Swing Dress Sew Along Part 8 - Setback

My dress is nearly complete - with the button holes left to make, and the buttons to be sewn on. After trying it on to see how all would fit, we discovered something: 1. there needed to be darts in the back bodice because it sat a little tight where it shouldn't; 2. after Mom pinned the darts into place, I could not get the dress off without removing four of the pins that were in place of buttons; 3. this was not a good turnout.

Oh please do not get me wrong! I adore this dress - it fits me very well, better than I could ever have imagined. But after making 19 attempts to fashion button holes on scrap fabric I nearly gave up out of frustration of having loppy button holes! We then decided to see how many button holes we actually could get away with not using. Then came the problems outlined above. :} 'Tis the problem many ladies have -- not enough waisties and too much hipsies. (I must owe that statement to Casey from Elegant Musings for her recent sdsa post she almost labeled "What's in its pocketses?") 

Ah. So out of sheer "What are we going to do?", we put the dress away for tonight, and are prepared to tackle it again tomorrow. Next in hope of rescuing this dress so that we can put in a side zipper - yay! the 40s look totally! - instead of all those button holes. The pattern calls for a button under the arm pretty close to the armpit, which would make it uncomfortable for the arm resting against the side. Thus, buttons are out, at least for the side. We are still going to put buttons on the shoulders and mock buttons along the top side (waistband area) but trying to do a side zipper. This will require some reconstructing, and taking out almost an entire side seam!! Eh. Well, I'm familiar with that already. lol.

I have taken photos of what's happening so far. I like how the dress is turning out. I like the button idea, too, but for the side seam it's going to be difficult. I hope this sew along is extended another week and a half, because little blunders and troubles along the way sure slow progress. I am hoping, though, to have everything resolved by the weekend. It's still only the beginning of the week!

Enjoy the photos - and the dreary outdoors of February blues. :p 
 

 front of the dress

 front bodice

 front waistband

 seam bias/binding - isn't it pretty? I'd never used bias before!

I have a whole box of vtg binding and not one piece was navy blue!!

 back of dress

 back bodice

 back waistband

 skirt - so lovely!

the intended buttons of choice