Friday 29 August 2014

That's better!


  I had another attempt at Simplicity 1699 and I think the end result is Much Better!


 Look - here's me looking smug because I've just sewn the cutest dress in the whole world, ever:


So how did I do it? What changes did I make?
Once I'd inserted the raglan sleeves, I attacked the neckline that was too high, too tight and far too unflattering.
I cut back 1" of fabric all around the raw neck edge. Then I added the collar from pattern view B, having cut away 1" from the same inner edge, so that it would fit the now larger neckline.This also reduced the depth of the collar to a nice size - the original would probably have been a little excessive?



 Anyway - it worked, I am soooo pleased with this new neckline, it suits me far better than the plain neckline of the first dress I made with this pattern:

Do you notice any similarity between the fabrics for these 2 dresses? Yup - Exactly the same, except for the colour.  In my defence, It's such a nice quality stretchy cotton fabric, which suited this pattern so well the first time around and was so easy to work with............if it works, use it again!
A word of advance warning though:  There is a 3rd colourway - and yes, I did buy it.  I'm thinking I may branch out and have a go at a Different Pattern (!) for the next one.  Long sleeves, autumnal sort of design. Any guesses as to the colour??

Anyways, having decided a white collar would work nicely with this dress fabric, a hunt through my fabric stash was not helpful - no stretchy white fabric to be found.  Until I came across a child's white t-shirt that someone gave me ages ago.  Exactly what I needed - for the collar.................and for some sleeve cuffs:

Pattern view B has a slightly different sleeve design. It has the same raglan construction that makes sewing the sleeve to the body of this dress sooooooooo easy (I cannot emphasise that enough!), but this sleeve is a little shorter, which made the outer edge a bit too sticky-outy for my liking. So I cut a coupla more strips off the white t-shirt, gathered in the edge of the sleeve a little and sewed on a cute cuff. You can just about see in the photo that I used a long, shallow zigzag stitch for the cuffs. That was an easier and more successful stitch to use with this stretchy fabric, and adds a little extra cuteness. I know - I'll be showing random pictures of  kittens next......... (NO! I won't!)

Then I added me some Pockets:


Don't you just love a pocket or two? For popping things in? - that handy bit of string that might come in useful; a tissue, just in case; the extra clothes pegs when you're hanging out the washing; somewhere to stuff your hands when you don't know what to do with them; biscuity treats for any passing cute kittens.....

There were enough leftovers of dress fabric to cut out 2 pocket squares. I added white cuffs at the top edge, and voila! a couple of patch pockets that I actually think add a little something to the design.



Because the mixed sizes I cut out last time worked (bizarrely) very well, I just went straight for it and repeated everything I'd done before:

Bodice front in size 10, bodice back size 12, skirt size 14. All sewn together with my overlocker, making it a quick project. (Loving my overlocker for sewing stretchy fabrics - so quick, so easy, so streeeeetchy)

So - one final 'Happy With My New Dress' photo:

 
Thanks for reading, and see you again sooon - it's nearly OWOP week!