Peggy Wood Tribute Dress

And we're back! I have been sewing. I just haven't been taking pictures or blogging about it. It's one part hating having my picture taken, one part annoyance over transferring pictures to my computer and one part having a slow computer. I saw this gorgeous Peggy Wood sarong on Etsy Peggy Wood Sarong dress and fell instantly in love. It would never fit even in my thinnest days but that is why draping is such a valuable tool. You know the Big 4 aren't going to make a pattern for this one.  Luckily I have the best draping teacher ever! She helped me work out the twists and turns on this pattern and I'm so happy how it turned out. It's hard to tell with the print but it does look like my inspiration photo. I ended up using my tnt circle pattern that I draped last summer.

Some construction notes:

• Silk organza underlined bodice
• Seam lines marked by hand
• Lined bodice
• Horse hair braid on full circle skirt hem (makes hemming so much easier).  If I were making a formal dress, I would have underlined the skirt and catch stitched the horse hair to the organza.
• Lapped back center zipper

I am in love with this dress and will make many more. Next time I may attach the bodice lining by hand as it was kind of tricky to line the bodice close to the top of the cups without stitching over them. I will also understitch the sweetheart neckline better.

Success!

After the debacle of the last top, I'm glad that this one came out so well.  A commenter suggested wearing it open over another shirt.  I hadn't thought of that but that might be the way to go until/if I make another one.  I will purchase more of the same fabric but I'm once bitten, twice shy.

Anyway, I will be participating in a wardrobe contest on patternreview.com.  After we came home from the car show last night I had an itch to sew.  I will be using 9 vintage patterns and 1 repro pattern.  One pattern I've used before and the rest are new to me.  As we are allowed to muslin, I've decided to start working on muslins for the tops.  I'm less concerned about fitting the skirts.  I chose Butterick 6927 as it seemed like the easiest to re-size at 11pm.  I used the Kenneth King method of using my sloper to compare to my pattern.  Based on the comparison, it looked like I only needed to add to the side seam allowance.  Luckily this pattern uses neckline gathers and released darts for shaping.  I didn't need really worry about bust points which I would have to if it had a bust dart.  I ended up taking out almost 2 1/2 inches at the bust during the fitting but the waist fit perfectly.  Because the sloper and pattern match looked good, I decided to cut into my good quilting cotton rather than using the plain muslin. 

The only change I made other than the sizing issue was to bind the armholes as well.  I love this top and will re-make it not just for the contest but in other fabrics.

How to read the instructions (or what I should have learned in school but never did)

This blouse looks good. In fact it's one of the best blouses I've ever made. The collar is properly interfaced. The buttonholes look decent. The sleeves don't have too many puckers. It fits the dressform great. Unfortunately said dressform is dialed down as small as it can go. And I was this size... once. Not even that long ago relatively speaking. Sigh I had high hopes for this blouse as it was going so swimmingly. I love this print which is a deviation from my normal novelty/skulls/tattoo motif fabrics. I even took the darts out. Double sigh. Of course I trimmed the seam allowances next to nothing before I realized it didn't fit. Must get going hardcore with the Wii. Just in case, I will order more fabric. I'm not sure if I want to remake the same pattern. Is it cursed? Going forward I will pay more attention to the finished size. Or I will re-check my measurements.

60 Days of Summer (or swimsuits in any case)

I guess I got over the swim suit phobia. After the success of my first one, I've made an additional two. Now I just need to get swimming before the summer ends! Both have been worn once so they pass the pool test. The red skull suit is more flattering as it offers more support in the boob area and I think looks more slenderizing. Though I do love the hula one too.

My First Swimsuit!!!

I bought a bunch fo stretch lycra about a year ago. I've finally bitten the bullet and made my first swimsuit. Now I don't know why I was so anxious about it. I thought the stretchy factor would make it complicated but I found it to be quite easy. I posted on Pattern Review for help and many people recommended Kwik Sew patterns for their ease. I can easily buy a suit but I really wanted a retro style one. I bought one from a repro site. It was cute but for some unfathomable reason, they only lined the front. It is wearable but I find it a little thin from the back.

The pro to using lycra is that it makes fitting easy. My measurements don't fit into the pattern's measurements 100% but the stretch factor takes that worry away. I'm officially hooked on making swimsuits!

Colette Patterns Macaron

Normally I kind of let my patterns marinate in my stash until I get a burst of inspiration. I originally had purchased the solid red and cherry print fabric while on vacation in Florida with the intention of starting a vintage pattern- Advance 6675. However, to my sadness and dismay, despite the pattern still being in factory folds, the pattern DID NOT match the envelope or instructions! The initial plan was to use the red fabric for the bodice and the cherry print for the full skirt. Alas sometimes things go awry. So I made lemonade out of lemons, or rather, a Macaron. There haven't been too many reviews yet but the few that there are are favorable, as well as for the whole line.

I am very pleased how this pattern came out. Normally I can be a bit slap dash when it comes to my sewing. This time I actually took the time to press my seams when indicated and even interfaced the neck facings. I accidentally interfaced the contrast waist band. No harm done. I love this pattern and recommend it highly!

Poor neglected blog...

I promise to do better. I will try not to cop out so often and rely on my pattern review review widget. Promise.