Maybe I should start acting like other sewers and carry a sketch book around with me so I can document my ideas. However, 1) I am not a good artist and 2) Ha yeah right! So when an idea strikes, it consumes me entirely until I can make it and get it out of my system. Just recently I became obsessed with making a giant red plaid cocoon cardigan and I refuse to shut up about how awesome it's going to be (sorry, sewmies) until I can source the perfect red plaid knit and make it. On Saturday, I had another one of these moments. Immediately after finishing a wrap dress I've been working on for a week, I suddenly was obsessed with making a hunter green Lady Skater to wear with dark brown tights and boots. I was literally trying to nap on my couch when suddenly it hit me and I had to get up and start scouring Pinterest for inspo.
I bought this dark green French Terry from Girl Charlee a few months ago, intending to make a Linden sweatshirt from it. But then I realized I already had two Lindens from the same fabric in two different colorways and decided that was overkill and I needed to reevaluate my priorities (As an aside, I know Girl Charlee has been getting a lot of shit recently about the quality of their fabrics. I can 100% say that this fabric is wonderful and soft and durable and well worth $8/yard). So it sat in my stash. Green is my favorite color, by the way, so having a neglected piece of green fabric staring at me from the top of my knit stash was torture. I had two yards which was perfect to cut out a lady skater with some to spare.
Lazy sewing move #1: Last time I made the Lady Skater I traced off a size 5, even though my measurements are obviously a 6 (vanity is a cruel mistress) and my first version was way too tight. Instead of printing off another copy and cutting the right size, I decided (like an idiot) to just leave an extra 1/2" between the pattern piece and the fold to make up the difference. This was stupid because it made the neckline weirdly wide, and after finishing the damn dress I realized the reason the first dress was too small had way more to do with lack of stretch than my vanity sizing. I ended up having to take in each side about 1/2" at the waist (go figure).
Clyde isn't out of focus, he's just a blurry dog. |
Lazy Sewing Move #2: I didn't actually walk the seams and just laid the Lady Skater bodice pattern pieces over the Renfrew pieces and guessed which size cowl to cut. Warning: The neckline on the Lady Skater is much bigger than that on the Renfrew. Public Service Announcement: If you want to make a Skaterfrew, use the Renfrew for the bodice and blend it to match the Lady Skater at the waist! You also need a shitload of fabric for that cowl, so I had to get a little bit creative.
Ha, nope, ain't nobody got time for that. |
Lazy Sewing move #3: After ripping out approximately 3 of the neckline stitches and realizing how much work it would be to rip out the whole thing, I decided just to pin the cowl piece to the existing neckline and hope that the seam allowance and serger would take care of the rest. Wrong. But I also didn't want to cut the neckband off and make the neck even wider than it already was, so at least I was being sort of logical and not 100% lazy?
Stretching the everloving shit out of the cowl while sewing. |
Puckering and really awful topstitching. I also had to add a seam to the under cowl because I ran out of fabric. |
But with the cowl down it really isn't that noticeable. Somebody suggested that I tack the cowl down in a few places to cover the neckline and maybe someday when I feel like hand stitching anything I'll do that. The puckers are still there, but I will press them into submission. All in all, it is a really cozy dress and even with all the crap I messed up I'm happier with the cowl than I was with the original neckband. So, we'll chalk this one up as a win?
Okay, off to buy fabric now that my January fabric diet is over. Gorgeous Fabrics, I'm coming for you and that silk covered in elephants!