I've made progress on my dress from Simplicity 1800:
But I'm stuck at a really silly point...finishing the neckline and hems. The neckline is very pretty though.
My quandry is, the front bodice is supposed to be LINED. Just the bodice, not the sleeve portion, and that lining finishes the upper edge. But then there are front and back facing pieces also (to finish the arms/shoulder and the back neck).
The pattern pieces aren't marked to cut a lining, and I didn't decipher that from the cutting layout either. Which means, I didn't cut a lining and now I don't have enough fabric to do one. Not to mention the dress is put together WAY past the point of where I should have lined the front bodice. Hmpho, as
Beangirl would say.
Here's what happened. I'm noodling along, sewing up this dress at a fine pace, it's looking like it will fit, it's sunny, the winds are calm, all is smooth sailing (which should have been my FIRST CLUE) and then WHAMMO. I'm ready to sew the facings on. And the "front facing" clearly ISN'T MATCHING. I was pretty baffled, because I had cut out the silly thing very carefully (also not normal) and marked every dot and cut every notch (ditto).
I dug through the directions, looking for my goof. Twice. FINALLY I ran across it, where a brief statement mentions lining the bodice. Granted, I didn't sew step by step with the directions because they're all split apart into varying sections (depending on what view you're making) and I find those sort of directions really disjointed and confusing.
But I did gaze at them and flip through them for anything major before I started.
Rats.
At this point I'm not sure how to finish the neck. I'm considering drafting my own facing. I don't have anything suitable to line with and I don't really want to anyway. Not the whole bodice and sleeves. Bias binding? Facing? Anyone?
Moving on to the skirt...I didn't pleat the skirt (the maternity comment scared me on the last progress post), I chose instead to do a small amount of gathering between the notches for the pleats. I really like how it turned out:
That pin sticking out of the bodice is where i need to take up the princess seam just a bit, about 1/4 inch at the fullest part. I probably could have gone down a pattern cup size.
On that note...I used my high bust measurement and regular bra cup size for the front, and then a larger size for the back (because I have the dreaded broad back. Ugh.
Shut it, Beangirl.) It fit right out of the box, no alterations except for that tiny bit that *could* be removed. In a different fabric, one that's thicker or weightier (like a ponte) I don't think I would remove any at all. In this drapey rayon, I think it will lie better if I stitch it a little closer.
Count me a fan of the multi-cup size patterns now! The side seams could also be taken up about an inch on each side, but that's because I didn't realize there were 1" seam allowances built in. And I cut about 1/4 outside of that for "insurance"! That's another time it would have paid to read the directions, huh?
So it's just going to be a bit baggy and comfortable. Not a fitted, Va-Va-voom dress. Not that I was going for that. Ahem.
Anywho. As soon as I figure out a solution to this neckline dilemma, I'll have a cute new summer dress to wear. One that is more "comfort" than "style" but I think I can adjust the pattern to be a bit more fitted and flattering on the next one, so all is not lost!
If I change anything, it will be to lower the bodice to more "at the waist" (it is definitely an empire waist) and raise the neckline about an inch.
Oh! There is also a goof in the directions. At one point it tells you to sew the two-piece sleeves (I think it was the sleeves) Wrong Sides together. Oops, Simplicity!
