The Muppets Dress: Vogue 9668

So I've spent the past 2 days working on my Amy Adams-inspired Muppets dress.  And....here's where I'm leaving off on this one for a while.  Complete with crappy early morning indoor photo:

Looks great pinned on the dressform, even before sleeves and lining, right?  And it looks beautiful IF I don't zip it up all the way.  It's too tight!  Ack. 

I ended up using this Vogue 9668 pattern, as I mentioned before:

I cut my high bust measurement and added a 1" FBA and it fit REALLY well through the front.  And that neckline!  So flattering.

This seersucker fabric is beautiful! (The fabric for this project was provided by Online Fabric Store).  It has a lovely drape and is lightweight and perfect for summer.  I love the color too... a deep brown and white stripe.  I'll definitely be purchasing more of this, in some of the other colors.

Back to my too-tight dress.  I did do a tissue fit, which seemed perfect.  I tried sewing smaller side seams but it I needed MORE ROOM.  I have no idea what happened.  Unless, as Kristine mentioned yesterday when I was whining, I made a cutting error.

Too late now!  Well...not entirely too late.  If you look closely in the bodice photo, I tried adding a horizontal striped "gusset" (a'la this helpful article on Threads).  I decided to do a full-length strip, because I was hoping it would look like a design element.

Meh.  Right now it looks like the dress was too tight and I added a couple of contrasting strips of fabric.

But maybe I'm too close. In any case, I'm setting this project aside while I mull it over and gain some distance.  (Good news...the invisible zipper was PERFECT.  Of course.)

Moving on to a new project...which I haven't picked out yet!  I'll keep you posted!

In Progress: The Muppets Dress Pt 3

What a lovely, lazy weekend!  It rained mostly, so I stayed in and did warm snuggly crafty things.  And napped.  I might have napped.

First up, dress progress:  I played with pattern adjustments, worried about losing the entire vintage pattern in the process, and realized something super obvious:  I already have a pattern EXTREMELY close to the inspiration dress in my stash!  In the words of Homer, Doh.

Inspiration Dress:

And...Vogue  9668:

Here's the line drawing:

And the sleeves from Vogue 8554 are also a perfect tulip match (the dress is cute too):

So at this point, I'm trying to decide whether I want to do more tweaks to my New York pattern tissue, or start from scratch with the Vogue.  I'm leaning toward trying the Vogue.  I love the neckline and the midriff band, and the circle skirt is already present.  And the sleeves!  I'll use those sleeves regardless.

I did pre-wash my seersucker fabric though!  In case you're just joining me, I have the stripe in Espresso:

Now it's Monday again and back to work!  But I have Spring Break next week, so my plan is to make real progress.

I leave you with the cutest pincushion ever:

Isn't it awesome in it's tiny bird basket glory?  And my flower head pins look so happy here.  I got it from Beth's Bagz on etsy.  It was REALLY hard to pick just one, but I love birds, and the little basket won (over a poodle who was seriously calling my name). 

Happy  monday!

in progress: Vogue 1224

So today I set out to make the CUTEST vintage sundress from a polka dot chambray.

After a few hours and numerous emails to Beangirl for venting, I set that project aside and moved to something less vent-inducing.  So I turned to one of the peasant-y patterns I've bought recently, Tracy Reese's Vogue 1224:

 I'm veering from the pattern directions a bit, in that I'm using a lawn instead of a knit.  To compensate, I just added 2.5" to the center front/center back pattern pieces (there is only 1" of ease in the measurements on the skirt as drafted for a knit!)  Hopefully that will work out, but I'm not too worried.  I've made so many peasant tops/bishop dresses in my life, and they're all drafted roughly the same way.  This one differs in the cut-on kimono-ish sleeve.  It was pretty interesting to mull over.

Construction has been super fast and easy, and since this is a very loose-fitting garment (at least mine will be, with the added inches!) no fit "fits".  Yay!  I didn't do any sort of adjustment to the pattern, other than lengthening the front bodice at CF about 3/4".  Sort of a super-cheater length-only FBA? I also added 4" to the length of the skirt pieces.  This is pretty short as drafted. 

I'm digging around for something to use for the cute tie and bow at the neckline.  I don't think I'll have enough self-fabric (well,  I tried, but I don't have a tube turner small enough for the tube I made!  Oops.)  I'm making this from 2 yards, so I had to get a little creative!

Hopefully finished garment pictures tomorrow... and maybe a polkadot chambray sundress after that.  Have a good weekend!

Vintage Vogue 9523 - complete!

 

I thought I'd start off with a bang and show a lovely photo!  Here's the pattern photo, in case you missed the in progress post:

I made very few changes to the bodice pattern, a small FBA and measuring it against another vintage sundress bodice that fits me well to adjust width.  I was worried about how widely-set the straps were.  And sure enough...they were too wide.  Falling off my shoulders too wide!  I compensated for that by making two little tucks in the front square neck:

Now it just looks like a design feature.  It does create a bit of a horizontal wrinkle from my underarm, but I can live with that.  I wish I had saved scraps of my fabric to make a tiny bias tube bow.  Do you think a solid bow would look bad?  

The straps sit much better with the little tucks though.  With the right bra, no straps showing!  I also changed the skirt to a full gathered skirt.  With my super high hips jutting out immediately after my waist, those a-line skirts are a real bear for me to get to hang right.  I love the gathered skirt though!

The fabric is a pink & orange & coral tropical print lawn from Fashion Fabrics Club.  The entire dress is fully lined in pink Imperial batiste.  I sort of winged the lining & attaching the strap part, since the dress pattern calls for facings.  I ended up making two bodices and leaving openings to insert the straps later.  Then I followed the pattern directions from that point forward for attaching the straps. 

The batiste underskirt (lining) makes the skirt just poufy enough.

The cardigan is from Old Navy and is the perfect coral color.  It's just a tad too long (as are most ON cardi's!)  

There's a center-back zip and a hook & eye:

I did have a pink invisible zipper, I'm just leery of putting them in.  Even though a sewing angel sent me the correct foot!  I think it's  a mental block. 

It has a super deep hem, nearly 5 inches!

Perfect summer dress. :)  

Except for the fact that, you know, after I went to all the trouble to ensure I was laying all of the pattern pieces in one direction to cut out...  The entire dress' print is UPSIDE DOWN!  

I just had to laugh because I've been staring at and/or stitching on this dress for two weeks and never once noticed.  I'm glad.  I probably wouldn't have finished it and I love it!  I'm going to wear it, upside down or not!

Happy Saturday!

Vintage Vogue 9523 - in progress!

In between rainy day naps this weekend I got nearly finished with my pink lawn Vogue sundress.  Here's a peek:

I used a tropical print lawn (Fashion Fabrics Club, last spring) and lined the bodice in pink Imperial batiste.  I don't have quiiiittteee enough Imperial to line the skirt.  Er, I could but it will be too short.  I'm debating whether to just make (or purchase) a matching half-slip.  I've thought about adding some wide pink lace to the hem of the lining too, which should lengthen it enough.  I'll have to dig through the lace stash.  That might be really pretty!

Wish I could show you more, but my camera battery died.  Rats.

I should have been able to make three of the little sundresses in one weekend considering how simple construction was.  Instead, here's a little sampling of my cohorts and their bad example...

 

Fat Kitty clearly needed more direction.  Or a chore or something.  Sheesh.

Hey I did get some fun stuff in the mail on Saturday!  My new Colette patterns came!  Have you seen them yet?  They're "beginner" patterns, and I probably didn't need them, but you know how it is.  I already have all the others (except the men's shirt); why stop now?

Here is Violet (all images from the Colette website):

The little peter pan collar is so sweet (hopefully not "too" sweet though), and I LOVE the back yoke & gathering.  So cute.  What I'm not terribly crazy are things easy to fix: the gathered elastic sleeve "cuff" and the lack of vertical darts in front/back for shaping. I think these were omitted to make the pattern beginner-friendly, which I honestly think is pretty awesome.  Here are some pretty pictures from the website of example garments:

The 2nd new pattern is Ginger:

A basic a-line skirt with three waistband variations.  I have a "TNT" a-line skirt hand-drafted from the SWS book, but I do love these shaped waistbands.  And the instruction booklets are always fun to read (even if I skip or alter some of the steps!)  Two examples:

Of course I'm all about the stripes!  Wish I knew where that fabric could be had.

Now I'm off and running....It's Monday!

pretties, in progress, etc.

Due to the indescribably bad weather, I have not had phone or internet for a couple of days...yikes.  I wish I could report I used that time to work on projects, but honestly the most I got done was to cut out a little lawn sundress.  Which, I don't have enough batiste to fully line sooo.... I'm at a bit of a crossroads.  I hate when I do that. 

I used this pretty 1950s Vogue sundress pattern for the bodice:

 

The lawn is pink, tropical print.  I think I got it from Fashion Fabrics Club last spring.  I cut the bodice as drafted, just adding a bit under the arm for insurance.   For the skirt,  I didn't have quite enough fabric to do  the gores and follow the directional print. So gathered skirt it is!

This afternoon I've perused the new offerings at Modcloth.  There are some really cute spring & summer things out now!  Here are several things I love and think are worth knocking off...

How amazing is that pink gingham trench???  LOVE!    And the last dress is named "Hawaii, 1955".  LOVE AGAIN!

The first dress may be the one I actually try to knock off first.  I have this cotton print in stash and I haven't had a clue what to do with it:

It's by Andover and is called "Oh La La". I think it's perfect to knock off that cute sheath!  Here's a closeup of the neck detailing:

Then there are a bout a dozen other things worth perusing my pattern stash for knockoff potential:

And then there's this sweet blouse (in two incarnations):

I couldn't have been more excited a few days ago when I found the perfect pattern to knock this off!  I knew it had to be 80s (or preferably 40s, but that turned out to be asking too much).  Gathered shoulders to yoke, tie neck with collar options preferably, button front placket, cap sleeves (cut on or separate).  Here's the winner:

Good gravy, this post could have been divided into several parts.   ha.  Sorry, it must be Wordy Wednesday!  Progress on SOMETHING coming up in the next few days, I promise!