I made this dress two or three years ago, pre-blog. I had not started my own blog, but I had begun to read sewing blogs and I was soaking in quite a bit of information. Michelle at Cheap and Picky also sews on a Singer 401, and she posted tips on how to sew knits with this machine. I followed her suggestions and made this dress out of a slinky brown polka dot knit from Joann Fabrics.
There are lots of things I would do differently now. I sewed an 18, but now I would sew a 14 in the shoulders and add width to the body. Also I would use knit stay tape on the neckline, but I didn't know about that yet, so I just turned the edges under twice and sewed them down. All the same, I am very fond of this dress because it represents the first time of sewing with knits for me, and it was the first piece of clothing I had sewn for myself in many years.
I finally decided to make the top once and for all just to get it off of my sewing list and out of my sewing room. This time I cut a 14 and added width to the side seams. I also lengthened the pattern. Everything went well with the sewing. BUT.....even though the zebra fabric was knit, it had almost zero stretch, quite unlike the slinky brown polka dot fabric of the dress.
When I finished the top, I hated it. I shoved it in the closet until such time as I got around to writing about how not everything I make ends up being wearable. It stayed there for over a month. To my surprise, when I finally put the top back on in preparation for blogging honesty, I didn't hate it any more.
You are so right--sometimes it is really helpful to set something aside to gain a clearer perspective on it. Your brown dot dress is beautiful and flattering. The new top is also lovely. So interesting how different knits behave, and so difficult to predict! Love the v-shaped front and back neck.
ReplyDeleteYour advice is very good - sometimes one can just be too close to a project's construction to see it with enough perspective and a few weeks or months with it tucked out of sight can do wonders for changing how one feels. I like this top on you very much - it's light and bright and looks very comfortable - definitely a good move to keep it! E x
ReplyDeleteThe dress and top look great on you! I agree...our perspective can change over time. Never give up on a project.
ReplyDeleteGood tip...when it's a frustration, set it aside. This pattern is very flattering to you and brown looks fabulous on you!
ReplyDeleteI do think this happens all the time. We decide we loathe something (clothing, or something else) and reject it. But we did it because we were having a bad day, or our estrogen was low, or we'd slept badly or hadn't had our tea .. you know. So later, when we're in better spirits, we look at the same object and like it much better. Yep, sounds very familiar. Esp. with clothes.
ReplyDeleteI love a story with a happy ending! ;)
ReplyDeleteReally, I think the top looks fabulous on you. It's a good thing that you left it in the "magic closet"! And I also love the brown polka dot dress. The v-shaped back design is great, as is the twist in the front, as is the fact that it is comfortable and cute.
I like both the dress and the top. Something magical hapened in the back of your closet.
ReplyDeleteYou go girl...my sewing machine is rusting! I love, love your work...so inspiring, now for me to get up and do some myself! These are great! Doesn't it always give us better sight when we step back from things at times?
ReplyDeleteThe dress is gorgeous and the top is gorgeous as well! I understand you when you say that sometimes you have to leave a piece (or fabric) marinate in the closet when we see it again, looking beautiful, it's as if we look at it with new eyes. Great advice, dear Angela
ReplyDeleteThanks for your nice comments on my blog. I thought I was getting yours on my feed but had not seen the last entry so re-subscribed. Don't want to miss a thing!
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