I finished my Theresa dress muslin yesterday. As a first test piece, I'm quite happy with it, but Craig and I agree it's a bit homely for me. Someone's mom or grandma would wear this dress. I thought I should go with a safe fabric for the muslin. I realize now the print scale is wildly off. I'd suggest a large, bold print; if you try this pattern.
As expected, the pattern will need to go through a few more adjustments to fit my petite 4'10" frame. I'm generally well-proportioned, but slightly pear shape. I opted to start with a size 36 pattern which is a US 4. I began by raising the waistline by 2-2 1/2". I took a lucky guess and ended up at precisely the correct height. The waist itself fits well. Unfortunately the chest area is far too wide for me. The width, bust-to-bust, needs about 2" removed. I'm not sure if it's better to remove fabric from the center panel or to shift the darts over and remove it from the sides. Unfortunately there are seams sitting where the darts should be. I haven't made this sort of alteration before and am not quite sure how to do it. It looks like I'll be spending some time with my friend Google. After raising the waist, I still needed to trim the skirt length. Another 2 1/2" came off the bottom. I'm smiling because I realize that all these shortenings means I'll need far less fabric than the pattern calls for.
The biggest and most embarassing struggle I had was was trying to do a hem on the big round skirt without rippling and bunching. The round shape means there's a lot of fabric to tuck into the hem. I've learned a thing or two from Oliver & S patterns though and may opt to face my hem next time instead.
So there you go. I made a dress. It could be worn publically but would benefit from some alterations. It's not a great fabric choice though. It's sort and drapes well, but it's a bit homely. So this little number is to become a house dress seen only by me and my postie. I'm not discouraged though. I will definitely try this pattern again.
It's a great pattern.
ReplyDeleteI also usually have to make some adjustments to garments I make for myself.
I've found this site (http://www.blogforbettersewing.com/) to be really useful in terms of how to make adjustments, especially the sew along posts.
Amy, press everything as you go, press every seam, notch every curve, press as you go, press everything? Unlike quilting, finger pressing just does not work, use your iron and press, press, press and you will get a much better finish, press, press, press. Got it? :)
ReplyDeleteI have a book called Flat Pattern Design from a class I took in college. It's by Nora MacDonald. When I get home, I'll look up how to change the darts. I think that's in there.
ReplyDeleteHave you tried putting the muslin on inside-out and pinning in different places to see where the alterations would work best? I do that sometimes.
Hey, I like it!
ReplyDeleteI really couldn't see the construction details of the dress from your muslin, so followed your link to the BurdaStyle site, and looked at the finished project views. The bodice is meant to be fairly fitted, isn't it? Do you think the scale may have gone nutso for any of the pattern pieces? Or was the Size 4 just waaay too big to begin with? To save this dress, given the amount of fussy detail that's meant to be on the front, I think I'd take it in at the sideseams; does it fit OK at the waist? Is the neck yoke a good fit? Sometimes a sideseam chop means the armholes need a re-shape, but that's not so hard to do, esp. if you overlay the original pattern piece on the garment. And you could be Japanese about it, and just bias edge the armholes - in fact, for wearing ease, I would make this dress with bias inside the armholes, just because they look so tight in the finished versions at Burda. I quite like your muslin one, but then again, I'm old :-).
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