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olive bleu

One Too Many
Messages
1,667
Location
Nova Scotia
Kamikat...Could you finish it to pass on to someone else ? or sell it?

I understand completely though.I have a dress that i finished two summers ago that i have only worn once.It is a 50's sundress, and i love the style, but i really picked the wrong fabric for me.I loved it in the store, pastel pink, with circles on it, totally adorable, but i really can't wear a pink that pale. I look really washed out in it.I finished it, but i need to redo the bodice as i made it too short for my long torso. I bought more fabric to fix it, but yet it languishes on a hanger because i don't love how it looks on me enough to make the effort.too sad.:(
 

Anachronism

One of the Regulars
Messages
126
Location
North America
I made the skirt, second thing I've made after a 3 or 4 year break from sewing!
n656875353_5450724_2251.jpg

my eyes look really weird from the anti-red eye tool on my computer :p
 

Lady Day

I'll Lock Up
Bartender
Messages
9,087
Location
Crummy town, USA
kamikat said:
Do we share failures, too? Today, I'm sharing a dress that just doesn't work for me, so I'm not bothering to finish it. I'll probably hang onto it for a couple months, in case I change my mind. I think I just need to stick to 50's styles, as I know they work for me. To me, this isn't horrible, but just does nothing for me.
3156518534_5fbbb58592.jpg


Why do you hate it, Kamikat? Is it the fabric, the cut? I know with a lot of my 30s patterns, I avoid those types of gathers in the bust, as I have enough of the stuff already :eek:

I think its workin'....Dont give up! :)

LD
 

Amy Jeanne

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,852
Location
Colorado
I think bigger women look really good in figure-hugging and narrow-skirted dresses such as this one. But, if it's the boob bunches -- I totally understand. :(
 

kamikat

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,794
Location
Maryland
The fabric is dreamy, a nice somewhat heavy rayon gabardine. No, I like the underboob gathers. For me, anything empire-ish makes it easier to do a FBA. What I don't like is the hip hugging skirt. It looks better on the dress form than me. On me, it really shows my full tummy, even with the girdle on. I've had some time to think about it. What I'm gonna try today is recut the skirt so the pleats are higher. Right now, the pleats start just below the knee. I think there's plenty of room to do that. The hem falls at my ankle. Even if I use the called-for 3in hem, it will be much longer than the envelope pic.
 

Anachronism

One of the Regulars
Messages
126
Location
North America
kamikat said:
The fabric is dreamy, a nice somewhat heavy rayon gabardine. No, I like the underboob gathers. For me, anything empire-ish makes it easier to do a FBA. What I don't like is the hip hugging skirt. It looks better on the dress form than me. On me, it really shows my full tummy, even with the girdle on. I've had some time to think about it. What I'm gonna try today is recut the skirt so the pleats are higher. Right now, the pleats start just below the knee. I think there's plenty of room to do that. The hem falls at my ankle. Even if I use the called-for 3in hem, it will be much longer than the envelope pic.

would it be possible to just cut some of the hem off and use that material to take out the skirt a bit?
 

Anachronism

One of the Regulars
Messages
126
Location
North America
thanks =] I actually didn't choose it for the forum specifically, On the day I made the account I had a friend that kept saying I was an anachronism.

The skirt is supposed to sit an inch below the waist, but I made a size too big (i think) so it sits a bit lower. There is a good hook and eye closure in the back on the waistband, so I was able to make it fit better even after it was all done. I'm also wearing my shirt tucked in, in the picture, if that helps answer your question :D
 

Laura Chase

One Too Many
Messages
1,354
Location
Copenhagen, Denmark
Anachronism said:
thanks =] I actually didn't choose it for the forum specifically, On the day I made the account I had a friend that kept saying I was an anachronism.

The skirt is supposed to sit an inch below the waist, but I made a size too big (i think) so it sits a bit lower. There is a good hook and eye closure in the back on the waistband, so I was able to make it fit better even after it was all done. I'm also wearing my shirt tucked in, in the picture, if that helps answer your question :D

I was just wondering if it would look even better if it was more high-waisted. :)
 

Lady Day

I'll Lock Up
Bartender
Messages
9,087
Location
Crummy town, USA
kamikat said:
What I don't like is the hip hugging skirt. It looks better on the dress form than me. On me, it really shows my full tummy, even with the girdle on.

I TOTALLY feel you on this on! Yeah, I always add more to the skirts. They were rather snug and it is so icky on me! Ive learned to add about 1/2" to every gore to give a comfortable amount of ease for movement as well as masking of my not so show-able bits.

kamikat said:
I've had some time to think about it. What I'm gonna try today is recut the skirt so the pleats are higher. Right now, the pleats start just below the knee. I think there's plenty of room to do that. The hem falls at my ankle. Even if I use the called-for 3in hem, it will be much longer than the envelope pic.

30s women must have been 6 feet tall. All my patterns are at my ankles too. :rage: The pleats are always too long for me as well and I just alter that length to my liking.

I find 30s patterns give you much more freedom in those areas meaning following the guides to the letter isnt always the best option.

I know, dosent help much, but, well, um...Ill go now :eek:

LD
 

kamikat

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,794
Location
Maryland
Lady Day said:
I know, dosent help much, but, well, um...Ill go now :eek:

LD
Oh, no, you have helped! Moving to a new decade is a learning experience. Knowing that you needed to tweak the patterns makes me feel better about this. I should have made a muslin of the skirt, too, not just the bodice.
 

MissAmelina

A-List Customer
Messages
413
Location
Boise, ID
Okey dokey! I finished this dress on wednesday morning, and was hoping to wear it to work for New Years, but the sleeves were just a tiny bit too tight for table waiting! Drat! (I did a mock up for everything but the bottom of the sleeves, silly me. Next time, next time.)
Happily, it will be just fine for a dinner date or cruise around town--just not for reaching across customers with an armfull of plates. :)
It's made of novelty cotton from the holiday section at Joann's, and a mail order pattern from the late 30's/early 40s.
I'm diggin' it.

9639.jpg
mo3-1.jpg
mo4.jpg
 

Rachael

A-List Customer
Messages
465
Location
Stumptown West
MissAmelina, that dress is amazing! I like the finished dress much better than the line drawing; it's not a style I often favor but now I may have to knock it off for myself. I have a celedon calico that I've been wanting to make into something; it may have to be a spring dress. How is the collar applied? I'm looking at those buttons and wondering if they are functional or decorative.
 

MissAmelina

A-List Customer
Messages
413
Location
Boise, ID
Rachael said:
MissAmelina, that dress is amazing! I like the finished dress much better than the line drawing; it's not a style I often favor but now I may have to knock it off for myself. I have a celedon calico that I've been wanting to make into something; it may have to be a spring dress. How is the collar applied? I'm looking at those buttons and wondering if they are functional or decorative.


Aww... Shucks, gang. Thankyou...that makes me feel good.

The collar/yoke is a separate piece that is top stitched over the gathered bodice....so is the skirt. Both are finished by turning the edge under and pressing, then topstitching over.
I wanted the yoke to have a bit more weight to it, so instead of using bias facing along the neckline (as called for in the pattern) I just faced it by cutting two yokes, sewing them together and turning them out and pressing. Then I finished the inside edge---and even though the buttons are decorative, they hold the facing put.
Hope that makes sense!
 

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