Ready for the Luau

So it is done, over, completed!  And I love it.  Cannot wait to wear it.  I had hoped to wear it this weekend since during the week it was in the 90s.  But of course, the weekend hit and it was cold and cloudy.  Oh well….

I did make some additional changes.  I had to take in the side seam from the waist up about 2 1/2 inches to have any sort of definition. I could probably take it in a little bit more.  So, I really don’t think the FBA was needed with this pattern.  When I make this again, I will not do the FBA and may think about a dart.

I also added the upper bar at the neckline.  

The neck is too big.  This added strip of bias binding keeps the shoulders from slipping off.  Besides, I rather like the effect.  I will need to think about making the neckline smaller.  Not quite sure how to do that!

Some additional pictures

Band-y-ing About

I made a milliner’s band to attach across the front.

What is a milliner’s band I can hear you ask.  Well, until a few months ago I had no clue.  All it is is bias binding folded and then slipstitched together closed.  I thought it would be perfect for the band across the bodice.

 

Here is the underside, not as pretty as I would like. 

The top just looks like any bias binding you would buy in a store.  I like to make my own bias binding because I know how.  For a long time, I found bias binding frustrating and overwhelming…that is until a good friend taught me how to do it.  Now, I like to make my own.  If you are interested in a tutorial on bias binding, check out the Dreamstress’s site.

 

Here is the button I have picked out with a little help from a JoAnn’s 50% off coupon.

This is for you Monique:  the pattern I am using is Polynesian Pattern 203 from what looks like the late 60’s early 70’s.  Check it out here

I loved it when I saw it and had to have it!  Though I had a tough time with the pattern and do not know if I can recommend it in any way but it is fabulous!

Rolling Along

Gah, my battery is not working so pictures took longer to take than finishing up binding the sleeves. 

There is a lot of bias binding on this dress which for me means a lot of hand sewing.  Finally, the end is in sight for this dress.  Tomorrow the band across the chest goes in and the buttons.  Depending on how long that takes, hemming will need to begin.  However, the hard stuff is now done!

I like how this looks.  The binding does rather disappear into the dress.

Here is an up close view of the bias binding on a sleeve

Zipping Along

The zipper is in!  Yay…progress is being made albeit slow.

I had some difficulty lining up the 2 bias binding bands.  But that is where my hand sewn method of inserting the zipper pays off.  First, I hand baste in the zipper.  When everything lines up, I move forward with some serious hand sewing.  I then use a backstitch to firmly get that zipper in place.  Once I am done, that zipper is in and not moving. 

I do admit this takes some time.  But, I have found that for me, there are less errors and less ripping out stitches if I do it by hand.  So, totally worth it!

Progress

The binding has been sewed onto the bodice.  I almost pulled it off again because I was still unhappy with the underarm seam.  But, I will have to learn to live with the puckering.  I cannot re-do this bias binding again or I will never finish this dress.

Next up……putting in the zipper.

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Gosh, just kill me now or forget it, you don’t have to because this Hawaii dress it doing it for me! Seriously, why is this taking sooooooooo long. It shouldn’t be hard. But I keep redoing that one seam…you know, the one I mentioned before….the underarm (or whatever it is called) seam.

The Good:

Hand sewing is good. Hand sewing makes me happy. When I hand sew, it seems go into a meditative state and completely relax – something that does not happen whilst sewing with a machine.

The Bad:

I don’t know what I was thinking but when the need for black thread arose, I spent some extra dollars on black cotton thread. Ugh! It was horrible. Really too thick for hand sewing the bias binding on the Hawaii dress. I really disliked the way it looked so I toddled back to the store to pick up some cheapo black thread. Lesson learned! Stick with the polyester thread unless sewing on silk.

The Ugly:

No surprise here, it is that seam where the underarm is on the Hawaii dress. I sewed the bodice bias binding on and then noticed another fabric mess in that area, so off came the bias binding. The reason there are no photos, just in case you are wondering!

How Did This Happen

There I am sewing in the bias binding trim on the Hawaiian dress.  Should be easy.  But its not because I run out of thread.....black thread. 

I search the house.  I have a lot of thread but nary a spool of black thread can be found.  I will not tell you the sheer number of different spools of blue and green thread I have on hand.  But no black and not a lot of white thread either.

Seriously, no black thread.  Really, how did this happen.  I know I sew a lot with black thread but really, no black thread.

Nope...so I am stalled until I can get some black thread.  Does this happen to anyone else?  Running out of a basic color of thread that should be on hand.

Pain in the Side

So, the next step was sewing up the sides all the way through the sleeves.  Sounds easy doesn’t it?

Not so much with the bit that would be under the arm.  I guess you would call these kimono sleeves…maybe.  I don’t know. What I do know is that this underarm part required a lot of re-dos.  In fact, it got to the point where I would sew a few stitches, stop.  Take a look from the right side, re-pin, sew, take a look.  Lets sum it up by stating I have no idea how many times I ripped that thing out or how many times I sewed it back up.  But I do estimate that 2 1/2 hours passed.

It looks ok.  Not super happy with it, but it works.  Also, the back portion seems unusually HUGE.  I made no pattern alteration to the back pieces….so what is up with that.

So far, I can say I am not a big fan of this Polynesian pattern.

The Confusion Sets In

The instructions in this Polynesian pattern just make no sense.  I am used to muddling through with little to no instructions or the instructions of the Big 4.  In a way, no instructions would be best because when those instructions are there, well I have to read them.  In this case, first I read, then I am utterly confused.  This should be moving forward faster.

It’s not.  I know it is me.

So, I have this so far

I do like the pattern placement of the flowers in the front.  There will be more bias binding across the seam so no worries that the pattern does not match.


Gotta love a stash.  I did have some dithering about what fabric to use as bias binding.  I have been collecting some basics from the bins at the Loft.  It has proved helpful because I had a few blacks, browns and even a khaki to choose from.  I went with a black cotton perhaps a blend ( I did not do a burn test).  The weight was a match.  None of the browns were right.

Adjustment

I am stymied by how to make a FBA to this pattern.  While I am not sure if I actually need an FBA I tend to think I will.  But how?

These are the pattern pieces.  Hmmmm….I can’t find anything to help.  There really is no arm hole and no darts and not even a bodice.

I traced out the pattern and then cut up the front skirt/bodice piece.  I first tried cutting up the bottom and spreading the pattern.  That could work but I didn’t really want to widen the bottom.  I then came from the top and I didn’t like that idea either since it would make it so the yoke would not fit.

Finally a light bulb went off…..I selected a spot fairly close to where the I thought the bodice would end.  Sliced the pattern in half.  From there, I cut up and out to spread and widen the putative bodice.  Hopefully this will work because I cut out the fabric.


Now for the fun part.