Cozy yummy yellow sweater dress

I've sat on this Marc Jacob's yellow wool knit fabric for a while, trying to find the best pattern for it. With winter looking like it's coming to an end sooner and not as harsh as the previous years, I know I had to get cracking fast. I bought the pattern Butterick 5523 after I saw a couple of bloggers trying it or a lookalike pattern, and once the pattern arrived set on making it.

I made adjustments to the pattern and some sort of muslin last week, and over this last weekend with hubby looking after the Bean worked many hours on the dress. Had to take the seam ripper to it a few times, and let me tell u, wool knit and a matching colored thread made the job of ripping the seams sooooo difficult! I finally attached the back tab and buttons last nite, and I can say that it's ready, and phew!

The fabric itself is thick but not heavy, and my dress is kinda a lil loose on me (on the upper part), but I'm ok with that. The fabric i used as muslin was a tshirt type but with much less stretch, so i guess that was why the fit was not the same muslin to actual fabric? Or that I should transfer pattern pieces better! I hope that my dress will not stretch with time tho... Don't wool shrink instead of stretch?

So here is the dress:

(should iron the back pleat before taking this picture!)

The back looks like a coat no?

My test V1250 dress

Earlier this week I was able to finally be done with hemming my 1st version of Vogue 1250 dress. I used a thrifted jersey type fabric I have in my stash for the project, it's brown with cream colored roses.

V1250 has only 3 pattern pieces, so it should be easy right? Ha ha. :) The pieces are 1) front & back, 2) back neck facing and 3) upper back. I cut a size 14 for the upper back and the armhole of front and back pieces, however I added 3 inches to the middle of the front and back by pivoting and sliding.

The thing is, whenever I buy RTW (ready-to-wear) clothes in the past, things never fit me right. If it fits great on the shoulder it means it's too small over my bust, and so on. Sewing for myself means I am able to have clothes that fit me better, in fabric I like, and patterns and shapes that flatter me better than RTW. And hopefully with better quality finishing than the RTWs. I'm still learning re fit. I think i'm not progressing as much on that, but maybe once i'm done wanting to sew a lot of "basics"(Right now I'm into making loose outfit that fits great on my shoulder and bust and then flow over my tummy - a problem area that I need to work A LOT on post c-sect.), i will then progress into accomplishing better fit by attempting different silhouettes...

This version will be worn with a belt definitely. For my next version (yes, there will be next versions, the first one probably in black - i still have tonnes of the black ponte knit!!!), I will change up the pattern by separating the front and back as that will work better for me rather than the original pattern that has the front and lower back in one fabric piece. (those who has worked on this pattern will know what I'm talking about re the pattern pieces for this. sorry, i don't have the pics to show what i mean...)

This weekend I am going to work on my wool knit fabric... Winter will end soon so I better get cracking (However, as I am typing this, it started snowing out there! hehehe)

Linking up my dress @:

2012!

Happy new year everyone!

2012 crept in and so did winter. Finally. Just as I was about to ditch my winter sewing plan, and dash into spring wink wink. Unfortunately, with crazy cold weather I hibernate even more. I haven't finished the 2 dresses that I started since the New Year hols (Vogue 1250 and Tracy Reese's Vogue 1225). Well, they are almost done, but I'm stalling because they aren't looking the way I envisioned them to look. I still have a lot to learn re fitting, and also, I have to also get in better shape. Both can qualify as my 2012 resolution then, hehe.

With V1225, i used black ponte knit as the top portion and a sequinned black fabric i got from a local thrift store for the skirt. I left out the pockets for this version. I bought size 14 i think and added some inches, and that's where the problem is when i tried it on. It was too big! I am so used of making everything roomy I (like tunic types) and really need to learn to make things fit on me better. After all, the top is made of a good knit fabric, i don't need to add. The skirt portion is okay, as i can pleat it a little. So, for now I just put it aside as my first 2012 UFO, to be worked on a later date. After all, I don't have anywhere to go with sequins ;)

I started the very popular V1250 2 weeks ago. Since my baby is getting older, errrmmm he is like 1.5 months already, he became even more so active and thinks that any chair is for him to climb on, esp when I am trying to sew, it meant no sewing for mommy when he is up. :) hmmmm unless of course i bring my chair and table for sewing into the kitchen area which is gated. That's not a bad idea. ...

Anyways, the deal with the V1250 dress is that don't have much sewing time with it, and also ehile it only have 3 pattern pieces and quite simple, again my fitting is off (i added inches to it by sliding and pivoting etc) so i had to take it apart and resew it. Now it is just not sitting right on me, and I will have to take some time t figure out what is wrong. Is it the fabric? Since I am also not that familiar with what type the fabric was (since it's my 1st V1250 version, i used a thrifted fabric, the feel is like tshirt material but has just some stretch). Is it the way i added inches and then take them off at some part and leaving some part as is? Maybe for the next version, I will separate the front and back like one of my favorite blogger did (although probably the reason she did that wasn't because she is clueless re fitting like me!!!) Hubby said that if i wear a belt with the dress it's better, so that's what i'm going to do. Once i finish hemming and sewing the armhole nicely. I really love the neck draping/cowl on me :) Pic will be in next post when the dress is done.

I actually finished one dress during Christmas break. It was actually supposed to be a prototype for my yellow wool knit from Marc Jacobs bought online. Prototype because I don't know yet what look/pattern will be best for that fabric, so I decided to come up with my own. LOL. I used a knit of unknown materials that I thrifted. :) Pic below:

It is very loose which is what i like, i love the sleeves and pretty chuffed with the buttons added. Come to think of it, the shape is kinda like my traditional dress, baju kurung. Except that for our traditional dress, i still need a long skirt to go with it! :) Maybe I will make a skirt to go with it and i can wear it for events that need me to wear one :)

I've been looking high and low for the perfect pattern for my fabric, and after weeks of looking, I bought the Butterick 5523 pattern. Should be here anytime now. Can't wait!

Happy New Year! May 2012 bring happiness, love, blessings and prosperity to all :)