The idea was to have this dress around Christmas, but that just didn't happen. After the work on the movie was over, I got sick and was basically not in a sewing mood for almost 2 weeks. I spent my time knitting instead. But then I started work on this. I have such a severe love-hate relationship with plaids. They are such a pain to make things out of, but I just love plaid so much. My love of plaid really knows no bounds.
I saw Colette's Dahlia pattern and thought it would be perfect for this fabric, so I ordered it. This is only my second indie pattern and my first Colette. I was SO excited when it came in the mail, the packaging and instruction booklet and everything was just SO stupid cute!!! Awesome job with that. I was thoroughly impressed. I only wish they didn't have that ugly grey version of the dress on the front. What's up with that? I didn't really use the instructions, but they looked really good.
Then I started reading all the reviews. Not terribly positive. The neckline is apparently a disaster and never lays flat. I began to wonder how anybody managed to make the thing work at all! I mean, raglan sleeves in a non-stretchy material....the physics of that just don't work right...Reviews can be a scary thing.
I tweaked and cut and taped the pattern apart beyond all recognition, but it probably ended up almost exactly the same as it started anyway. So it goes. And lining up plaids. Don't even get me started. I don't want to talk about it. It is like sewing the dress 4 times, if it is off a single woven thread, it looks terrible to me. Rip out and redo! You probably can't tell in the pictures, but my plaids line up perfectly ;)
Changes:
- Used facings instead of bias tape for the neckline
- Made the neckline smaller/less wide
- Put tucks in at the shoulders-on purpose, not an after thought ;) Thought it would help shape the shoulders better
- Got rid of the neck gathers
- And most obviously, changed the skirt.
The neckline isn't perfect. It still doesn't lay totally flat, but I used a facing instead of bias tape and I think the thickness of the seam and fabric have something to do with that. I'm still fascinated by how all the pictures for the pattern have flat necklines, but basically not a single project I've seen does! Then again, mine might have been flat too. I never tried the pattern before making changes on it.
I'm not totally thrilled with it, I have to say. I don't really know why. Which is annoying because I spent so much time on it. The neckline doesn't bother me too much, and it is easily changed (without taking apart the entire dress) if I feel the need to. I don't know, maybe the waist is too high up? I don't have any pictures of it, but when I raise my arms just a little, the entire dress comes up with them. It makes for an odd silhouette or something. Maybe the smaller skirt would have been better? Maybe I'm making it all up. Maybe it is fine :P
It is pretty comfortable after all. I think I'm getting better at fitting things. Isn't that nice? I just need to find a reason to wear it now, it's toasty warm and perfect for winter-as long as it doesn't go back down to -20F
I was going to take pictures of more projects today, but I realised my hair looks terrible. I may not be posting things, but I've been sewing and have a massive backlog of projects to put up-- I just don't feel like taking pictures. Winter makes me so lazy!
~Nikki
