Facings Face Plant

Apparently facings confuse me and are not my friend.  Also, I apparently am still unable to read pattern directions or simply have problems with reading comprehension.  Something is wrong.

There I am working on the Brown Leaf Dress, moving along well at the snail's pace that I prefer.  The very first direction given says to attach the front facing.  I did that.  Moving on....the dress is all sewn together; adjustments have been made.  The dress ….well….it looks like a dress.  So, I decide to take that step I really hate to take….. trim around the neckline and clip.  I do that and boy does that neckline sure look nice!

Then....the next instruction says to attach front facing to back facing...what???  The front facing is already sewn in but the instruction shows that it is not sewn in.  What??  I have already trimmed and clipped it.  What to do?

I then have to pick out everything I have done with facings and start over.  This means, I have to put it back together with a smidgen of a smidgen of a seam allowance left after my surgery to the neckline.  Blah...this is so frustrating.  And ah the hubris....as I was trimming and clipping I was so proud that I was actually doing this instead of ignoring this instruction and the difference the trimming and clipping made to the neckline.  I typically skip the trimming and clipping bit because I am scared to do this because what if I need to make changes later on.  This experience has just reinforced my fear.

Here it is with all the facings catch-stitched
into place

With a new day, I went back and re-read the instructions….this is where reading comprehension is so important (really, I don’t think I have though in terms of reading comprehension since High School which was a very long time ago.  But in re-reading the instructions, the first instruction dealt with only the interfacing, NOT THE FACING.  The facing and interfacing are from the same pattern piece it makes me wonder if all I did was look at the picture without really reading the instruction?!

So when it is all said here is the dress with facings AND collar attached.

One Step Forward

The Green 1918 skirt is now cut. It took hours to piece that skirt together. The skirt is supposed to be 2 panels 36 inches wide and for me 47 ½ inches long. I was able to cut one panel with this dimension. I then had to create 2 panels approximately 18 inches wide. I actually think I will like this set up better. The pattern, with the 2 panels, means that there is a seam down the front. With the gathers it does not look horrible. But on this dress, the seams will be on either side and in the back for the opening. I kinda like this. Went through hell to get here but it is good. I think I may put in pockets; I like pockets and always forget to put them in my dresses


The panels are cut and the gathering stitches in. So, just need to sew them together with pockes, gather, hem and tuck. I CAN DO THIS! Of course, I need to throw together a corset over the weekend as well. Maybe I need to rethink that one.

I am bummed that I cant just stay home and sew this up. I have the time sucking class tonight so I will not be able to sew until tomorrow.

New Techniques

My class is all about learning; so what if every book you ever read says something different.  Right?

My instructor provided some guidelines.  Always so a dart from the point in.  Always backstitch at the beginning and end of the seam.  Put in the sleeve prior to joining either the sides of the bodice and the sides of the sleeve.  These are all new to me and I am giving them a try with this dress.  We also have certain directions to sew: for example from the bust point up and then from the bust point down.  Never heard of this either.

I will be honest that starting the dart at the point is not as simple as the other way around.  I also had to restrain myself from sewing up the sides of the bodice.  It just looks so unfinished this way.  But here's the front and back with the facings in

I am glad I am using an “easy’ pattern to give these techniques a try! Trying to figure out a pattern while trying to remember to do many steps differently from what I have done before would just give me a headache!  I have enough trouble trying to keep my furry helper under control.

Sleeve Fail

I don’t mean setting in the sleeve.  What I am talking about is some decorative pleating on the sleeve.  A couple of hours in, basting, pulling out basting stitches and then re-basting, I knew that I was utterly and completely lost.  The instructions….no help.  I am looking at instruction numbers 29 and 30 with the accompanying picture.

Went back to the pattern to check if I missed some markings…nope, they are all there and accounted for.  Here is the pattern piece, note that it looks nothing like the instructions.  Hmmm….what am I missing?

 

Stare at the pattern some more.  Finally, give up for a little while.

Returned and tried folding everything differently.  Then the light bulb went off…well not exactly, I realized that there was just one combination that I had not tried and sure enough it seems to have worked.

 

That took much more effort than anticipated.  Setting in the sleeves will be simple in comparison.

Problems

The Mint Chip Dress came along swimmingly over the weekend. However, I perceive some problems on the horizon. First, I cannot figure out how to completely attach the bodice to the skirt. It appears that some directions are missing. There is an explanation of how to attach the back bodice to the skirt but not the front bodice. Maybe it is supposed to be a modified wrap dress? I am flummoxed to say the least. I also think something is missing because there is an instruction 17 and 17a but no 17 b. Second, the neck hole is teeny. I could barely fit my head through and my head is on the small side! I have never seen a neckline so small outside of children’s clothing. Third is a problem of my own making. I do not like how one of the insets is a little off center…must fix….will go crazy if don’t fix.

Here’s a look but please forgive all the threads.


 There is a lot of basting and stay stitching in this dress and I have not yet removed any. In fact, there is too much topstitching for my liking and all seams except side seams are basted in first! However, I will admit that I like the look and it didn’t take too much extra time. So next time I poopoo basting, I need to be reminded of this experience.

I also really need to pad out this form to be as busty as I am!