Does This Ever Happen To You?

I'm buying fabrics and patterns like mad, but I won't live long enough to sew everything up.  Lately I've been in a deep sewing decline.  Am I being affected by the recession?  Am I lazy?  Did my sewing angels take a vacation?  Are the movies on Netflix too compelling?  I believe it's all of the above.  Just got back from Jo-ann's Fabric and picked up a few Vogue Patterns on sale.  I'm going to sew up something super- easy in hopes that I get my groove back.  Vogue Patterns $3.99, don't miss it.

Up next, Donna Karen Dress

I like the lines of this dress, but after looking over the pattern I find some fitting challenges.  The front bodice wraps completely around to the back creating a bit of a complication for the full bust.  I've cut the pattern and tried a few tricks with the mannequin.  I'm hoping that cutting the BF seam at a larger size will solve the problem.  I'm making it in bright orange!  I don't usually wear brights colors but the fabric was calling my name... 

The Wedding Dress...Wow!

Kate Middleton chose a beautiful classic dress that truly shows her figure in a great light.  The neckline, bodice and skirt are balanced and make her look tall, slim and curvy, if she has a figure flaw- this gown certainly is hiding it well.  I believe this is a perfect reason for sewing our own clothes, although we can't always turn out an incredible fit like this- I believe that we can get closer than just choosing something off a rack.

I imagine this wedding gown is going to guide fashion a bit toward fitted, classic dressing and I think it's a good thing too.

vogue 8644 dress

This one took a while.  I've come to the conclusion that I don't love making dresses.  This one is a good cut and has two little pockets in the front.  The fabric is a very lightweight wool with lycra, I think if I make this again I'll use something with a little more drape.  It fits very well; I'm a little fuller in the hips than the mannequin and you don't see that wrinkle on me.  I used an invisible zipper instead of a regular one and am pleased with that as well, although it added a lot more hand sewing to the project.  I made this to go under the grey jacket that I posted first and they look very well together.  

Burda 2/2009-123 Wrap Blouse

This is an easy project with a few nice details.  I love the asymmetrical hemlines at the front and the bias binding ties at the sleeves.  The fabric is a lightweight rayon print from Mood Fabric in Los Angeles.  I used the rolled hem foot and a dainty zig-zag for the hems and it turned out nicely.  The pattern calls for the wrong side of the collar to be turned out to the outside but I like a loose drape instead.  Easy to make and easy to wear.

In-seam Full Bust Adjustment

I took a class by Lorraine Henry called 'Swivel Your Seams' that teaches a way to make pattern adjustment at the seamline.  The method is very easy to adapt and makes so much sense to me that I want to share it with you.

• All you do is create hinges that allow you to move the seam in or out depending on your adjustments.  I love that it doesn't change much about the original pattern making it easy to match pieces together, everything seems to make much more sense.
• Start by making all length adjustments then add or subtract width as needed at the seamline.
• It's that easy!

Here are a couple of notes from the class.

The Dreaded FBA!

Each time I sew up a new bodice or jacket I always dread the fitting issues in my upper torso.  You'd think that once you've learned a fitting technique that it would basically apply to all, right?  Not so!  While I don't always sew up a muslin, I always fit the tissue pattern to my mannequin, this gives a sign of how much it's going to take to tweak the pattern in order to get the fit.  I'll have you know that I am fitting obsessed and require certain points that are my pet peeves to look just right.  One of my main problems is "gaposis" anywhere on the bodice top, whether it be the armhole, neck or upper chest.  Sometimes I 'swivel my seams' and other times I 'pivot and slide' but mostly I just add more length and width over the bust and ease it to the back which so far does not require any adjustment.  This book is very helpful as is the "Fit for Real People".  I like this book because it shows the best approach for each design.  I hope that I've conveyed by now that one adjustment has yet to fit all for me.

I've also successfully broken some "rules", like smashing parts of the patterns paper so it's flat and folding little darts here and there, so far, so good.  If you are having any fitting issues, don't give up, if you keep at it- you'll find the tricks that will be just right for your body.