Sewing Reflections

I have given up on the red bodice to the huge red dress.

The pattern, simplicity 8881, is theoretically gorgeous, and I have seen it done well, but the bodice pattern is so far off that I was left with four extra inches in the bodice area when I wore this for the DM ren faire. I hated the lovely dress that I had poured so much time into.

Now that I am much more comfortable sewing clothing, and had made bodices that actually fit properly, I tried to sit down tonight and figure out just what would have to be done to the pattern to make it work for me.

The answer - use a different pattern, or draft my own.

The shoulder straps needed to be lengthened, and somehow the back needed to come in quite a bit over the chest, and I knew I'd have to hand sew the eyelets so that it would lace instead of hook in the back. Added to the fact that there is quite a bit of handsewing anyway, I decided to scrap the idea of trying to finish it before Monday.

So, I just need to take in the waist of the green skirt (had to pin it when I wore it), and finish off the eyelets on the green bodice (I had only gone around the holes once, instead of twice, as I was doing this the night before I wanted to wear it at the Iowa Ren faire, by the light of a lantern). It's about an hour's work for the set, as the holes are already there, and I am just reinforcing them.

The green dress is actually a better choice, as it is trimmed in red and black, and has a matching cloak and hat. I may have to add black trim to the skirt, though, as I had not finished that before I had to wear it last.

Oh, I am glad to have a least a little bit of a project to work on again! I am still looking for fabric for a jacket that I want to make, and I've got quilt squares sitting on my sewing table, waiting to be pieced together into something. I also need to start thinking about Christmas, and if I want to make gifts for anyone this year. I've made picture quilts and pillows for friends and relatives in the past, but I am kind of low on inspiration this year. I used to sketch with pencil and paper, but in the last couple of years, I sketch on my sewing machine.

And when it gets cold outside, I don't feel quite as guilty about staying in and watching television as long as I have hand sewing to work on.

Did I mention it's also good for the diet?