Monday, May 19, 2008

tunic style dress - Butterick 4920

I started preparing the pattern on Friday night, and here it is Monday and I'm still sewing. On a "very easy" pattern. Ce la vie. I'm going to mark it up to a learning experience. I am sewing a combination of A and B views, as I am doing a dress length, but sleeveless.

According to the packet I am a size 10 in bust and hips, and a size 6 in waist. So I made all kinds of nice connecty lines to change the sizing for the pattern and cut it. When I pinned it to my dressform it seemed big, but being inexperienced I thought that the seam allowances would take care of it. No such luck. After trying on the bodice I tried it on and it was big, so I took in the the side seams by about an inch and a half. When I finished the skirt, I had to take in the side seams even further. I'm sure part of this is because the pattern is probably supposed to be worn loose, and I'm planning on it being fairly body conforming.


Then, when I sewed the bodice and skirt, I sewed it on backwards, not once, but thrice. Yep. Partly it was late and tired, and partly I got more and more frustrated and kept doing it wrong. Here is the picture from last night before I fixed it:

So now it's all together, minus hemming. I don't like the fit at all so rather than doing what I usually do and wearing it when its not perfect, I will take it apart and make it fit. The part that is really bothering me is the cowl. It hangs down almost to my crotch, which causes a rather unflattering fit. It's hard to see from the front, but it's really obvious from the side, as if I were some celeb trying to hide the baby bump that everyone knows is there. I think part of this is because I used a heavier and stretchier fabric than is called for, and it causes the cowl to sag.
So long story short, its back to the drawing, err, cutting board. More pictures of the finished garment to come.


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