YOUR Protea Makes. Be sure to tag #MNprotea so we can check them out!
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