Friday, October 24, 2008

Not quite Project Runway


This little dress is my attempt at making my own pattern to try and make this. I am a little (OK, a lot) embarrassed to allow you so easily to compare my dress with Esa's (from Tea Pony), but go and see. I'll get over it.

I saw it, loved it, and thought, "I wonder if I could make that?", so I gave it a go. The astute among you will see the fatal flaw in my creation immediately- the neckline is wiiiiiide. Yikes. The whole time I was making it, I was thinking, "too small, too small" (yes I am a genius), and then I finished it, and I was thinking, "too big, too big". 

So it falls off the shoulders of Miss Jems, but fits Caleb quite well (as a shirt) which I discovered in the few nano seconds he begrudgingly allowed me to put it on him. Poor little man. Anyway, perhaps in a few years I will finish the hem and 4 year old Jems will have a new top. (I will have to finish all the seams inside as well- I was kind of in a hurry to see if it would work out.)

It was a good "learning experience"...but I don't super-like spending an afternoon sewing without a garment for someone to actually wear. Right away.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Bek, thanks for stopping by my blog. I've done some patternmaking and have been sewing since I was a little kid, and yes there are a few things you can freeform cut, some you sort of lay a skirt or top down and cut around, but on the whole, you need a pattern at least as the base. I used to think paper patterns were expensive, but after patternmaking, or worse, paying a patternmaker who will do draft 1, toille (make it in calico or fabric) fit and adjust pattern, then produce the final pattern - I think paper patterns are a steal! buy some heavy non iron on interfacing and trace off pattern pieces for your size, especially if it's a kids pattern, and then it will be even better value for money. have you had a look at burdastyle.com where there are a lot of free patterns?

This is a cute little top! To reduce the size of the neckline you could add a casing and thread a ribbon or fabric tie through to cinch it in. email me if you'd like more info.

Lynda

Sarah-Jo said...

OMGosh I feeling a freakish connection to you Miss red chocolate right about now hahahaa

I did the same thing, drooled over the bell and boo dress
became smitten well ok slightly obsessed with it
till I had to attempt one myself...with lame results
http://ideyspidey.blogspot.com/2008/09/miss-polly-had-dolly-dress.html
BUT the sewing gods were smiling on me as Esa actually saw my post and sent me the Belle&Boo dress this was after i had already won one of her coco and the owl smock tops
so blessed am I as Yoda would say :)
great minds mess up alike ahahahahaa