My Yellow Dress is Just All Wrong

This week I finished a dress. Frankly, it's a disappointment!

This is a fake smile.

I made so many mistakes that I nearly made this post a "how not to" tutorial... but then I figured no, everyone makes mistakes.  But I made so many mistakes... OK, I accept I have puckering in my curved hem, but why do I even have puckering on the straight side seams - how did I do that????

Yes, that look expresses how I really feel about it. That's not a fake smile.

 There are a few details I'm happy with - like the nicely coordinated vintage metal invisible zip:

and the alignment of the side seams at the waist:

The top stitching isn't messy either.

But the mistakes!!!!!

Like fabric choice... oops. The stuff I bought is lovely but too heavy for a summery dress.

And considering the directional print, I didn't really buy enough for a dress!  Which leads to cutting out... oops again. What's grainline mean again?

I also mixed together two patterns without confirming their fit (my size has changed lately) or whether they would fit together. Double oops! Come ON, d'oh!

this skirt

this top, sleeves OFF, zip shifted to the side, peplum OFF

Vintage Vogue 8811 (a 1950s reissue, in vintage sizing) for the skirt + Vogue 8815 for the bodice (a current pattern, in modern-but-running-smaller-than-Vogue-designer-pattern sizing) - funnily enough they don't line up at the waist seam. So (oooooops) I added width to the bodice with narrow strips of fabric (have you ever heard of such a stupid idea?). And then the bodice was too big so I extended the front waist darts into princess seams to the shoulder - but it still doesn't fit nicely (can you believe it? after two clever ideas like that?).

***

So in the end it's a dress, but it's a let down. A dress that nearly became a skirt, then went back to being a dress - and that may yet become cushions.

Next up I'm working on a Sandra Betzina pencil skirt and one of the new Vogue pattern dresses. It's early days but I haven't done anything crazy with them yet :-).

The Blinder (V8815 #2)

Another V8815 (OMG on sale now) - how could I stop at just 1?

Allow me to introduce Number 2, The Blinder:

No photo editing here - you can tell, can't you!!! And I am not honestly sure why I wanted to keep my scarf on - maybe to protect my face from the blinding rays? Hmm. Something to ponder. The skirt is V1282 BTW.

I was tempted to make this blinding little white number when I saw Erika B.'s version.  When Anne of Pretty Grievances used her magic to grant me temporary membership to the Erika B. club, I really thought I should get myself sorted, and was happy to find a suitable piece of fabric (stretch pique, I believe, from Tessuti Fabrics a while back) in my stash.

And sorted I am!  I am extremely, silly-smile, lightheaded happy with this top - I just love the clean look of the top and the sharp tight lines of the bodice, letting loose into a crazy crisp peplum.  Crumples like mad of course...

The top is as before with my original Troubadour top, but made with a bit more ease all over. I added facings to the neckline (finished neatly then hand-stitched to the zip seams and shoulder seams), and a facing to the peplum - this because I wanted weight in that curve, and I wanted a super-neat finish with no annoying puckers. This too is a hem that is hand sewn, as are the small sleeve ends. And instead of doing a little light gathering of the sleeve heads I made little pleats there.

Although this has taken me a while to (hand)finish and post, it feels like a move in the right sewing direction for me.  Since I don't throw things out often, I don't really need new clothes; if I'm making more I should be taking care to make things I really like.

PS in case you're wondering why there are no words, pictures or cute smiles edited onto these photos it's purely due to the lateness of the hour. I know I've been away ages - thank you so much for sticking with me!

Troubadour Top - Yes, It Fits

This is not really a post - just some photos (finally!) to show you that my impractical "troubadour" top fits.

Yes, it really does fit - really.

And honestly, the only reasons I didn't post this sort of photo before are that I simply didn't get around to photos last weekend when it wasn't raining, and that my camera is playing up and won't take a decent photo now unless it's outside with lots of sunshine. I do empathise - I miss the sunshine in winter too.

We had sunshine today, but by late afternoon (when these photos were snapped) my camera was whiney.  I think it deliberately made the colours go a bit old fashioned... The colours on my earlier post are more true.

Anyway, IF I ever wear my exciting top to work it will be like this - with my black Vogue 1282 Donna Karan skirt and black heels.




And the sun is going down, so that's it!

See you soon!
-Gabrielle

PS Thanks for your lovely supportive comments on this top on the dress form - I'm really happy with it, so I'm going to try to keep pushing myself creatively even if it does make for some unwearable garments.

Troubadour Top (V8815)

I'm shouting from the rooftops - I love, love, love my new top!

                   Well, shouting from the deck at the sky and at the roof... same thing :-)

Don't worry, I'm not saying I did an amazing job - of course I didn't! It's just that finally I've made the sort of bold, interesting garment I would covet if I saw someone else had it.

I do love the look of these fabrics together. However... the bodice and peplum are made from leftover upholstery fabric that I originally used about 7 years ago to upholster my dining room chairs. It's a really durable fabric - the chair seats still look new - but it has absolutely NO give. You live and learn, but this is definitely not the best fabric for a fitted bodice. The sleeves are in a coordinating raw silk, another leftover or remnant from I don't know where or when - they're perfectly wearable, but I'm not going to separate them from that bodice.

I love the trim on the peplum:

I cut this from a long selvedge edge. If you look closely you'll see the stitching to hold the seams in place (this sort of fabric can be unruly).


I love the stripes matching on the not quite invisible zipper. I forgive the zipper peeking out above the waist seam. I can live with that:

 
I love the stripes also matching on the side seams of the bodice;  I love the curvy triangle between the sleeve and the bodice and peplum: 

But have I made myself an unwearable top?

The top is based on V8815, a non-designer (gasp!), very easy (double gasp!) pattern that came out this year (triple gasp!). This is view B, but with the sleeve length of view C.

I made a size 12 at the top, tapering out to a 14 at the waist. I'll do a full review soon on Pattern Review, but the summary version is that although I love this top, the pattern seemed a bit short waisted and a bit small. I doubt that I've put on weight in the shoulder or bust area (snort!); but perhaps the sizing on the regular Vogue patterns is a little smaller and shorter than on the designer patterns I've been sewing more of lately.

In my imagination I can wear this to work, but I am not really a troubadour or any other kind of performer. And all you sensible people will appreciate that this is not the attire that's expected in a conservative financial institution.  



See you!
-Gabrielle

PS I'll try to get some photos of this on me soon - it feels snug on but it does look to fit!