I am sewing for someone else.
It was totally accidental though, I swear.
Anyway, it all started out as good intentions. I am teaching two ladies that I work with how to sew. Every other Sunday, they come over for a few hours and we sew together. One is about 2/3 of the way through a linen shirt.
The other, well....the other....
The other is a really good friend, we have known each other for close to a decade. She badly wanted a polka-dot, 1950's style dress with a full skirt. Because we had sewed together before, I didn't think that any dress pattern would be too difficult for her. But was I ever wrong....
To start, she selected Vogue 1172, one of the reissued vintage patterns. I am really beginning to hate the reissued patterns. Really. This is the second one that I have worked on, and I swear they have a special department at Vogue whose sole responsibility is to rework the instructions to make them incomprehensible.The pattern has a "View A" and "View B" that as far as I can tell...are completely identical. So, you are constantly following the wrong instructions for whatever view you may be sewing (at this point, I am not even sure I am working on A or B).
Second...she is really tall. So tall that we needed to make some pretty extensive alterations. Which didn't really make any sense to her, because this is only the second thing we have sewn together. We started with a 16, and we ended up having to narrow the shoulders, lengthen the bodice, and make a significant sway back alteration.
Finally...the fabric. I did not select the fabric. She picked it solely because it was white with black polka dots. The problem is that it is slithery polyester. At the same time, it both won't hold it's shape when cut AND has no give for the easing of the princess seams. How both of these things can hold true I have no idea. The fabric also ravels so badly I hesitate to even call it ravelling...perhaps shredding is a better word. Which means, all the seams have to be bound.
Anyway, it is a frustrating mess, and to avoid causing her to come to hate sewing, I took over the sewing of the bodice. She will still be able to sew the skirt, but given that the bodice needed to be underlined and the seams finished and because of the infuriating fabric, I decided I would just do it. Now that the bodice is together, she can put the skirt on and insert the zipper, which should be manageable even with the crazy fabric.
Here is what I have so far:
I underlined the whole bodice with a very light cotton batiste, and the side seams and edges of the facing are finished with bias tape. I haven't decided yet what I am going to do with the top edge and edges of the arm holes. I could topstitch it to keep the facing lying flat, but topstitching seems a casual finish for what is turning out to be a fairly dressy garment. I could just press the heck out of it and tack the edges of the facing to the underlining to keep it from flipping out.
I will keep you posted as to progress...
13 comments:
You've done a great job so far. I hope your friend doesn't develop AIS (Acquired Incompetency Syndrome). Both my daughters suffer from this debilitating syndrome. with good intentions they start projects, then the AIS kicks in. if you don't beat it early it becomes a lifelong disability!
Oh my! You are overcoming a lot of obstacles in the making of this dress. I think it's turning out beautifully, though. I'm sure your friend is going to be super appreciative. She'll also learn to pick easier patterns and fabrics next time.
Your so nice for helping your friend. I would have told her to hold off on the project and start with something easier. There's nothing wrong with having a UFO until she learns how to sew on easier fabric. hehe. As for the bodice, I think you can turn it into a great lesson on pressing and hand stitching. Teach her to catchstitch and she can stitch the facing to the underlining.
Good luck and the dress is looking great already. Your friend is so lucky.
It is neat that you are teaching others to sew. The dress sounds like quite a project, but from the picture of the bodice, it looks like it will be beautiful when it is done. You could consider your work as "class samples" on how to deal with difficult fabric, interlining and seam finishing. I am sure your friends will learn from them also.
Your kind to help a friend sew. The fabric sounds like a pain, but the bodice you have sewn is lovely and the fabric is cute.
Once finished the pattern comes out beautifully, my friend just made this dress. I hope you manage to get over all the problems.
Incase you are still confused, the two views are for the normal version and a lace version underlined with another fabric; so one set of instructions is with an underlining, the other without, i forget which way around.
You are a kind person! On the other hand, you are missing out on the frustration of having to fix mistakes in that unruly fabric...
It looks great so far!!
You might have hated working with that fabric but you did a wonderful job. I love.
You're a saint for doing that for your friend! She will come to love sewing and continue learning... I don't know that I would have done that.
Thanks for showing the inside of the bodice - it looks beautifully finished!
What a friend! The dress looks very pretty. You are a real trooper- I HATE poly with a passion!
The fabric sounds like a total nightmare and I was preparing to hate it until I scrolled down to the photos. The bodice looks swell, I can see why your friend likes the look of the fabric. Friendship merit badge coming your way!
You are an amazing friend! (And that bodice is looking stunning)I can handle bad instructions generally, but bad fabric drives me NUTS.
I want a friend like you :) You would not even have to sew the dress for me. Just teaching me to sew would be sooooooooo fantastic! You could trade in the old friend for a new friend. Ok, geography could be a problem--but wait! I'll just pack up and move. There problem solved!
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