I thought of a sneaky solution though. I'll use this opportunity to post things I made before I started blogging. It's nice to have a record of them and will keep me in the habit of posting regularly. I have been sewing since I was a kid, mostly Hallowe'en costumes and altering clothing to make it slutty when I was 20 until a few years ago when I bought myself a new machine. I decided I would really try and sew garments. I had a lot of "learning experiences" before having the most success using indie patterns and blog tutorials that hold your hand through every single step. Anything I still have and wear is from the past year.
Lessons:
- I don't know how to hem this dress without it looking terrible so I haven't. I have just left a raw edge and wear it all the time. I don't think anyone notices, it doesn't fray and I've noticed that American Apparel does this too so I'm over it.
- There are some pull lines around my bust when I stand up straight for photos which I don't think ever occur when I'm in my usual slouch.
- The stitching on the skirt pulls like it does on my leggings. This seems to happen at points of stress in my garments and I don't know how to fix this using a zigzag stitch on a regular machine. I'm tabling this until I get a serger.
Successes:
- The twin stitching on the neck band looks BOSS.
- I added elastic to the seam under the bust to keep the bodice in place which works very well.
- I added the sleeve bands after I sewed the side seams (as in the instructions for the Renfrew) for a cleaner finish.
- I actually went to a fabric store and bought this specifically for this project. This means that I had enough not to make compromises and I like the colour and quality of this garment a lot more.
- This garment shape is generally flattering and easy to wear.
Since I started blogging, I have been spending a lot more time looking at pictures of myself and really assessing how clothes look on me. I am pretty critical of my Christmas weight and my sever hair cut which I am hot and cold on. But I suppose hair can grow and cheese can be forgone for a bit.
Overall, I love this dress and wear it any time I have to look nice but want to feel like I'm in pajamas...secret pajamas.