CRYING REAL TEARS HERE...NOT!!!

OK,What about my dress...

that I worked diligently on for two weekends in a row, IS TOO BIG!!!!!!!!!! I took measurements, thought I altered the pattern accordingly, even made a muslin, and the dress is still too big in the shoulder area as well as in the hips. The dress has side front panels and side back panels in both the lining and the dress, and I think that taking this all apart to make adjustments (as well as taking the zipper out to make the upper back fit bitter) WOULD BE A BIT TO MUCH FOR ME! Now mind you, this has been a bit disheartening. At times I have told myself, "self, maybe you just really do not know how to sew". But I have quickly shaken those thoughts off and started over again. I really don't think it so much not knowing how to sew, but knowing how to fit. Gone are the days that I could take a size 12 or 14 pattern out of the envelope and just sew it up. Now I've finally got some hips, IS THIS THE PRICE I HAVE TO PAY for finally having hips?......RATS!. I am still not giving up....I am going to keep right on trudging through this thing until I can finally come up with at least a couple of TNT patterns!!!! My stubborness has got to be s a strong point here!

FINISHED!!!!!!!!

Finished my dress on Sunday!!!
I read several sewing blogs regularly: www.diaryofasewingfanatic@blogspot.com, www.ericabunker.com and www.sewonandsewon@blogspot.com. There are may others that I check out when I have extra time, but these are three sewists who's work I admire. Each has a different sewing style and style taste, but what I admire most about them is THEY DON'T MIND SHARING INFORMATION AND KNOWLEDGE. I started sewing again 9 months ago after a 13 year hiatus, and sometimes when I look at the work of others I feel inferior about mine. I have had some trying times with my sewing process during these 9 months; however, I have had some really happy times too. I want to be pleased with the work I do and I also want to be confident. I realize that the important thing is to take my time, do my best and ask questions when I don't know - even if the questions sounds silly. If you don't know, you just don't know. I find that somebody out there in cyberland does know and someone will share information with you. Another place where I learn a lot and get help with sewing questions is at THREADS MAGAZINE DISSCUSSIONS. There are a lot of really helpful people there too.

I finished my dress, I did my best and most importantly of all I ENJOYED THE PROCESS! This dress turned out to be a little more detailed than I had wanted. I wanted a stylish summer dress that didn't call for a lot of work and could be finished quickly. THIS WAS NOT IT! Although I would make this dress again, it is not the quick project that I was looking for. If it had called for facings instead of a lining I think it would have gone a lot faster. I have to get brave enough to use my self drafted facings. Getting better with sewing is a process, as is everything else. So on with the process....

SATURDAY NIGHT RANTINGS

I got up early today and started the sewing project that I had scheduled for this weekend. I started this dress last weekend and had hoped to finish it today but didn't.

I finished it all except tacking down the lining around the neckline, armholes and along the zipper. I had wanted a really simple summer dress pattern, however every pattern I looked at called for a lining. I wanted a sleeveless dress with facings for the neck and armholes, but couldn't fine one. The dress is made of pique (which I just love) and I debated using a matching single fold bias tape but opted not to. Then I drafted facings for the areas that I needed to cover but chickened out on using them. Rather than one of these options I went ahead and lined it as called for with a light weight batiste. Here's my dress so far...

Maybe I'll be able to finish it sometime tomorrow - (fingers crossed). Next I'm thinking about making a white jacket to go with this dress because the office I work in is a freezer.

I also wanted to post the two skirts that I finished last weekend. I wore this beige one to work on Thursday with a RTW top, and felt quite comfortable in it. After being away from sewing for so long, I'm feeling a bit self conscious about wearing things that I make. But little by little I'm building up my confidence about this.And here's the denim one made from the same pattern...

I also added another book to my sewing library this weekend (yes, I'm a book fiend). This one is "More Fabric Savvy". It list lots of different types of fabric and gives their fiber content, care, tells you what size needle, presser foot and method of marking the fabric. I had been looking at it for months now and when I was at Hancocks on Friday and couldn't make a fabric selection, I went ahead and bought it. The book is by Sandra Betzina. I already had two of her books (Power Sewing and Fast Fit) and since I thought both of them were EXCELLENT!!!, I felt the third one would come in handy as well as enhance my knowledge of fabrics. It also has some really good sewing tips.

I bought this Singer book several weeks ago when they had a sale on books at Hancocks. It's a handy guide with really good pictures of lots of different techniques. I am sure I will use all of these books over and over again.

Well, I guess that's enough for tonight....

CAN'T WAIT!!!

I finally broke down and ordered this dress form on Memorial Day, and was sort of hoping that I could pick it up at Hancock's today but alas, it did not arrive. They said that the next truck won't arrive until next Friday. I guess I can wait until then, and hope this will help me with some fitting issues...