Simplicity 7796 (1968) Beatles-inspired mod gray dress

The pattern- I picked the middle view
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Ironing the invisible zipper- I just LOVE them now

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Uneven collar band pieces=weird Gomer Pyle face
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I created this gray, mod dress from Simplicity 7796 (1968). It's inspired by the gray nehru suits the Beatles wore in the 60's (the ones with the stand-up collars) My favorite band=fashion inspiration.If they were stars today, the media would nickname them J.Len & Paul Mac

(ABOVE)

Making the dress was a fairly smooth process, but I'm not all that happy with the results. For some strange reason, the dress looks really great in pictures but not so great in person. The last dress I did, the peter pan collar dress, it was just the opposite. I thought that dress looked better in person than in the pictures. Hmmm.... I have no explanation for that, but here's the rundown:

1.) COLOR CHOICE: In person, this dress looks like a prison guard uniform. Methinks that gray wasn't a great choice-- at least not the flat gray I picked. For a solid color dress without a whole lot of detail, I probably should have used a fabric with more sheen or more texture-- more SOMETHING to make it stand out and not look so flat. I used ponte roma polyester again. I really need to try some new fabrics, but now that I'm somewhat used to that fabric, I'm finding it hard to change it up. Fear of failure? Probably. I'd love to try a soft, cotton/poly blend.

A VERY SPECIAL NOTE: My husband agrees that this dress looks way different in pictures. I swear I am not crazy.
2.) STAND UP COLLARS: I just can't get these stand up collars to look right. In one of the pictures, you'll see what I mean. I used the interfacing as directed (god, I make it sound like medicine), but it still doesn't stand up properly. It droops like Justin Bieber's career will in a few years.

Button detail and drooping collar that won't stand up properly--my boobs frighten me in this pic-- blame my Bohemian grandmother for these-- all flesh, no silicone

(ABOVE)

I'm wondering if the neck hole is too large for me? Since I still haven't tried the 34 bust pattern, I'm wondering if the neck would fit me better on that size, which in turn would cause the collars to stand up and fit better? Could a too large neckhole cause a droop? I tried to starch the damn thing, but it remains flaccid. Either I totally don't know how to use starch or starch companies have been scamming people for years. Probably the former.

I also had some problems getting the collar to be even (height-wise) on each side, since it was made of two pieces divided by a small space. That wasn't so bad, but I did have to bond with Mr. Seam Ripper to fix the issue. I'm seriously reconsidering my friendship with him.

3.) SHOULDER SEAMS: Since I made this dress before I noticed the problem with the misplaced shoulder seams, I didn't fix that problem with this dress. I think this dress has more of a shoulder problem than the last dress. The seams are almost off my shoulders, making them look too wide (once again, I wish you all could see this dress in person).

4.) LENGTH: For some reason, I liked this dress better length-wise before I hemmed it.

I liked it better longer (that's what she said)
(ABOVE)

5.) HEM: I did the bias tape technique again which is working for me. I do want to try the rolled hem, however. Haven't gotten the right foot yet. I do wish I had matched the bias tape closer to the color of the dress. It seemed like a better match in the store.

Well, that's about it for this one. I'm going to get some sewing in tomorrow. I'm excited-- it's been a busy month, and I haven't put as much time in. I'm also working with a ribbed knit for the first time so wish me luck.

Backside

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Oh how I wish this dress looked like it does in the pictures!

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Happy Sewing Adventures!
Astrid

Simplicity 7587 aka Astrid Needs Colorblocking Rebab & Has a Mystery Neck

Prepping the circa 1968 pattern- easy but time consuming

(above)

Here I am doing black and white colorblocking again. I feel about colorblocking how Lindsay Lohan feels about cocaine. Okay, fine, she probably likes blow a little better, but who can compete with that romance?

The process of making this dress was pretty uneventful. I had a few snafus, but overall, my hair remained firmly rooted in my scalp. It wasn't without one tantrum, however. This came when I got to the side seams.

I love to tailor, but I've been trying to scale back just a tad. I want my dresses to drape a little better, while at the same time, being nicely tailored to my body. I always use machine-basting to test my tailoring, because although I love Mr. Seam Ripper, I'd rather rip out long stitches over small any day (duh, right?). So, I tailored this black and white number, and it was way too loose. I asked my husband, who agreed. So, I drew a line with my tailor chalk and went in. It didn't seem like a lot. But it must have been a lot (you'll see later).

After basting this second time, I tried the dress on. My husband thought I tailored it a little too tight, because he noticed the dress was rippling a tad at the center seam. I didn't listen. After all, I'd had some pulling with stretchy knits like this before (ponte roma polyester again, by the way). It was just the nature the fabric.

So, I went in and finished off the seams. I cut them. I pinked them close to the seam line. I put the dress on to admire my handiwork. Wasn't I awesome? No, I wasn't. Because, it wasn't the nature of the fabric. It was the nature of the Astrid. It was the nature of me being impatient. And it was that stupid overconfidence sickness all over again.

Before cutting-- the tailoring looked worse when it was longer
(above)

My husband pointed out the rippling again. I defended the tailoring. But just like parents defending an ugly baby, I knew I was lying to myself. My baby might not have been ugly. But it did have this wart. Maybe just a tiny one but a wart nonetheless. Oh well, I still really like the dress and will wear it proudly. While I did tailor it a tad too much, it doesn't feel very tight when it's on me. I can breathe. That's important.

My buddy & me
(above)

I did try one "last ditch effort" to fix this snafu. I tried to rip out the side seams and sew a little closer to the pinked edges. It didn't work that well, because there wasn't much fabric to let out the dress. It helped a little (I think).

"Hey, if I place my arm a certain way, no will notice the ripples right?"
(above)

I hemmed the dress shorter than the pattern and struggled a tad, as I did with the orange dress. Finally, I had to accept my imperfect hem for what it was. I would have tried the great techniques that were recommended to me in the orange dress comments (I.e. rolled hem, bias tape hem, etc). However, I actually completed this black and white dress before I posted the pictures of the orange dress. I would time travel, but it seems like too much work, and I might accidentally step on an ant or something.

One other aspect of the dress presented problems: the collar. I handled this problem with relative ease, though, so I don’t consider it much of a snafu. It just required some adjusting, because that thing was WAY too tall for my neck. In fact, I had to unbaste it from the neck edge, dismantle it, cut it down by about 60%, and then sew it over again. It worked with these adjustments, though, so I was a happy camper.

Me doing my best turtle impersonation

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Actually happy--yep, for real
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So, here's the thing: I have a pretty small skull. My heritage is mostly Norwegian, and I read that it's pretty common for Nordic people to have smaller skulls than most people. I can even wear kids' size eyeglasses, which is kinda cool. What I am wondering, though, is whether my small skull is accompanied by a short neck? My neck doesn't look short with my small head, but could it be shorter than most people's necks? Then again, one could always have a really small head on a really long neck...okay, time to shut up. I'm weird; I know.

Another theory: they probably have to make pattern pieces to work for the largest possible size that would be using the particular pattern size. Because, while I can size pieces down, someone with a longer neck would be left with a short piece of fabric that didn't fit her neck. This would then require her to make a new piece over again with a larger piece of fabric. And that ain't cool. I'd be mighty ticked off if I followed a pattern only to have to do that.


Anyway, I have two new dresses already sewn as I write this blog, so more to come very soon!

Happy sewing adventures!
Astrid

Simplicity 7587 Coming soon!

I made Simplicity 7587 a few days ago, but I haven't taken my pics yet of the finished product. Here's the pattern picture. I made the black and white version. Not a bad result, but one snafu that I'd like to take back (but can't). Will I ever make a dress that has no warts? Only time will tell...

Alteration Project- From Green Monster to Mini Dress

.BEFORE- Feeling like the Jolly Green Giant but less jolly
(above)

I found this late 60's (or maybe early 70's) polyester maxi dress at a thrift store for $1.00. Sure it was long (not to mention very, very green), but I saw potential. All it really needed was to be hemmed. Okay, hemmed a lot. And cinched in a tad too. So, I ripped out the stitches with my bestie Mr. Seam Ripper, marked my new seam, and stitched away. Then, I got out my ruler and hacked off about 1/3 of the overall dress. Stitch...stitch...and VOILA!--a mini dress is born.

AFTER- feeling a lot more jolly and a lot less giant
(above)

I'm pleased with the results and will happily wear this one come fall. It seems like the long green scarf thingy was supposed to be an ascot that ties on the front of the dress. It really weighed down the dress, though, not to mention strangled me. So, I swept it over my shoulders and think of it as a little cape. I also added a mod-style chain belt that I found at T.J. Maxx the other day. If anyone's interested, they're made by Rampage, and come in several different designs and metals. I like how it completes the look.

My 5th Dress- 60's Boho with Bell Sleeves COMPLETED

Tailoring the beast
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Don't I look wind-blown? Or is that exasperation?
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My seam ripper and I are besties
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The previous post shows the Simplicity pattern I used for my fifth dress. I picked view 1. I was hoping for a cute boho mini dress. I even picked out this geometric pattern at Joann's that I thought was really cool. I don't "hate" the dress per se. But, I'm not gonna lie. I don't "like" this dress. But hey, at least it wasn't my fault, as you'll see below.

What follows is the rundown of what I learned and the problems I encountered. Oh, and you better believe it, there WERE problems ; - )

1.) PRINTS: Be very careful with prints. It may seem fabulous when you pick it out at the store, but if you're petite like me, prints can really swamp your frame. I think that's one of the big problems with this dress. Plus, this print looked way more 60's on the bolt. Once it became a dress, somehow it lost that flavor for me. I guess I should have picked a double-sided pattern, too, since the sleeve insides are shown in this design.

2.) MATERIAL: I doubt I will ever use 100% cotton ever again. It didn't drape well. It was stiff. It was boxy. And since I LOVE LOVE LOVE (did I say LOVE) to tailor my dresses for a close-fit, it drove me nuts that I couldn't get the cotton to nip in well at the waist. I totally lost my waist in this dress. I hope to find it again, someday...

By the way, I literally machine-basted this monster three times, trying to tailor it. It was a total Goldilocks moment (except for the last part where it's "just right"-- fairytales aint real after all).

3.) INVISIBLE ZIPPERS: Yay! I finally figured them out. It wasn't rocket science, but if anyone asks, it was. Shhhhhhh! Don't tell.

4.) SLEEVES: I did my first long sleeves with this dress. Honestly, the only thing that I truly like about this dress is the sleeves. I think that's why I fell for this pattern in the first place-- a total love affair with bell/angel sleeves. Since I don't like this result, though, I'll probably do another bell sleeve dress in the future.
My biggest problem with the sleeves: somehow when I'm doing curves, the fabric often bunches on me and I end up sewing a bunch of overlapping fabric that I then have to rip out with my seam ripper. It seems to happen even when I'm being super careful, and I think it's not happening. Oh and of course, this never happens when I am basting, only when I am stitching tiny little stitches that then take forever to rip out. Damn Murphy's Law.

5.) MYSTERY ISSUE: When I first started laying out my fabric and pattern pieces, it was abundantly clear that I did not have enough fabric. I told the lady at Joann's the correct yardage. Did she short-fabric me by accident? Was she wrong about the width which caused me to pick the wrong yardage (I always have to ask what the width is, because I don't know where to find it on the Joann's bolt)? Was it a shrinkage issue from pre-washing/drying? I guess this will remain one of the many mysteries of the universe. What I ended up doing was "making it work" as Tim Gunn would say.
6.) CONSTRUCTION: I'm going to say it and I hope I don't jinx myself. Construction-wise, this probably turned out the best of any of my dresses. So, even though I'm not pleased with the result, I learned a lot and I guess I'm getting better, right? Fingers crossed. Pressing forward.

Look closely at the photo below, and you'll see the tinge of pain in my face...

My 5th Dress- 60's Boho with Bell Sleeves

I'm almost done with Simplicity 8234 (View 1). I'm using this black and white patterned fabric I got at Joann's (100% cotton). Almost done. So far no major disasters. Just a few minor crises. I bonded with my seam ripper a few times. I think I should name my seam ripper, since I spend so much time with it ; - )

More to come, along with pics, in the next few days. I wanted to finish it tonight, but I've learned that I tend to rush when I work late night and then I pay for it by making a bunch of mistakes.

My 4th Mod Dress- Simplicity 8878 from 1970

I made the dress in this post using the above pattern.

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My fourth dress. My salvation! Yes, I finally complete a dress that I feel really comfortable [GASP] wearing!

In fact, since I made it less than a week ago, I've worn it twice. It didn't turn out perfect (I know, I know, always the critic), but by God, it's perfect to me.

I used 100% polyester knit from Joann's, and I'm very happy with the fit and colors. I even figured out a trick to do the armhole and collar facings using bias tape. No more bulky vintage facings for me! Take that curved seams!

The biggest struggle was the zipper. I bought an invisible zipper again and still couldn't figure out what I was doing wrong. Everyone online kept saying how "easy" it was. I felt pretty dumb.

After struggling over it, I finally installed it like a regular zipper. I had to go over it a few times with my machine so the stitching looks a little funny, but you don't really see it. I'm not sure why the zipper wouldn't stay. The seams kept coming a bit loose in certain areas.

Later, I figured out what went wrong with installing it as an invisible zipper. I had sewed part of the seam (like the pattern instructed), but with invisible zippers, you need a totally unstitched seam. So, I will try that again next time and hopefully the zipper will behave.

The best trick I learned this time around involved narrow zig-zag stitching. With my previous knit dress (#2), I used a straight stitch. It seemed like the dress wasn't holding well. This one holds a lot better with the zig-zag.
I'm still very unsure of myself when it comes to tension. Anyone have any good tension rules I can follow? I'm all about having some rules to follow. I don't like uncertainty, which is why I've been frustrated at times with sewing.

2nd Mod Dress- Simplicity 6679 from 1966

The dress in the blog was made from the above sewing pattern.

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It happens to the best of us. We go through a struggle, but we sorta forget about it. We move on, and we think- "hey, that wasn't so bad after all." For some reason, we gloss over all those blood, sweat, and tears that made the thing difficult in the first place.

And that's what happened to me when I made my second mod dress from a vintage sewing pattern. My first dress (see previous post) was a struggle. I made it so much more difficult than it needed to be. I demanded perfection on the first try. That was just plain silly.

Somehow on the second dress, though, I managed to forget about the difficulty of the first dress. My husband encouraged me and praised my work. I thought, "hey, I can do this!" It was the equivalent of a kid giving her mom a picture to put on the fridge, saying, "Look what I made!" And mom gives a big smile and loves the picture even though to an outsider, it's just a bunch of scribbles.

Needless to say, I was overconfident. I picked an awesome diamond/harlequin black and white mod dress. I shortened it into a mini.

It was a beautiful dress, and I was way too ambitious. I couldn't, for the life of me, get those friggin' colorblock diamonds to meet into a point. I finally got it to "good enough", but I hadn't learned my lesson the first time. I was trying to be perfect-- I was too ambitious--but I'm only a novice.

And did I mention I decided to sew with knits my second time around? Probably not the greatest idea. My inexperience with knits led to a zipper as wavy as the Atlantic. My inability to make points led to a back that was as uneven as Obama's presidency.

And did I mention the armhole facings or the collar? I still can't get them quite right. Blasted curved seams are the death of me.

But here's the dress. You can't see all the whining and complaining my husband endured, and he took the pictures far enough away so that you can't see the raggedy armholes or wonky collar. I could say these little details give the dress character....But I won't. I want to get better, and I'm trying not to kid myself! ; - )