Friday, July 29, 2011

Throwing in the towel... (and doing something else instead)

As I said yesterday, the dressmaking didn't work out quite as well as I expected... Today I awoke bright and early with new hope, but it didn't help. As I started to finish a few more seams, the whole bodice just got more and more pointy and stiff. I got an idea to add shoulder pads so some weird folds would disappear, and it worked a little bit, but after finishing all seams, trying it on for the twohundredeleventh time, thinking oh my lord that looks ugly, I realized it was time to throw in the towel.

I am saving my pattern pieces for a day when I have got my hands on a softer fabric that will work for it. (I also saved the skirt pieces and the cuffs that I had cut out but I very much doubt I'll ever use them...)

To make myself feel a little bit less like a failure I did a few small things I've been meaning to do for a long time now. I made two simple tops, inspired by Vogue pattern 6453 from 1948. Both tops are made from old pillowcases that cost me 10sek (less than $2)!

 I also took the waist in on my 1930's "sailor pants" and added pockets while I had them opened. They were a little bit big when I made them but now they were close to fall off! I took out almost five inches (12 cm)! Guess that diet change made some difference after all! (I am a total chocolate junkie, but nowadays only on weekends!) Although now they're almost almost a bit tight instead. Oh well, hopefully that will sort itself out!

So - quite depressing to not be able to show you a finished dress, but here's what I did - in four hours, (plus I started another simple dress but got way too tired to keep sewing)...


Compared to the three days of hard work I put into that miserable dress... well, you know how these things feel. I should have given up earlier, but I really wanted to try my best since I already told you about it. (Maybe I jinxed it?)

Somehow this day just rushed by as well, so now I will start packing my vacation bag. I'm going home to my friends and family for little over a week, and I plan to just relax, have fun and try to stop stressing so much about everything. The train leaves at 8 tomorrow morning! I'll be trying to pack as much me made stuff as possible, it's so fun to show everyone at home what I've made! And I guess I will just pick one of my other dresses to have as my birthday dress. It will be fine :) I might not be able to do any sewing while I'm away, but I will try to finish that crochet bikini!

Until next time: take care and happy sewing! :)

2 comments:

  1. Well, you may think your sewing has been disasterous, but I think you rnew tops are just gorgeous! A very successful outcome! And did you make those pants? LOVE them. They are beautifully finished and a lovely flattering shape.
    Thank you so much for your comment. I love Kaffe Fassett stuff, and have made several quilts, cushions and jumpers inspired by his work!

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  2. The pants are very cute. Here is a great tip for making "perfect darts." I learned this tip through a Threads DVD -- Insider Tricks - about 1/4" before you finish your dart point, slip a small square piece of material under the dart -- now finish the dart by sewing off onto the material, then back tack onto the small square of material. You eliminate the usual puckering by back tacking on the small square. Iron your darts on both sides(I always use a ham). You will have beautiful darts that disappear into the fabric. Follow this simple tip and you'll never have that pucker at the end of your dart. These darts are supposed to be for skirts and pants, but I also use them for bodice. For making bust darts using sheer and light weight material, I make French seam darts.

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