Stitch and bitch #7. Hanging by a thread

Oh no @Jins. The top you posted is so beautiful.
I've no helpful suggestions but have you taken a picture of you wearing it, I do find it easier to judge from an image - although it's too easy to be critical of ourselves.

@Jins I'm so sorry you aren't loving your dress. Are you being a touch over-critical? I sense you are a perfectionist! Hopefully washing it will soften it otherwise my only other suggestion is to eat chocolate (not helpful?!)

Please can I pick your brains about the Poppy Pants? Best fabric to go for? I've seen some nice printed viscose and also some really fun printed cotton jersey but should I just go for some cotton? (I struggle with polyester and other synthetic fabrics as I get too hot! I'm the girl who doesn't own a sweater......)

@SleepingisanArt i don’t think I’m being over critical, even DH laughed.😀It’s heading for the washing machine this morning so I’m crossing my fingers.

I’ve made Poppy pants in a range of fabrics from sheeting to suiting and I think they work best in a lightweight woven as the waistband can get a little bulky where you join the elasticated back to the flat front. So I’m happiest with the ones I made out of an old duvet cover and the ones In lightweight poly blend suiting. Viscose would be gorgeous but I’ve not used it yet as I’m still working my way through a stockpile of viscose trousers I’ve impulse bought in supermarket sales. I’m not sure about using a jersey, they could end up a bit baggier than you’d like.

I think you’d get very close to the picture you posted by using viscose but check there’s enough ease first. Karina from lifting pins and needles reviewed the pattern and hers were in crepe and linen rayon.

@Jins you are a superstar! As I'm new to this whole sewing clothes for me I have some old duvet covers (from when my girls were at uni) to practice with. My tunic top started in a rather fetching huge flowery print (which rendered my husband hysterically speechless) and I have a fabulous red background with big white dots earmarked for the trousers..... I'm thinking clown.... This could be the perfect gardening outfit (though I might scare the birds!)

Hope your dress works out - the bodice looked amazing.

I keep getting this ad on FB and think a fabric like this would be great for some home sewn trousers.

This!

@Chewbecca - I have a tab open with fabric similar to that! I'm trying to work out if it will work on someone of my rather interesting shape!!!! If I pair it with my usual longer line top (to hide butt and round stomach) then I might get away with it.....

@SleepingisanArt Busily patterned trousers with a long top to disguise stomach is my uniform and I wear them all year round.

This is today’s (bought) subtle number in viscose. Paired with a long, black v necked tank. The lads call them my festival trousers

I am testing Emerson shorts in an old duvet to see if I want to make a patterned pair, possibly with a matching Ogden Cami which is forgiving. We shall see!

The dress is drying. I’ve held it against the one I made last year and for some reason I can’t fathom it’s much bigger. I know I’m making the same size as I’m using the same pattern pieces and I took the standard seam allowance both times.

So I fear a bit of bodging is in order. I think I need to focus on the back as it’s very full. If I hadn’t already overlocked it I’d probably just take it in at the sides and still may do that. I’m also considering a hand stitched inverted pleat at centre back.

If all else fails I’ll stick another tier on it to make a maxi dress and elasticate the bottom of the bodice. It’s giving me Abigail’s party vibes

@NutellaEllaElla I saw an advertising link for a 5 day holiday described as a 'sewing retreat'.

Perhaps that is what you need!

It actually quite appeals to me. A week of sewing without distraction but I could probably achieve the same thing staying at home.

I have dyed the fabric for my jacket. Probably should have used two pods as it has come out more of a light red wine colour than the plum colour I was expecting.

Not sure whether to run it through with another pod or leave as is. Decisions decisions!

I've gone to quilting retreats and I got tons more done than I would have staying at home. I didn't know anyone at the first one but it's pretty easy to get along and chat with people when you have a common activity, plus there is a huge pool of knowledge and experience which they are happy to share. If it's in the right venue then there is also delicious food that you don't have to make yourself and a bar. So I would definitely consider a sewing retreat too.

I let Hobbycraft decide about the fabric dye issue. They had some in stock so I have re-dyed the fabric.

Buttonholes on the shirt are done and I have started the cutting out for DM's apron.

Right, breakfast is done so I had better crack on!

I am going to be making a toile for the elodie wrap dress for my daughter ( Closet Core) - I found this ( used Fabworks before ) - such a bargain- https://www.fabworks.co.uk/products/peony-garden-cotton-sateen-designer-shirting

That’s lovely fabric and a very good price indeed!

The dress of doom is draping better after the second wash and I’m going to use a pleat at each side. An inverse pleat at the back looked a bit weird but I can do pretty much anything I like at the sides as it’s all hidden by the balloon sleeves. Stitched in elastic would work as well. I’m leaving it for now as we’re away to Whitby on Wednesday for a week and I can ponder it while I’m away

Random question though - standard hangers are distorting the raglan sleeve gathers quite badly. Even an old kids hanger I found does the same. The only place I can put tapes for hanging is at the waistband and then the top crumples. Has anyone got any ideas?

@Jins hang it over a triangle trouser hanger with the waistband over the bar bit?

@bookbook lovely fabric, I think that’s a great match for the Elodie.

@GnomeDePlume you are very productive - all that done before breakfast!

Jins - could you do something along the lines of shoulder pads on the hangar ? ( I still have shoulder pads in my box of -' you never know when you might want them ' taken out of old clothes)

Shoulder pads could work. I’m busy bending wire hangers into a shape that will hold the neckband with limited success.

in other news I’ve just made a strip of casing in the fabric with 1” elastic which looks good in a decorative sort of way so I’m going to play around with that later.

Funny isn’t it? I’ll happily buy a dress with a ‘that’ll do” attitude but I won’t entertain it in a me made dress

i use skirt hangers for dresses, the ones with clips, folded at the waistline if too long.
If you don't have them, in the army we used to use safety pins to clip things to wire hangers

@SBAM no no, that was yesterday. Before breakfast I did a sudoku only!

@bookbook I'm blaming you for this as I don't need any more fabric.

Would this be an absolute nightmare for a fairly new dress maker? I love the colour and I also wear a lot of light-weight ready to wear tops with a vest top underneath so could make something quite simple and floaty. I'd probably need to master French seams, wouldn't I? https://www.fabworks.co.uk/products/diaphanous-plum-shimmer?pr_prod_strat=use_description&pr_rec_id=da19023f0&pr_rec_pid=1403844493335&pr_ref_pid=1454450671639&pr_seq=uniform