and even a jumper....dare I try again??
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Plan B Disaster
So last night was the JGSPL (my journal) "banquet" at Lucky Strike. Since the first dress didn't work out, I decided to make a jumpsuit, since we'd be bowling I figured pants are better. I envisioned a simple, yet stylish jumper that I would dress up with accessories and my leopard peep toe kitten heels. I decided to use Burda 7536 view A.
This is the most hideous thing I've made!:
This pattern is so horrible that even though I am really embarrassed by this pic, I put it up to dissuade everyone else from buying it. I was so disgusted, I didn't finish. First off, the pants are REALLY big. I know they're supposed to be loose, but it was ridiculous. I cut the same size for the top and bottom, but I took in the bottom THREE times! The pants also come up really high...they are higher than my belly button. I'm not feeling that at all.
The bodice is ill-fitting as well. I don't know what is going on here:
I've used the bodice of this pattern before and didn't have this problem so maybe it's the fabric. See previous project here:
Or maybe it wouldn't gap so much if I put the arm binding on...who knows? In any case, I don't know what Burda was thinking with this. My biggest question is HOW ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO PUT IT ON???!! There are no zippers and the front is supposed to be sewn together. Where my fingers are is supposed to be sewn shut, but I had to rip the seams just to get the stupid jumper on:
Conclusion: DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME...and money!!
Since I was working on this over the weekend, I didn't have time to make a plan C, so I ended up wearing the first dress I made since I decided to take up sewing again last summer:
(I apologize for the quality of the picture, but I took it about 30 times and this one was the best...also I took it at the end of the night, so likely I was too tired.)
Accessories:
This is the most hideous thing I've made!:
The bodice is ill-fitting as well. I don't know what is going on here:
Since I was working on this over the weekend, I didn't have time to make a plan C, so I ended up wearing the first dress I made since I decided to take up sewing again last summer:
Accessories:
I know they don't go together, but I wanted to wear them both anyway..
Time to study for finals now....hopefully I can finish my dress for the RTW contest as well (fingers crossed).
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Barrister's Ball and the Neverending Dress!
Last night was Barrister's Ball (aka law school prom). I decided months ago that I wanted to make my own dress and had my heart set on Vogue 1240...
...even after reading the negative reviews on pattern review. I purchased this pattern and my material last year and had just been waiting for an occasion to make the dress. I was hopeful that I wouldn't run into the same problems as others...unfortunately I was wrong!
I absolutely love this dress...in theory. Actually, I think the finished product is pretty good, but getting there was not fun. This pattern is NOT a simple cut and sew. Although putting the pieces together was pretty easy, this dress requires A LOT of alterations. Here's my version:
This pattern runs very big. For me, Vogue patterns tend to run small so I went up a size. Big mistake! I ended up essentially taking the whole dress apart to take it in (although I had been trying it on along the way, you really can't gauge how the dress really fits until you attach the collar, which is one of the last steps). After taking it in about a 1/2 inch on both sides I realized it was still too big. I could not bring myself to take it apart again so I did some really ugly fixes that you can't see because of the layers of fabric. The bottom was not close-fitting like it is on the package so I tried it on, grabbed it to where I thought it looked good, folded the fabric over, pinned it, and sewed it in place. It really is an ugly fix, but no one can tell so I'm not too worried.
Just like the other reviewers said, the armhole is much too big. I raised the dress by about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch. The top front didn't lay down properly so when I tried on the dress, I had to pull the sides to where it looked right, pin it, then sew in place.
Major issue: Because of the way the left (i think) front overlay folds back on itself, when you hem it, the wrong side shows in the front. Had I know that was going to happen, I would have hemmed the overlay pieces separately before sewing them together. I really couldn't be bothered ripping out more seams so I just left it that way. No one really notices unless I call attention to it: See problem here:
Also, the collar is way too high. I cut off about an inch because it's ridiculous. And the collar is too loose. Again, this is a problem I didn't fix because I just couldn't be bothered, but it really could be taken in at least an inch.
Issues unrelated to the pattern: I had to blot this dress like 6 times to get the fabric pen to disappear. Because of the silkiness of the fabric, it just kept spreading and I had big blue blotches! Eventually, they did disappear. Also, I thought I was careful cutting out this fabric and was proud of the job I was doing until I realized the print doesn't match up. I did a great job with the underdress matching the print, but a terrible job with the overlays. Oh well...
I decided to add buttons to the collar for some extra flair. I like it:
Even after all the issues, I still love this dress. I will NEVER make it again though. I only recommend it if you have the time and patience to make substantial alterations. Had I not had my heart set on this dress, I probably would've abandoned the project.
We had a great time!
...even after reading the negative reviews on pattern review. I purchased this pattern and my material last year and had just been waiting for an occasion to make the dress. I was hopeful that I wouldn't run into the same problems as others...unfortunately I was wrong!
I absolutely love this dress...in theory. Actually, I think the finished product is pretty good, but getting there was not fun. This pattern is NOT a simple cut and sew. Although putting the pieces together was pretty easy, this dress requires A LOT of alterations. Here's my version:
This pattern runs very big. For me, Vogue patterns tend to run small so I went up a size. Big mistake! I ended up essentially taking the whole dress apart to take it in (although I had been trying it on along the way, you really can't gauge how the dress really fits until you attach the collar, which is one of the last steps). After taking it in about a 1/2 inch on both sides I realized it was still too big. I could not bring myself to take it apart again so I did some really ugly fixes that you can't see because of the layers of fabric. The bottom was not close-fitting like it is on the package so I tried it on, grabbed it to where I thought it looked good, folded the fabric over, pinned it, and sewed it in place. It really is an ugly fix, but no one can tell so I'm not too worried.
Just like the other reviewers said, the armhole is much too big. I raised the dress by about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch. The top front didn't lay down properly so when I tried on the dress, I had to pull the sides to where it looked right, pin it, then sew in place.
Major issue: Because of the way the left (i think) front overlay folds back on itself, when you hem it, the wrong side shows in the front. Had I know that was going to happen, I would have hemmed the overlay pieces separately before sewing them together. I really couldn't be bothered ripping out more seams so I just left it that way. No one really notices unless I call attention to it: See problem here:
Issues unrelated to the pattern: I had to blot this dress like 6 times to get the fabric pen to disappear. Because of the silkiness of the fabric, it just kept spreading and I had big blue blotches! Eventually, they did disappear. Also, I thought I was careful cutting out this fabric and was proud of the job I was doing until I realized the print doesn't match up. I did a great job with the underdress matching the print, but a terrible job with the overlays. Oh well...
I decided to add buttons to the collar for some extra flair. I like it:
Finally, these are my accessories:
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Simplicity 1897
I was excited to make this dress (view C) and was hoping to wear it to my journal's "banquet"...which is being held a Lucky Strike this year so I thought it would be a nice stylish, not too dressy dress. Unfortunately, it's not as awesome as I was hoping. It doesn't fit at all like I thought. The picture makes it look a lot looser in the bodice than it actually is. Also, I think the drop waist is too high...I prefer for a drop waist to actually hit my hip.
There is actually a front flap/wrap, but you can't really see it. Initially I was considering omitting it, now I know I could have cause it really doesn't make a difference.
It took forever to find a 12" metal zipper that looked decent. This one isn't perfect, but I found it on clearance for 97 cents, so I had to make it work (I was about to spend $16 for one with Swarovski crystals). When I bought this zipper, I didn't notice how the bottom of it is folded in. It really is a handbag zipper. Oh well...too late now. Here's a close-up of the back:
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