So I had this dress on my list for ages but I kept changing my mind about the fabric. I read enough reviews to know I would have to raise the shoulders, and changes to patterns always make me nervous...so the silk went back into the corner for this one. Instead I used this amazing star print cotton from Paris. I covet pretty star prints! I love this one! So I took forever on the small details.
I cut a size 10. Vogue seems reliable that way and especially on the designers it seems wise not to size down. I was hoping that by elevating the shoulders, I would be functionally shortening the waist as well and it would fit better, and I was right! It still blouses quite a bit but that is because the overlayer is longer and it is sewn into the middle of the waist seam. I think I need to make that seam a bit neater.
Patterns like this kind of irritate me. By which I mean, patterns which have a lot of very small, only sort-of-controllable details like meeting a seam where on one side you apply bias binding, and on the other side, you roll a micro hem. Or putting a v in the center front with a seam and topstitching. A lot of stuff comes together in one place and provides many opportunities for sloppiness and that unfortunate handmade look. It makes me think I would not make this dress again. Also, while I think every single blogger has raised the shoulder seam, nobody mentions that it isn't that straightforward, because it's a curved and eased seam and has to match at the center.
So, this is what I did in detail: I first seamed the 5/8. Then I tried it on and marked how much higher I wanted it. I sewed that (it happened to be exactly one inch more.) Then I cut at the 5/8 mark, so I now had exactly a 1" seam, and I undid all the stitching, realigned everything, and finally sewed my final seam. I had to ease the front into the back a little bit. This is the opportunity to realign the shoulders- some people noted that the dress fell backwards during use, and you could compensate for the heavier back fabric by cutting slightly more off the front.
After that I wanted it done! I used my amazing new skill of the micro hem foot on the front ties, and I cut about 5'' off the bottom when I hemmed it. I skipped the elastic and the skirt lining. I am still on the fence about those. The elastic might make the skirt gathers more regular, but I hate skirt elastic...and the skirt lining would make it not stick to tights but the dress is nice as it is and I don't want to mess it up! However it leaves me with this unfinished feel. I also completely don't understand how to insert a skirt elastic into a seam allowance and I can't find any online help, so I suspect trying to add elastic would just ruin the dress. Any thoughts?
 |
| In real life it doesn't make me look boobless. |
I cut a size 10. Vogue seems reliable that way and especially on the designers it seems wise not to size down. I was hoping that by elevating the shoulders, I would be functionally shortening the waist as well and it would fit better, and I was right! It still blouses quite a bit but that is because the overlayer is longer and it is sewn into the middle of the waist seam. I think I need to make that seam a bit neater.
Patterns like this kind of irritate me. By which I mean, patterns which have a lot of very small, only sort-of-controllable details like meeting a seam where on one side you apply bias binding, and on the other side, you roll a micro hem. Or putting a v in the center front with a seam and topstitching. A lot of stuff comes together in one place and provides many opportunities for sloppiness and that unfortunate handmade look. It makes me think I would not make this dress again. Also, while I think every single blogger has raised the shoulder seam, nobody mentions that it isn't that straightforward, because it's a curved and eased seam and has to match at the center.
So, this is what I did in detail: I first seamed the 5/8. Then I tried it on and marked how much higher I wanted it. I sewed that (it happened to be exactly one inch more.) Then I cut at the 5/8 mark, so I now had exactly a 1" seam, and I undid all the stitching, realigned everything, and finally sewed my final seam. I had to ease the front into the back a little bit. This is the opportunity to realign the shoulders- some people noted that the dress fell backwards during use, and you could compensate for the heavier back fabric by cutting slightly more off the front.
After that I wanted it done! I used my amazing new skill of the micro hem foot on the front ties, and I cut about 5'' off the bottom when I hemmed it. I skipped the elastic and the skirt lining. I am still on the fence about those. The elastic might make the skirt gathers more regular, but I hate skirt elastic...and the skirt lining would make it not stick to tights but the dress is nice as it is and I don't want to mess it up! However it leaves me with this unfinished feel. I also completely don't understand how to insert a skirt elastic into a seam allowance and I can't find any online help, so I suspect trying to add elastic would just ruin the dress. Any thoughts?
No comments:
Post a Comment