July 14, 2014
For my second dress, I'm going to attempt this dress:
I have a nice purple and mint-green floral print for the patterned part and then a lavender for the accent colored bottom half and belt.
I started sewing the bodice together today and knew that it was wise to try it on before going too far. I had stitched in the darts on the front and back and then tried it on. Immediately, I knew that it was going to be too small, so I ripped out the darts. Still too small. No way would I be able to add a zipper and still be able to fit into it.
Totally bummed that McCall's patterns run so small, seeing as I already have everything cut out and not enough fabric to re-cut everything. Continued to piece it together because I might as well finish it for the experience and then try to sell or give it to someone who can fit into it (tiny as it is).
Got to the skirt and the bottom half and the pattern says I have to sew facing onto it. Correction from previous entry: Turns out the facing is just another piece of the lavender fabric and when I cut out the pattern, I had cut it but forgotten about it. (I cut all of this out last week, so of course my memory is hazy about it already!) So onward ho!
Seams ripped: 2 (getting better - and faster!)
July 15, 2014
Worked on and finished the skirt this morning as well as attached it to the bodice. I think one of the most important things I have learned so far in my re-introduction to sewing is that pinning makes things so much easier! (Are the experienced sewers out there laughing right now? Because you know it's true...)
Stopped right before adding the zipper because I think that will require more brain work and patience than I might have at the moment.
Later: Added the zipper and put the bodice lining together and attached to the bodice. Will need to do a lot of hand-stitching tomorrow... Uf. I'm not so good at that...
Seams ripped: 1
July 16, 2014
Today is the day of hand-sewing. After that, I'll be finished with everything but the belt that will be machine sewn. This dress was categorized as "easy". While I agree that all the steps are relatively easy, the pattern has so many steps that I'm not sure I would put it at easy...
July 17, 2014
I finished the hand-sewing in one day, but still had the belt to sew, so I did that. Got halfway through ironing it when I had to go to work. Later, I tried to put on the hook and eye at the top of the zipper, but it turns out that I got the wrong kind. The kind I bought are for over-lapping surfaces, not abutting edges. D'oh!
July 18, 2014
Bought the correct hook and eye for the dress and sewed it on. Also slip-stitched the belt closed in the middle where I pulled the fabric through after sewing the seams. So the dress is finished. It's way too small for me, but hopefully someone can find a use for it. It's so cute!
October 1, 2014
The dress fit my sister, so happily, it has a good home. Here is a picture of the final product. I'm so glad to see it fit and look nice!
Final Comments:
Things I would like to address with McCall's:
1) Sizing. Holy way-too-small sizing, Batman! This turned out so small that I will have to sell or give this dress away instead of wear it myself. Very disappointed. (Side note: I did try it on in the beginning stages and knew it would never work, but I made the dress anyway because I didn't want to waste the fabric that was already all cut out.)
Here's the breakdown of time and money for this dress:
Time:
Cutting out fabric: 2.5 hrs
Sewing bodice: .5 hrs
Skirt: 3.5 hrs
Attaching skirt to bodice: .5 hrs
Putting in the zipper: 1 hr
Bodice lining: 1.5 hrs
Hand-sewing lining to bodice (at waist, zipper and at shoulder seams): 2 hrs
Hand-sewing hook and eye: 15 min
Total Time: 11.75 hrs
Cost:
Pattern: $5.76 (on sale!)
Fabric: $29.46 (on sale!)
Notions: $6.18 (most things on sale)
Total Cost: $41.40
