The Belated Sewalong Dress (McCall’s 6696)

The Belated Sewalong Dress (McCall’s 6696)

Albus photo bombs.
Albus photo bombs.

Recently, McCall’s announced a shirtdress sewalong, and I immediately jumped on board. I’d been planning to make the full skirt version of this dress for awhile, in a vintage repro fabric I had laying around, so it seemed like perfect timing. NOPE. My machine ate shit and it took me two months to finish the dress. Oops.

Why am I doing that with my neck?
Why am I doing that with my neck?

I was really excited to use this fabric, I love the retro, almost-curtains print. Plus, it’s 100% cotton, so sewing it would be a breeze!! While it did press beautifully, wear from ironing and pre-washing began to show pretty much immediately. The gold doesn’t hold up, perhaps there’s some trick to pressing fabric with metallic print, that I don’t know about? If there is, let a girl know!!! I hate to damage beautiful fabric.

Needs to tuck in more at the waist, ya know? Also, wrinkles, I know. Shut up.

I kinda think this project was doomed from the beginning, really. First the machine dies, then I cut my skirt fabric upside down. After correcting that mistake, I barely had enough fabric to finish cutting. While doing this pattern puzzle, I of course jammed my hand down in the pin dish. Smart, right? Some days are just not sewing days, and I should stop trying to force it. Oh well…

image
Sometimes, I try to brighten photos and they just look weird. Like this one.

I cut this pattern at a size 14 (view A minus the carriers), last time I cut a 12 and it was WAY too tight. At a 14, it’s too big. Next time I’ll do some grading and actually make a muslin like a normal person. Weirdly, last time the armscye fit well, but I don’t like the way this one fits at all. I think it needs to come in a bit on the top, yes? The only other change I made was to take out a bit of the gathering in the back. For some reason, and I’m not alone in this, I find the back to be super fucking poofy. Even now, with so much taken out, I still think it’s too poofy. Oh, and this collar is far from my best sewing. Not an alteration, but still worth mentioning.

POOF
POOF

Despite it’s flaws, I still dig the 50’s housewife look of this dress. It definitely has enough ease for sitting and eating man sized meals, so silver lining. The skirt was also full and long enough for me to sit crossed legged and not flash anyone, as you’ll see in this next photo. Great pattern, bad sewing! I’ll leave you with this adorable doggie picture, happy sewing 🙂

This is Minerva, one of my nursing puppy momma fosters. Don't judge her bod, she's feeding lots of pups!
This is Minerva, one of my nursing puppy momma fosters. Don’t judge her bod, she’s feeding lots of pups!
Stash busting (Gertie Pencil Skirt)

Stash busting (Gertie Pencil Skirt)

Real awkward posing this time, sorry.
Real awkward posing this time, sorry.

As I’ve already mentioned 283473987 times, I recently moved, which means I recently packed up all my fabric. Whoa. It’s insane how much fabric I have, that I’ve already used for other projects, with more than a yard remaining. Perhaps I should reevaluate my policy of always buying 4 yards, but…who am I kidding with that nonsense. Extra fabric is always a good thing!

Not pregnant, just like snacks.
Not pregnant, just like snacks.

Faced with the daunting task of moving all that extra fabric, I decided to stitch up a few things. Fabric is easier to move once it becomes a garment, in my crazy mind. Realizing that I also desperately need work wear, I landed pretty quick on pencil skirts from Gertie’s first book. I know I’ve been sewing a ton of her shit lately, but this really is my go-to pencil skirt. It’s crazy fast, doesn’t use much fabric, and I already have the pattern traced. Her newest book also has a pencil skirt, but tracing that was an extra step I just wasn’t prepared for, you know?

Yeah I realize that black shirt is too tight, shut up. Also, check out that sweet lazy eye.

I actually made three of these, but one of them is in the laundry, so you’ll just have to visualize it. Each skirt took about a yard of fabric. The first is stretch twill, leftover from my frankenpattern dress, which actually uses the pencil skirt pattern, no creative leaps here. The black is a poly stretch twill from Mood, leftover from my unblogged Sewaholic Robson trench. Third is the unphotographed blue satin, with fabric left over from my Nita wrap skirt.

Unflattering back view.
Unflattering back view.

Gertie gives you two options with this skirt waistband, interfacing or boning. I opted for the interfacing, simply because it’s quicker. I don’t enjoy sewing garments for work, so I really wanted to power through these quickly. If I remember correctly, the instructions are fairly easy to follow, but I honestly haven’t used them in ages. These stitched up in around an hour apiece, seriously simple sewing here. I cut a size four, I think, and the fight is tight, exactly how I wanted them. Definitely make sure your fabric has a decent amount of give, though. If not, more ease will keep you from an embarassing wardrobe malfunction! In the end, I needed work skirts, and these definitely fit the bill. I’m naming this a success stashing busting session, happy sewing 🙂

Gnome Pants Dress (Seamwork Adelaide)

Gnome Pants Dress (Seamwork Adelaide)

It's weird to actually button something all the way up.
It’s weird to actually button something all the way up.

It’s been a few weeks since I started this Adelaide dress from Seamwork Magazine, so I was really excited to get back into it. After the sudden loss of my beloved sewing machine, Rose, I was forced to find a new machine. A machine I would love, and that was in my budget. Keeping in mind that budget was about half a nickel ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I settled on a Brother SE400, which I am calling Donna Noble. It’s not the Pfaff I wanted, but so far she’s been great! Hopefully embroidery will be coming soon.

Photo bomb by Danner the wiener dog, who's totally available for adoption, FYI
Photo bomb by Danner the wiener dog, who’s totally available for adoption, FYI

When I actually got a chance to work on Adelaide, she came together surprisingly quickly. The back features double pointed darts, which are my absolute favorite, and the front features simple bust darts. The neckline and arm scythe are finished with packaged bias tape, and the hem is just a rolled hem. Instead of buttons, the pattern calls for snaps, which I find MUCH more satisfying. Hammer out those frustrations, you know?

She needs a good pressing.
She needs a good pressing.

I know I just said this pattern was easy, but it does have belt loops. Fuck belt loops, man. Using a loop turner is just beyond my grasp, my clumsy man hands will just not do it. Instead, I stitched some bias tape closed, lengthwise, and used that. It saved so much time! The pattern also features a belt, which is much easier to make. Speaking of the belt, I think I cinched mine way too tight in these pictures, it looks a bit weird, right? Oh and pockets, I added pockets.

My body is not lopsided, I just stand weird always.
My body is not lopsided, I just stand weird always.

I used a lovely but hard to find Cotton + Steel fabric for this, adorably called gnome pants. It’s a cotton lawn, which is about the most perfect fabric of all time. It sews beautifully, is lightweight and breathable, yet has some body. I would make my entire wardrobe out of cotton lawn if I could. That said, I don’t think this dress is the most flattering thing I’ve ever worn. I’m an hourglass shape, but I think it gives me a pear shape. I also think the arm sycthe lays weird, not sure what alteration I’d make to fit that? In these photos, I’m wearing a black cami underneath the dress, and which could be rolling up and adding weird bulk to the bottom. We’ll see upon further wearings.

See what I mean about the pear shaping?
See what I mean about the pear shaping?

All that aside, I did wear this dress all day, and it was super comfortable. I’m possibly just being too picky and weird about it. Anyway, it’s great to be back in front of a machine!! Happy sewing 🙂

Me-Made-May Wrap Up

Me-Made-May Wrap Up

mmmay16final

We made it!! We took selfies, evaluated our me-made wardrobes, found inspiration in other sewist’s posts. Since week five was so short, I decided to just add it to week four, and throw in some final thoughts, of course. So without further ado, here are the selfies:

Even in heels, I'm still the shortest.
Even in heels, I’m still the shortest.

Day one was my baby brother’s high school graduation, which seems just impossible. I wanted to wear something fun and celebratory, so of course I thought lemon dress. I threw my Gertie wrap top over it to make it less distracting. You’re gonna see that top many more times in this post.

Always coffee.
Always coffee.

You know the drill by now. Day two was a Monday, I drank a lot off coffee and was generally sleepy. I wore my Colette Crepe, because it’s super comfortable and easy.

Mega bitch face.
Mega bitch face.

Day three I wore what was probably my favorite outfit of the week. It was my frankenpattern dress, with the wrap top over it to make it workplace appropriate. I love it so much, I’m adding it to my weekly rotation.

It's a headless week.
It’s a headless week.

On the fourth day I wanted something simple and basic. My comfort zone revolves around black tanks and tees, so I threw on a black tank and the Nita wrap skirt. Minimal effort, totally in my comfort zone.

I. Love. This. Print.
I. Love. This. Print.

On day five, we had a cookout at work. I wanted to wear something festive, so I threw on my favorite wrap dress. Very flattering. Very festive.

I kept doing weird stuff with my face, so I had to chop it off.
I kept doing weird stuff with my face, so I had to chop it off.

At this point, we started to descend into the lesser worn, back of the closet me-made garments. This one is my Christmas party dress. I need to do minor alterations on this one to get some real wear out of it.

Grainy and overly filtered.
Grainy and overly filtered.

Over the weekend, we had a major heat wave in Ohio, which was kind enough coincide with moving day. Blarg. To try to stay cool, I drank beer and wore an ublogged Simplicity 1426 crop top. I fucking hate moving.

Man I miss long hair.
Man, I miss long hair.

Day one of the last week, I was exhausted from moving, not to mention sweaty as balls. As such, I forgot to take pictures of the tank I wore. So enjoy some old photography, and my missing long hair 🙁

Coffee and giant shades to hide the lack of makeup
Coffee and giant shades to hide the lack of makeup

Thankfully, I was off work for day two, so I spent the day unpacking and hanging out with the pups, while wearing this loose and flowy dress.

Sick of this wrap top yet?
Sick of this wrap top yet?

For the last day of Me-Made-May, I decided to wear the first dress I ever made, in my adult life. It’s an unblogged Sweetheart dress, from Gertie’s first book. Again with the wrap top, for work. And we made it!!

I was honestly impressed with how easy this was. I suppose I never realized just how many things I’ve made!! That said, I clearly need more coverups, and it wouldn’t hurt to have some comfortable casual garments. What did you guys think? I’m already looking forward to next year! Happy sewing 🙂