Saturday, April 28, 2007

Summer Dress Continued...

Sometimes I out-smart myself and then, when I fix the problem, I figure it's good that I am smart enough to fix the problem but I wish I hadn't created it in the first place. Also, I should just accept the fact that I should cut the garment out in the 14 and give up on thinking I am a 12 in most places. sigh. But I really DO want to lose 10 pounds! wail.

What happened when I took up the bodice pattern pieces was that I raised the neckline a little but not enough and in the process, I made the armholes quite tight. I can fix the armholes but my bigger problem was that I cut out the pattern in the size 12 and the bodice barely fit around the bust on the dummy.
bodice on dummy
So I was glad I hadn't sewn in the darts in the back but I wasn't sure what to do about the fact that the front edges hardly met.
dart?
I may in fact end up taking a small tuck in the back of the bodice where the darts are because my waist is okay for the size 12. But it's not small enough for two full darts.
front band seam allowance
In the meanwhile, I pondered what to do about the front. I had to sew on an interfaced front band on each side of the front and I decided to take only a 3/8 seam instead of the usual 5/8 seam allowance. That might give me an extra whole inch to play with and I need every bit I can get. I also sewed the skirt to the bodice only at the front so I could play with the gathering and darts in the back later.
dress on dummy
It worked like a charm and when I put the dress on the dummy, I could get the front bands to properly overlap! Now I can adjust the back gathers and that part will be done.
dress back
Next, I want to go to the store to see what they have in the way of a flat ruffle that I could sew into the neckline (I might barely have enough fabric to make one but I thought I'd look through the notions first). I was thinking if they had something in the blue or the kelly green, I could sew it onto the neckline instead of just the seam binding the pattern calls for and therefore get some more coverage for the old cleavage. Plus, I will get some seam binding for the armholes and buttons and I'll be done.

4 comments:

IA said...

I thought I liked the fabric when I saw the cutting layout photos on Flickr the other day, but now that it's on the dummy, I can say with confidence: I love the fabric! This will be so cute.

JuliaR said...

Thanks BBRUG. I am often "fabrically challenged" and this was one of those occasions when I probably should not have succumbed and bought the fabric on sale. Nevertheless, there was something that appealed to me about it and I'm glad to have your endorsement. My husband still thinks it looks "like something no one would think of wearing". And his reaction to the eyelet ruffle I bought was to laugh out loud. In the next installment, I will finish the dress except for the neckline and then try it on to see if I really do need a ruffle. Stay tuned!

Nutmeg said...

I think it's lovely! I love to see your step by step work.

JuliaR said...

Thanks Material Mama! This dress and the next two or three items are my venture into SWAP too.