Papercut Saiph, take 2

When this pattern came out I snapped it up.  It was right when I was getting confident with modifying patterns and identifying my own taste.  I made it in silk charmeuse with the fluttery skirt, using an XXS based on other reviewers size assessment.  I skipped all the facings, and learnt that it's not wise to try just folding silk armholes to finish them.  That was one of my first truly successful patterns - I wore it a lot for the last two summers.

So, back to this pattern.  I felt like it deserved a try as written.  However, let's review why I had made all those changes above...
-I hate facings.
-The waist seam is exactly on the widest part of my hips, aka very unflattering
-I own NO woven dresses with long sleeves, because they don't fit my shoulders or upper arms at all.

I'm staring here at the problem I always have with woven sleeves- this tightness right at the front bottom of the armhole.  It pulls a lot.

What could one expect, then?  No surprises here, this dress is a fail.  My camera decided to wash out my pictures and make me gain some long legs, but that's only because the skirt is about 4 inches long.  It doesn't look good in reality.  And I think I was supposed to move those darts somewhere. Also, I found the instructions for the pockets to be confusing.  You sew the pockets on to the skirt front, then fold them but how much are you supposed to fold up?  Are you supposed to sew the pocket top into the seam allowance? Something was off, and the result is that they gape open and have messy corners.

My super sexy silk Papercut Saiph

Oh I was soooo excited to do this!  And whoooa I went out on a limb with creativity.  Seems to have come out ok despite that.

It was the perfect pattern to use for some silk - charmeuse I think?  It's dull on one side and shiny on the other, quite heavy, and it was the lining for my Victoria blazer, soooo at the end of it all I have a matching jacket!  I did have a few stray thoughts about using the dull side to make a nice contrast but I just stuck with shiny this time around.

Thanks Jennifer for an awesome lunchtime photo shoot!  We went urban chic: 

Yeah that's right...photo shoot at work and the rabble is getting restless!

Matches so well with my suede Victoria blazer

This was a size XXS.  I made some changes for summer -- omitted the facings and the sleeves.  Also although I adored working with this silk when I had been sewing suede, the truth is that it is shifty and it is shedding everywhere so I aimed for simple.  I wanted a dress with a nice finish and I still don't have a good idea how to make a good finish.  I just pinked the back seam and the skirt seam, and used french seams on the sides and shoulders.  My french seams got a bit big as they had to contain a bunch of shedded fibers.  I was worried that would make it smaller than I wanted but it is just barely perfect.  The hem length could be 2" longer so it would be more "dress" and less "shift" and I was rather sad to finish them hem as that made it even shorter...but it looks and feels awesome as it is so I don't mind in the end!

I considered bias binding the neck and sleeves but again the shedding silk made me reconsider, and I just rolled the edges in as I did for the back keyhole.  This came replete with some trials.  Maybe bias binding is better, because it's cut on the bias...right...the first armhole I folded-ironed-folded-ironed, and then pinned it down.  That was difficult and messy.  The second one I folded, ironed, and then did the second fold at the sewing machine.  The silk was easier to manipulate that way and I got a better result.  Still had to go back at some of the tight corners to fix them.  And it wasn't until I got to the neck that I remembered to grade my seams. Nonetheless, I naturally have a bunch of funky looking gathers at the front of the neck, hissss.  I will probably try to go back and loosen them up.  How to sew a rolled hem/neckline without making it look bad??

Finding a matching button was mainly luck.  I don't have a stash, since I'm transient, so my button stash consists of buttons from purchased items (all those spares.)  Luckily I had a nice green one, thanks Anthropologie!

At the end I went back and shortened the darts by about an inch.  No 1950s bullets for me (I don't think my boobs have ever sat that high!)  I'm considering shortening them some more.  I usually seem to have a slightly lower bust compared to darts in dresses, so that might be me.  And they are very pointy still...sigh.  

Papercut Patterns Constellation Collection!

If you haven't heard of Papercut patterns, now is the time to discover them.  Katie designs unique and quirky patterns and the pattern instructions are fun and straightforward.  Also, with lladybird Lauren running the website, it's been invigorated with new activity and a sew-along.  I have so far made the Undercover Hood twice and have three more lying on the floor (mostly for other people!).  I also have about three other Papercut patterns in my queue...

But there is a new collection, and it is fabulous!!  If you haven't spied anything from the Constellation Collection, go look!  They are on sale now, but I believe the sale ends today. 

My particular favourites of the moment are:

The Saiph Tunic.
Could this be colorblocked in green and blue silk?  Hm...I'm thinking a sleeveless version for summer.

and the Sigma Dress.
I'm already imagining a silk version with this scary expensive Roberto Cavalli silk that I got.  Or a Liberty print!  But for a trial run, hm...must sort my scraps.

I'm off to daydream!  I really have too many projects lined up and only about 2 months left in New Zealand to get them done, but I couldn't resist ordering these straightaway.  It protects the environment, right?  I'm only having them shipped in New Zealand instead of to a far-off country!!