Overall, this #itchtostitchpattern is pretty good. (Last photo is an epic #SundaysareforDerps lol!)
The sleeve is a little tight on my shoulder joint (not sure if that's because I'm boney or if that is just how it's drafted) and the armseye needs to be dropped 3/4". I suspect that the armseye is too high because the pattern was drafted without dropping it for a raglan sleeve - that should be the first step when converting a set-in sleeve to a raglan. Easy enough to fix if I make the top version later.
I didn't use any interfacing and the instructions call for it in multiple places but it would just add bulk where you won't want it. I also didn't apply the clear elastic to the waist seam the way specified - if I had cut it to fit my waist and stretched it to fit, the dress would be impossible to get over my shoulders and bust. Clear elastic is just meant for stabilizing seams as it doesn't stretch like regular elastic. So I just serged it in the seam as I attached the skirt to the bodice. That means the waist keeps its shape without stretching out but it isn't tight against my skin.
After wearing it, I realized I needed to take in the back neck on each raglan seam because it gaps quite a lot (more obvious when I'm sitting). I probably didn't notice that during construction because the tightness of the sleeves was throwing me off. I'll fix it this afternoon and post some pics later.
I'm not crazy about how the waist gathers sit on my bum center back. If I ever decide to make another dress with this pattern, I'll be changing the skirt. Luckily, the print is enough of a distraction that it's not the first thing you focus on, but it feels a little weird. It might hang better in a super drapey knit, but I'm not sure and that wasn't what the pattern called for.
I would also recommend cutting your neckband pieces longer than the pattern draft if you make one. I cut mine at the length of the measured neckline on the pattern and then stretched to the measured length and chopped off the bit that went beyond. If I had cut as drafted, my neckband would have been too tight for this cotton knit with good recovery.
I think once I correct the pattern, I'll really like using it for some t-shirts.
#GlenellyTopandDress #itchtostitchdesigns
I spent the day priming things for paint and then I remembered to shoot a quick video. #SewingStudioBuild
I started cutting all the edges while Janet was away yesterday morning. When she got back after lunch, she pulled out a roller and started filling in. I'll put a pic below in the comments. #SewingStudioBuild
We broke for lunch and then came back with a portal ac unit plugged in to an extention cord from the house. Can't wait until they finished hooking up all the electrical and we have the mini split cooling the room for us - it was stupid humid today! #SewingStudioBuild
I keep meaning to cut something new out to sew, and keep not having time. But in the meantime, I thought I’d show something I started several weeks ago. About two years ago, a geography project that was in our curriculum was to create an embroidery design, the unit was on Ukraine and this had to do with traditional embroidered garments. So my oldest made this design, and asked if I’d use it in my own sewing sometime. I had to sit on this one for awhile to plot what to do, but I finally started it. Last year’s ice dyeing had this leftover sweatshirt fleece from some shirts I made when the boys were younger, but it only dyed on the back side. So I’m using reverse embroidery to put his design on the front piece of this sweatshirt, so I can also use that piece of fabric in a way that won’t look like my clothes are inside out. I also have a back yoke piece cut, but I’m only getting to work on this around once a week right now, so I’ll need to either speed this up or drop that ...
I just need to vent. I was hemming some jeans today and one leg was perfect. Did it in one try. The other? It took 4 times of sewing and picking it out! I’m done now but that was such a pain. I hate stretch denim so much. Can anyone else relate?
Almost time to start quilting panels for my jacket pieces. I have one more front section to piece and I need to lengthen the hood pattern (why does everyone always draft hoods too short?) and then I can make "sandwiches."
I took this photo before I stitched a strip of background fabric to each side of the stripes so that the pattern piece of the jacket back is completely covered.
