Butterick 5998

Day 1:  Spent a long time adjusting pattern pieces, I have a huge butt and need to go up 2+ pattern sizes to fit it in, I would like to say I am a curvy pear shape but if I am honest my body is more the shape of a snowman.

Day 2:  Cut out muslin for test run.

Day 3: Stitched front panels, unpicked front panels... restitched front panels, huffed and puffed a lot, almost gave up, cooked dinner and had a break...   You can see why I struggles with the curvey panels from the pattern image.

Sewed back of dress muslin and attached to front, I left the back open were the zip would go and used hook and loop to gauge how it will fit with a real zipper inserted.  After trying the dress on,   it was a struggle to get it over my hips and there is no way I could sit down in it I realised that the pattern adjustments I originally made just didn't work, I had these two little flappy bits at the side where I added width, obviously not where I should have. I added width at the sides and I need it at the back, I don't know what to do now???????

After reassessing I have decided to take out the back of the dress and start it over adjusting at the back princess seams, I am not sure if this will work but I have muslin to try and I suppose I will learn something, it will work and I will jump for joy or it will not work and will cry and start over (or give up).  One thing is for sure I will not cut into my Prada fabric until I get it right.

Today I made further adjustment to the pattern, I added width at the back seams where indicated below (at the red arrows) and I made a sway back (fat bum) alteration where the blue shading is.  I recut muslins for the back and stitched it all together.

Now I don't know what happened but one side of the dress fits like a dream and one side just does not match up at all.  The shoulder seam is too wide,  the back side panel is too long and the middle back is too short.   Then I realised I took out almost two inches from the length due to the swayback alteration but i didn't add it back on to the length at the hem.  I have no idea what happened at the shoulder though maybe I just cut it with a fold in the fabric or something I was rushing.  But then when wearing the musiln for a few moments I realise that the whole dress is twisting towards the badly fitting side. ????????????????   I am puzzled, maybe I just have the most weirdly out of proprtion body, (I already knew that though).

Going from dipping my toe in, to jumping in the deep end...

Since the new obsession took hold.... (there I admitted it, I AM OBSESSED) I have purchased a few patterns and made a couple of wearable garments, nothing fancy just simple summer dresses and tunics, like this one I made for Christmas week for work ( I work with preschool children, hence the fun factor).

The fabrics I have used so far have generally been cotton and fairly inexpensive, no more that £6 per m.  I am becoming more confident and really wanted to challenge myself to create something with a little more style and finesse.

I checked out the new spring patterns and found one I liked the look of and I am hoping that it will look good once finished on my very curvy (more super voluptuous really) body.  Here is the technical drawing, it is Butterick 5998 and is described as a fitted lined dress.  

It has sleeves, another bonus for me...

Another new thing for me was ordering fabric on line, I was very worried about this since I was buying fabric I couldn't feel and I like to do that  (we all do right?) and the fact that I was going to be spending double the money I am used to on fabric, I felt a little apprehensive.  Once my fabric (satin backed crepe) arrived I headed to my local fabric store, I will tell you more about this place another time but it really is impressive and has a huge amount of stock, they specialise in bridal fabrics but have a great range of everything else you might need.  I collected lining, thread, zip etc and I also decided to buy some suitable fabric to make a muslin.  Now I didn't buy actual muslin, I got a lightweight cotton but it will do the job and at only £1.10 per meter I am not going to argue. 

So this is the plan (feel free to chip in if you can give me some advice)....  I plan to make the actual dress with the dull crepe facing out and the satin on the inside, I will reverse the two pattern pieces (wavy bits) on the front for a bit more definition to the seam detail. Here's the fabric and notion.....

So I have everything I need and I am ready to get going...

I am determined to TAKE MY TIME and NOT RUSH like I usually do, I really want a wearable dress from this project and it has become quite costly so far.

Tonight I have cut out my pattern pieces adjusting/grading up as I go where I think I need the extra room (to cover my out of proportion hips and butt) and roughly pinned the paper pattern together on my dress form to check it kind of all works, so far so good, there doesn't seem to be much ease but it is a fitted dress.

Next step it to try it out on my muslin... watch this space.... and don't forget to leave any comments and advice - please remember to be kind though.

My story of sewing from the beginning...

My story begins with my grandmother who was a seamstress by trade, she made some interesting quilted home decorations in bright orange nylon with hideous cheap lace edging.  My mum tells me stories about her coming home from work, making dinner then stitching up a dress to wear to go out in the same evening.  I never got to see her garment sewing skills but I know she was very skilled.

My mum always had a sewing machine in the house and used it intermittently to sew clothes for herself, me and my sisters, (my brother never had home sewn clothing, but he did have some 'special' knitted jumpers).

One of the first home sewn garments I remember is picture below, this is me in back in 1978 aged 2 years wearing a white nylon dress with navy roses which my mum made, the best part was she had a matching dress too (how very modern).

Until recently I had never sewn but did watch my mum sewing a lot when growing up and especially when she made my flower girl dresses for my wedding.  I learnt quite a lot from assisting her with the dresses especially 'avoid chiffon' for a long time and I embellished and hemmed the dresses my self (by hand). My three small nieces did look beautiful in the dresses at our wedding.

Mum hasn't sewn any wearable garments since this my wedding which is almost six years ago now (she made some quilts).  Which is were my personal sewing journey begins.

After finishing studying for my degree and graduating I found myself with 'spare time' which I decided to fill my making a dress for summer last year.  I asked mum if I could borrow here sewing machine,which resulted in scissors too, I purchased a pattern and fabric and set to work.  I can't show you the results of my first attempts at sewing but needless to say they were unwearable, I enjoyed the process though and learned from each mistake.  From early May 2013 to now I have attempted  few projects and have a couple of wearable items. I have been truly bitten by the sewing bug and yes you guessed it, my mum never got her sewing machine or scissors back (she has purchased a new ones now so I get to keep them).  My kit has grown through gifts from my mum and husband with the addition of a dress form, pinking shears, presser feet, a collection of patterns, rulers and general kit, and for christmas a bias binder machine and rotary cutter (I love the rotary cutter A LOT!).  Until the start of this week I have been working at the dinner table but my husband promised me that if we can sort out the home gym I can use the spare room as a sewing space.  I never cleaned up and out so fast and headed to ikea with money gifted to us by my father in law to purchase simple but functional furniture.  Now I (we, my husband, mum and I) have invested so much time and money in my new found passtime I can't give up and I have to keep sewing, learning and creating.  

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