5748 part 2 - cutting

Let's cut!  Btw, that last piece of pie last night was amazing.

So I looked at the cutting layout in the pattern instructions and it just didn't work for me.  If your fabric has stripes, plaids, geometric patterns, etc., you may want to follow their directions to better help you match them.  Mine doesn't.

I wanted to do the biggest piece first, to make sure I had enough (I've made this mistake before!). That meant the skirt front piece that needs to be cut on the fold.  It's too big to go on the fold that the fabric comes on.  I opened the fabric and folded the end of it in the opposite direction.  

 The center of the fabric is the natural fold line.  There's enough room on the side there to fit the back bodice piece in. Let's do that.  If yours doesn't fit, there will be enough left at the end!

Notice those little triangles?  They're to help you line up pieces.  I've gotten to a point where I feel comfortable not using them for the most part but I used to ALWAYS use them.  I did cut them on the skirt back pieces because it can be hard to figure out which goes where without the fold like on the front skirt piece.  

Once you cut out the bodice piece, you need to mark your darts.  You can do this with chalk, disappearing ink marker thing or pins.  I like pins.  I just fold up the pattern half way through the mark and pin all the way through both layers of fabric.  

Then I transfer my pins to the wrong side of the fabric on both pieces.  I use the pin holes from the first marking as a guide.

Back to cutting (or do the cutting all first and come back to this section to pin after you cut both bodice sections - if you need to indulge in that juvenile act of defiance).

Keep folding the fabric in the same direction so you have just enough to cut another skirt section.

If you're doing the bow, you have room on the side to put that in.

Cut them out, I'd recommend cutting the three triangles on the back piece.  That's not a threat or anything.

Then fold your fabric back the way it came.  Put your front bodice section on it, pin and cut.

Then do your markings.

 

First step with just one set of pins in.

After transferring to the wrong side.

Here's what I was left with - it's enough to do a dress for one of my girls with some supplemental fabric.

I also had a decent sized scrap pile.  Perfect!  I need pockets!  For my Dr. Seuss dress, I didn't remember to pockets in until I had already sewed one of my side seams.  Of course I couldn't be bothered to pull the seam apart!  So that dress has one pocket.  My thanksgiving dress from the last post has no pockets because I forgot.  I'm not forgetting this time, hooray!

So grab some scraps, you'll need 4 pocket pieces.  I don't have a pattern piece, I just kinda wing it based on other pocket patterns.  Most importantly, I always use my hand as a guide, nothing is more annoying than too small pockets (like one of my favorite dress designers!  I seriously can't get a whole hand in.)

Something kinda that sized.  Make sure you do a decent drop on the bottom.  I've done a too shallow pocket before and then it's useless.

Now use that as a template and make two more.

Done!  Now go back to the top and start again with your lining fabric lol!

I'll be back tomorrow to start sewing that bodice. 

Butterick 5748 Sew Along!!

So I'm sitting here using this post as an excuse to ignore the Christmas decorating explosion that happened today and neither the hubs or I have gotten around to cleaning up.  Really we both just don't want to sort.  We have tons of crap from when we first got married that was cheap and "good enough."  Every year I'm too lazy to get rid of it so it keeps coming upstairs then getting sent back down to the basement.  This post is much more fun than that.  However, it would be better with that last piece of crumbly Apple pie that's sitting in my fridge.

**I would like to point out that I'm not intentionally capitalizing the word Apple.  My phone keeps doing it for me.  I have not named my pie Apple.

Anyway.  I would rather be eating pie but I'll use that as my reward.  

Back to the matter at hand (my phone knows I'm a music geek and keeps correcting back to Bach which I do find amusing.). I'm FINALLY attempting another sew along.  I promise I'll finish this one!  (Sorry Georgina!!). So I've actually made this dress three times before at three different sizes and none of them fit perfectly.  That's my goal this time.  Or at least semi-perfectly...better than before?

First things first.  Pick your size.  The back of the envelope will have measurements and corresponding sizes. This is where it gets tricky.  I can't tell you what to do but I will tell you about my fit issues.  I'm a size 14 on the bottom and 12ish on top.  I vary between a L and XL on modcloth/Emily and Fin, Bernie, etc.  

My measurements are: bust - 40", waist - 33.75".  According to those I should be between an 18 and 20.  I'm pretty sure when I made it before and was 25 lbs heavier I made a size 22 and had a waist  around 36".  It was big.  So when I made it again I was somewhere in the middle and cut between a size 18 and 20.  Also big.  I just made the bodice again on Wednesday night as my thanksgiving dress and as a quick refresher.  I cut between a 14 and 16 being confident that the dress was always too big.

Then I checked the measurements again and panicked.  A size 14 is a 28" waist.  No way I'm that small.  So I sewed my back darts a little short and did a 1/2" seam allowance on the sides.  Guess what?  Too big.  I've got maybe an inch and a half to spare on the waist (which wasn't a bad thing on thanksgiving!). But the bust is huge!  That is a bad thing.  I'm going to cut a size 16 waist and 14 on top and cross my fingers and sew a normal seam allowance!

So it doesn't look terrible with a sweater on but it bugged me.

Please ignore my 1960s avocado green bathroom (and kitty tail).  It's ready for renovation but sadly, after a full kitchen renovation, living, dining room, one kids bedroom full gut to the studs and hardwood refinishing, our budget and my husband are exhausted.

Here's the closeup where you can see the big gap at the bust.

So take your life in your hands and pick your size!  I highly recommend lining in muslin.  Do basting stitches in your bodice and try it as you go so you can adjust.  I clearly don't do it, but you should ;).  I did it once and it worked very nicely.

Let's measure.  Measure the fullest part of your bust, the smallest part of your waist (above your belly button - where you see the center of the hourglass) and over your hip bones.  Hip measurement really isn't important in this pattern though.  

Make sure the tape is comfortable around you.  Don't pull it super tight, that's not an accurate measurement.  Give yourself room to slide a couple of fingers between the tape and your body. The general rule is if you have bulging on either side of the tape, it's too tight!

So once you decide on your size, cut your pattern.  If anyone is a beginner and wants more explanation of pattern cutting please let me know!!  I'm happy to post photos or answer questions.  Then post a photo here or on our Facebook group to show us the fabric you picked! 

I'm cheating a little.  It calls for 4 1/4 but I always find they estimate high so I just bought 4.  I hope it doesn't come back to haunt me later!

I picked this cute green Christmas print from Joanns crazy 75% off fabric sales at week.  

I was so tempted to use my cute hedgehog critter flannel but I really want to do a dress with sleeves with it.

Isn't it adorable?!

Ok, show me yours!  Cut your patterns and I'll be back tomorrow to cut my fabric pieces.  I'd do it tonight but I'm out of floor space for cutting at the moment.  I promise you'll get fabric cutting pictures in the next post in case you're a beginner so you can have a visual on marking your pattern.

Pie time!!!!

Baby wearing!

Diy gauze wrap in action!

Sneak peek

So I know that I need to finish the sew along, but I'm also guessing that most of you ladies won't start your bodice until this weekend, maybe next considering that this weekend is Mother's Day.  I just finished my dress and wanted to share!

Overall, I love it!  Next time I will iron the center crease out because it screwed up one of my front pleats, luckily it's not really noticeable to anyone but me.

That little flash is not one of our resident ghosts, it's my little Alice rushing to get ready for a target trip.

I love that it makes my waist look small and that the skirt lays well.  I also love that I cut a size smaller than I usually am and it fits!  I've been running like a mad lady (for me - 4-5 days a week, normal for fit people) and my pants are too big so because of that and the fact that the last dress I made was too big on top (not waist) I decided to go for it.  Yea!!!

It's ever so slightly big on top, could have  taken in the darts a bit more but it's still wearable!  The only thing I don't like is that the cut on the arms gives me that side boob/armpit chub.  Oh well!  I still love it!

I'm pretty happy with my ornamentation to cover the hole I cut.  I think it works, it's still neutral and was free!  

Next time, and there will be a next time, I think I'll use linen or the linen look fabric at Joann's.  There's an aqua print I'm in love with.  If you haven't guessed I love aqua.  Aqua kitchen, sewing room wallpaper, dresses.

Ps I'm also ridiculously happy with how skinny this mirror makes me look!

I can't wait to see how all of your dresses are shaping up!!  I'll do better pictures later I hope :).

Sew Along Part 3 - Bodice

Lets get sewing.  Follow the pattern directions and start by staystiching the necklines of your pieces.  About a half inch from the edge (smaller than your seam allowance so you won't see it on your finished garment - it's just to help stabilize your fabric), stitch.  Every other seam should be sewn with a 5/8" seam allowance.  You can change it in certain areas to make it bigger or smaller as needed.

Do this for your regular fabric and your lining.  Now get working on your darts.  

****My suggestion is this.  Do the lining first, front and back and sew (baste - long stitches) it together at the shoulders and sides.  Try it on, see how it fits.  Make any necessary adjustments, take a dart in further, give yourself more room in your side seam.  Write it down somewhere so you don't forget so that you can sew the bodice fabric the same.

First, transfer your pins so they're on the back/wrong side of your fabric.  See how mine looks when I first start?  

After

You want to fold the right sides together so your bottom mark/pins (on the outside of the fold) are lined up.  You're making a triangle with the top mark/pin as the top point.  

Start at the bottom and sew through your point, sewing on a diagonal, getting closer to the edge as you go.  When you near your end point, do a few stitches right on the very edge of your fabric.  DO NOT BACKSTITCH!!!  Leave the thread long and tie it (now or when you've finished all your darts).  

Sew them all, 4 bodice front and 4 lining, one on each bodice and lining back piece.  This is what the front should look like.

If you've done your fitting with the lining, rip out the side seams, keep the shoulder seams.  Sew the front and back outside fabric together at the shoulder seams.

Now, with right sides together, stitch the bodice and lining together at the neck.  Now do the same with the open arms (if you're sewing the sleeveless view C).  If you're not, follow the pattern directions.  If you have a question, don't hesitate to ask!!

You can see my neck edge stitched already and my arm holes pinned.

IWhen you're done, trim the seam and clip the curves.  Clipping the curves just lets the garment lay flat and move better.

The next step is to fold over your lining.  Fold it under to hem it, towards the bodice.  Basically you want a nice clean lining edge inside your bodice.  

See?  Fold it to the inside where your darts are.

Now turn your garment right size out.

Now you want to sew your side seams together.  Match up your bodice side seams and open up your lining too and see them all together at once.

Done!!

Now if you've been careless like me, you can start panicking when you notice, after finishing the bodice, that at some point you cut the front center of it!!!!

So here were my trim options to cover.

I almost went with this next one until I pinned it and tried it on.  The line sits in the middle of my boob.  Not exactly flattering.  

I ended up picking the black.  I loved the ric rack and yellow buttons but I really wanted a staple dress that was neutral.  The black trim was leftover from a Victorian skirt that I never trimmed out.  To get it attached I had to rip a 3" section of the center neckline to slide them in so they'd be hidden.  Wouldn't want them folded over onto the inside lining.

So you're bodice is done and hopefully you don't have to try to trim out your dress to hide a hole!

Sew along part 2

So hopefully you've all purchased your pattern and fabric, zippers, etc.

Determine which view you're making.  I'm making C with B's skirt.  With the size of my rear, I can't do a short skirt.  Sad because my legs have gotten pretty toned.  Can't get rid of my big butt heritage unfortunately lol.

Look over the piece list and mark (or not, your choice.  I don't want to seem like a dictator or anything).  Cut your pieces out following your size lines.  

Cutting your fabric

If you're experienced cutting, you can ignore this.  If you're not, I highly recommend that you follow the suggested layout for cutting.  It lists it by size and fabric width.  I found it really helpful when I first started.  I no longer follow it basically because I'm cheap.  There can be quite a bit if fabric waste.  Now I underestimate the yardage and am usually able to get them all in doing my own layout.

If you're going to wing it (or are having trouble following the diagram - I've been there!). I recommend starting with the pieces that need to be on the fold.  The skirt front and bodice front.  Then do the rest of the skirt pieces.  When I got to the back piece, it was too wide to fit with my fabric folded the way it came on the bolt. I had to unfold it completely and re-fold.

You can see the center crease, that was where it was folded.  

If you're familiar with the triangles, ignore me.  If not.  Cut them like this:

They're to help you line up your pieces.  

Cut all of your pieces.  Only one set for the skirt.  With the pleats, there's too much bulk to do a lining (I intended to line my skirt until I saw how much fabric was used for the skirt.)

Marking your pieces

After you've cut everything you need to transfer your markings.  You can transfer them with chalk or a disappearing ink pen.  I've had bad luck with them that probably has more to do with me not reading the packaging than the pen itself.  I prefer the quick marking system (the lazy way.  That's a theme with me.). I mark with pins.

I just flip up the pattern at the half way mark of the circle in the top darts.  Then I fold the top layer of fabric up and mark under it for the second piece/layer.  You will have to transfer the pins on the bottom piece to the opposite side.  Just an FYI.  This is the quickest method I've found.  

Same goes for the pleats.

Done.  Ready to sew?  I start tonight!  I'll have the bodice post up in the next day or two hopefully.  

Thank goodness for having to sit in the dentist chair waiting for my mouth to far numb for a filling.  Gave me just enough time to do this post.