Wednesday 11 July 2012

W.i.P. - My Hen Night Dress (2)

First, the state of my EPP hexies. Nine flowers and nearly 100 basted hexies, about 60 of which were added on Sunday evening. By this time I've sewn together another two red flowers.


More important, earlier on Sunday I sewed up the first toile of my hen night dress' bodice. I'd read somewhere that the dress is a little on the tight side so I cut it one size larger than I usually would have. Because of the measurements of that size that I did not use the extra front bodice piece for larger chests. Here are a couple of awful shots of the results. It's so difficult to snap yourself, or pin yourself into a toile for that matter.*


It's not all bad... The chest fits nicely across, I like that (I might change the gathers a bit, though, have them extend further left and right). Unfortunately everything else is at once too big and too small. Haha. The waistband is way too loose as you can see but the shelf for the bust rides up a little and creates folds on the side, it's not long enough, same goes for the waistband - it ends waaay too high.

How to amend things: I will definitely cut another toile one size smaller but will use the extra pattern piece that increases the bust size to just my measurement. Further, I'll add 2cm to the gathered front bodice piece so it won't ride up anymore. That might have to be added in a curve, right? No need to change the side look of the seam too much and the riding up happens mainly in the front). The waistband will be lengthened by about 3cm to bring down the waistline to my natural waist. I might make it 4-5 just to be on the safe side and make a final decision later. I'll also have to lengthen the back bodice piece to bring everything to the same length. Can you think of anything else I might have forgotten/got wrong?

I originally put an elasticated skirt next to the bodice's waistline to get a better impression of the finished product, but sorry, no pics. You must take my word for it that it looked awfully awful. Yep, I said awfully awful and I mean it.

In sum, I'm happy to have made the toile (of course) and don't even mind having gone for a size too large because of something I've read because it's given me a good idea about issues that are beyond the sizing. Also, I've had a good first run sewing this up and after a second one the real dress should come together even more easily and without any problems. Getting all excited now!

Happy sewing!


*The pinning had no impact on the fit, though. I pinched things in front of the mirror and it was just as bad/was just as loose.

Stats for the Week

Finished Projects - 0.5
Polaroid blocks - pillows done!

Ongoing Projects - 4.5
EPP hexies
Polaroid blocks - still need to make a tote!
Hen Night dress
EPP parallelograms/stars
Kirby pillow

Planning Stage - 7
Wedding Anniversary quilt
Wedding clutch
ET Phone Home EPP project
Moe Moe's Star quilt
Repurpose last year's scalloped skirt dress to a skirt
Chair cushions for my sister
Viking Baby quilt

7 comments:

  1. That's a lot of hexies! Great colours!

    Shame about the fit of the dress - it looks like a nice design though. I admire you for making a dress! I avoid garment sewing like the plague hehe!

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  2. I was in a sew along where I planned to make this dress. Life got in the way, and I wasn't able to actually start making it, but I did follow along with the group and take notes. There is a flickr group where people talked about all kinds of fit issues and adjustments. It might be helpful to peruse. :)
    http://www.flickr.com/groups/1682675@N22/discuss/
    The dressmaking topics are mixed in with other topics, but it's pretty easy to pick them out.

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  3. I avoid dress sewing too. Quilts don't have to fit at the end and if they need to be a different size you just add a border. LOL

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  4. Lovely, lovely hexies! I am not brave enough to try dress making, worried it might turn out like my attempt to make curtains!

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  5. I haven't learned how to make the hexies yet. I've watched a few ladies work on them.

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  6. I love your hexies colors. Good luck on the dress.

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  7. I want to say to you, you are so great.Well suited to their bodies, and have individuality.
    cheap formal dresses

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