I've been working on my McCalls dress, but it's been some slow going for a couple of reasons. First, I'm not crazy about their construction methods, so I'm using my own, which take a little longer. The way the pattern is designed, the bodice and midriff are lined, but the skirt isn't. I thought about whether to line the skirt, but I decided instead to underline it, so I can do a completely invisible hem. Here are the skirt pieces laid on my home cutting table after I had basted the underlining to it.
I don't really like the way they have you attach the sleeves. They tell you to stitch the bodice and bodice lining together, then stitch the lining of the sleeve to the sleeve at the hem, turn the lining to the inside and attach the sleeve/lining to the armhole of the bodice/lining. I decided to make them separately, setting the sleeves in the lining, then setting the sleeves in the garment bodice. I'll attach them at the sleeve hems and necklines, but I'll do them in different order. I'll show it in a pictorial when I write the review. Oh, and to prove that I do practice what I preach, I set the sleeves just like I showed in my post on Setting a Sleeve Into an Armhole. Here you can see sleeve pinned and hand basted into the armscye.
The other thing that has slowed me a bit is the plaid. I've been taking my time and matching my plaid lines up, through careful cutting, sewing, ripping out and resewing, and steam shrinking. The bodice shell and the bodice lining are both complete. I haven't attached them to eachother. I'll do that tomorrow, I hope. The rest of the construction from here out should go pretty quickly so I hope to have this all finished this week. Here's the bodice (it's hanging open in the back)
Parting Shots: Hoover and His Boys
It was a gorgeous day here (and the Pats beat Miami - Go Pats!!!). DH and both DS's did yardwork. Hoover's favorite thing in the world is to be outside with his
Poor DS the elder almost never gets face time on my blog it seems. But here he is in the front yard with Hoover:
And here is Hoover getting his belly scritched - that is one happy dog....
13 comments:
Your dress is looking good so far. Is this the same fabric as the ill-fated trousers?
dang, those sleeves look niiiice!!
Yep Gail, it is the same fabric. I really love working with it, so even the pants disaster couldn't keep me from going back to it. :)
It's looking fabulous. I'm baffled about why they write the directions the way they do.
And, That's the way I was taught to set in a sleeve too. I was taught to pin it in and then let go of it, and it should resemble the shape of an egg...if it didn't it needed to be repinned. And don't ease stitch since it will add puckers.
The dress is looking great. And yay for a Pats win!! Next week against the Colts should be fun. ::fingers crossed::
I agree about those lining instructions - it just looks so unfinished done that way. I do my own thing, too. The bodice is looking wonderful - what a sweet contrast to the unfortunate trousers.
I love the dress so far. the fabric is really nice! I always line almost everything I make. I definitely would want the skirt lined. I would do it just the way you are.
Love the pictures of the elder with his dog.
I'm in awe of the plaid match because I KNOW how much time and effort it took to get it to look that way!
This dress is going to be lovely. I have a pair of brown patent leather shoes that would go with it perfectly. I agree with you about these pattern instructions, in fact, I find that increasingly I am ignoring the directions given and making my own construction order. Most times I find I am able to get a better finish than the instructions would.
There is nothing like chopping wood to make a guy feel like he's earned that brewski!
Handsome lads! Your dress is going to be very lovely, too.
Loving the dress with sleeves! Can't wait to see the finished version.
I'm working on a similiar long-sleeved dress with an unlined skirt (and sleeves). I've lined the sleeves, but am debating how to line the skirt, because it has heavy pleating in the front. Why would a pattern company draft an unlined skirt?! Brrrr!
Your Hoover looks like my Maggie!!
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