Thursday, July 30, 2009

Another flower girl dress

Quick post, mostly just pictures. A different version of this dress. I used the Heather Ross unicorn print double-gauze that I featured here. As I mentioned in the last post, I made this with the size 4 bodice and the size 3 skirt (just shortened a little), and it worked well. I still put buttons in the back, for simplicity, but I think it would have worked without them, too.



Saturday, July 11, 2009

Flower Girl Dress

This is made from a another pattern from Heather Ross' new book, Weekend Sewing. And it's another pattern from that book that I cannot heartily recommend, at least for a beginner. There is errata for this dress that gives advice on resizing the bodice pattern pieces, which is wholly necessary. After looking at the sizing criteria for the pattern and measuring and remeasuring the baby, I ended up making her a size 3, which still wouldn't have fit her if I hadn't halved the seam allowances on the bodice. I should have made her a size 4. Which is ridiculous, because in every other pattern she is an easy 24mo. or 2. The dress fits her snugly in the bodice, as the pattern calls for, but another glance at the errata reveals that they suggest NOT attaching the straps in the back, instead opting for buttons or snaps. Why? Because otherwise it would be next to impossible to get the dress on or off. I opted for buttons in the back, which can just as easily be buttons in the front, because the front and back of this dress are identical.

Now for the good: It works up fast and easy. I cut and sewed the whole thing in half a day. It's also adorable, and I love the longer than average length. It's versatile. It can be a casual everyday sundress as I've made it here, or with some dressier fabric it could make a darling Easter dress or, as the title states, a flower girl dress.

Knowing about the sizing issues, I'll probably make this again. It really is cute. The buttons in the back don't really bother me, but designing and publishing a pattern that requires alteration just to be wearable does bother me.

Saturday, July 4, 2009

My new, old toy



A Singer Featherweight 221. A super, vintage machine I got for heavy sewing needs, and also for quilting. And because it's cool. I'm happy with my regular machine for regular sewing, garments and such, but it just isn't up to sewing multiple layers or heavy fabrics.