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

Sew Along Dress Part 7: Oopsies!

I would imagine an old wives tale going like this: "When you start to sew, don't be surprised if you make more than one mistake along the way."

Thus it has happened. To me. And I'm so bummed! But at least it is very easily fixable. I was so very close to being done. Mom checked my work to make sure I was going aright with it. She said, "Your side seam is too short. It won't reach all the way around to the waistband."

Well, so I took out the seam and re-sewed. I was off still. Took out that huge long seam again (the one that runs down the skirt!) and re-sewed it. Another huge sigh and maybe a teeth grit; the thread had missed - just missed - the first folded seam. (I had folded the edge to prevent unraveling and was folding it over again to make a sturdier line for buttons.) I ripped it out again, and it's sitting on the sewing desk for tomorrow's fix.

I'm so close to being done it's not funny! I would have had half a dress to show you by now if I hadn't goofed.

 my perfect square neckline stitches -- I'm excited b/c this was a hard part

 side seam on the dress -- where the buttons will go; I don't think this is the goofed part

 folding over a seam a bit to prevent unraveling

~ buttons are only on there to "show" you what it will look like! Not to that part yet ~

Sew Along Part 6 - The Machine & Bodice Sewing

This is my mother's vintage 1950s era Necchi Sewing Machine. Italy made! It's very sharp and sews superbly. There's tons of attachments for all kinds of fancy embroidery. Some day I hope to try them - but for now, it's the simple sewing I shall do. (I was not able to use my 1960s sewing machine because this one was already plugged in, and our dining room already has a piano, a large dining table, and two sewing machines .. it would have been a horrible mess to plug in the 1960s machine.) That's ok, I am enjoying this Necchi - wish you could see it in person!

* First Photo*

Sewing the top button closure for the first side button. This was interesting to do, since I had to rip out the seam because it was sewed on the wrong side! It was rather peculiar, too, since the pattern could have already had the side piece drawn into the pattern itself. :) It was an extra step that could have been avoided if the original drafters had thought of simpler ways to construct this -- as said by mother. lol  and I happen to agree.

 

*Second Photo* Hemming along the correct side (button closure). 

*Third & Fourth Photos*
Inside front and back facing. Trial and error the first time

 with the back facing; accidentally sewed it to the front 

instead of the back! :p A seam ripper becomes

the seamstresses' friend. More later.....

Sew Along Part 5 - Cutting Fabric!

Keeping the buttons along shoulders, since they come down farther than I had thought they would. Up next: finding the right buttons!

 Take a close look at the return address.

 Very fine details!









I just finished cutting my pattern from fabric today! I had to re-do the inside belt facing once because the scissors weren't cooperating. Instead of cutting four separate skirt panels, I only cut two - each one on the fold. For dresses and even some skirts, I don't like front/back seams. I don't think this will interfere with the bodice to skirt sewing. Well, here are the completed photos for this part of the project. Up next: starting to sew the pieces together!! Must break out my 1965 sewing machine and find some navy blue thread....

           FINISHED!!

Of Bobby Pins & Nappie Pins

Simple things in life. They should be enjoyed, admired, and loved. Here are some things that I have come across on my auction hunts, thrift store finds, eBay wins ... these vintage Bobbie pins and baby cloth diaper pins I acquired from an old estate sale. They were thrown in amongst old buttons, sewing notions, and other little treasures.

Dress Making Sew Along - Part 3: Fabric Choice - Finally!!

I am so excited I was able to find this navy blue poplin twill in the family fabric stash! This blue will be great for all season wear. I can brighten the color up in the Spring and Summer wearing a printed scarf around the waist or around the neck. I am so excited to be able to start the process of tracing my vintage pattern. I purchased it like new, so I do not want to ruin the thin crepe paper.

I did some thinking. I am toying still with the button choice. Because of my narrow shoulders, instead of putting buttons along the shoulders of this dress, I am going to perhaps place two buttons on either side of the points at the corner of the neckline. This way a sweater will not get caught up in the buttons. I am not sure what type of buttons I will use. I surely need some eye-popping designs! And not just round, either. I do have a box labeled "buttons" somewhere in my personal stash of sewing supplies; will have to dig it out. If I can't find any suitable, it will be an evening hunt on eBay.

Dress Making Part 2

All right. I'm back to the fabric drawing board. My green fabric, although very pretty, is too thick for this type of dress. I had an inkling that it was, but I was so happy to have found green fabric that I didn't want to face the facts of the thickness of fabric.... sigh.... Here are a few more fabric selections.

 I am thinking that this will come acros as  too "grandma-ish" and perhaps look like it should be an apron! This fabric is hard to find  coordinating skirt fabric because the "brown" in the fabric isn't really brown nor is it purple. Almost like a taupe, but do not want a lighter skirt color. Any suggestions?

Does this look too '70s? I want the fabric choice to be '40s-style but without large floral patterns. I do not have enough of this fabric to make a skirt, so it would have to be the bodice. Let me know what you think of this fabric.

This fabric is a soft cotton feel. Looks like flannel but it is not. The tiny dark centers of the flowers are blue, so i could have a blue skirt.









I am still not sure if these three fabric choices are the best for the pattern I am trying to make. I am in love with the first option, however, trying to find a coordinate a n d buttons to match will be difficult. If anyone has a place they shop for nice vintage-repro or even '40s dated fabric, let me know -- I would appreciate it so very much! Have a marvelous rest of the Sunday.