MY NEXT PROJECT: THE BABY SHOWER DRESS

After my last and first dressmaking experience I vowed to be a better planner before starting a project, and in an effort to exercise patience I am not going to touch the fabric for another week so I can fully research techniques that I will need and figure out the best way of doing each step. It seems wisest to copy an existing maternity dress to be sure of fit, so I am going to make a slightly altered version of the above dress shown here on our trip upstate last weekend. I'm thinking of adding fluttered sleeves since it is a fall shower and maybe a scalloped hem because well I just love scallops. I already picked out the fabric from Joann's, a satiny red polyester, yes not the most luxurious nor breathable of fabrics but I wanted this dress to be easier to work with after the fraying nightmare of the cotton gingham and I fell in love with the colour. Before I start I'm looking into how best to draft and finish the ruffle neckline and sleeve facings and refreshing myself on scallop construction.

I recently purchased the Burdastyle sewing handbook and am thoroughly smitten so far, the patterns and variations are my style and seem like they would be flattering (unlike the colette patterns which apart from the ginger skirt and peony dress would not suit my figure at all) and the instructions very clear which I need at this point. Other projects in the works right now include a kitchen table cloth, jersey swaddling cloths and various gifts for upcoming birthdays and baby gear thank you's.

REVEAL: MY FIRST MATERNITY DRESS

I finally finished the maternity dress in time for a photo shoot at the Inn on our Babymoon upstate. I drafted the dress pattern copying two different maternity dresses, the bodice from one and the skirt from another and added the elasticated straps afterwards. I love the contrasting lace trim and the sweetness of the style but it was definitely more of a learning experience than a useful addition to my wardrobe because A. I am only pregnant for another 6 weeks (!) and the weather is already cooling down, and B. I made such a mess of the seams that it wont make it through a hand wash.
So here is what I took away from this practice:

- Fabric stretch really effects fit. The dress with the bodice I copied was made with a stretch fabric and my gingham cotton had no stretch at all, I should have added extra fabric to account for this so I wouldn't have had to redo the bust completely.  

- Fraying edges at seams, for a loosely woven fabric like cotton reinforcing the seams is vital, I am going to try french seams and always at least sew along the edge of the seam allowance again before I cut. I also need to be more patient with fitting and not cut the seam allowances too soon as you can't return from that point if its too tight (a recurring problem when fitting a pregnant figure!)

- Drafting for the bust is not simple, darts or gathers must be used!

- Front and back of skirt should be even. I thought I could make the back skirt wider than the front at the hem, since i had used so many gathers on the front to accomodate the bump, but I quickly saw this had a terrible effect when I tried on the dress. The side seams curved around my body and made an unattractive poof at the sides. It was easily rectified by unpicking the seam and trimming the front skirt to match the back skirt width, but still a step that could have been avoided and will next time!

- Direction of print, an obvious one but with gingham you have to be even more mindful as it is two directional and lines are very obvious when going in different directions on bust pieces which should at least give the allusion of symmetry, as they are unlikely to be mathematically perfect, for an aesthetic finish.

Techniques to research for next time:

Finishing seams

Crossing over seam allowances

Fabric properties

ONESIE LOVE

After seeing a myriad of t-shirt onesie tutorials I decided to make one for baby boy. Since all Husband’s old t-shirts had prints that were placed too low to use the original neck line I ended up drafting a onesie and sewing it from scratch just using pieces of the t-shirt, very labour intensive but the result is so cute! Im going to replace the clear snaps at the shoulder and bottom with neon ones to brighten it up. Next time I’m doing it the easy way and keeping the collar intact and cutting sleeves as part of the body, but it’s good to know I can make an actual traditional one when I want to.

I have been going craft crazy of late (working part time now gives me the opportunity to do so!) making paper flower arrangements, revamping frames for wall displays and planning all sorts of home dec projects. Fall has snuck up on me, maybe the intense NYC heat and humidity is to blame but I didn’t even realize it was here already! My favorite season and holiday (Halloween, although Husband says it’s actually Christmas) just in time for my nesting period, and I’m possessed with the idea of fall wreaths and spray painting things glossy black….

PROGRESS AND PREGNANCY II

31 weeks along and feeling pretty exhausted, its like I’m in hibernation

mode. I can’t wait to meet him! The nursery is still a work in progress but

I know its going to look great when its finished. Planning the baby shower

is my fun task of the moment, I am doing a Peter Rabbit themed cocktail BBQ

with my closest friends and I have so many ideas so far, including a jelly

(this is what we Brits call jello) rabbit as my mum is sending over the mold

she used to make us jelly rabbit as kids. I had the chest with the full set

of Beatrix Potter books so this theme is very nostalgic for me.

The gingham maternity dress is nearly complete! Was a little hairy for a

second accommodating my ever growing bumps but I think its going to work out in the end.

I’m undecided on which way to go with the straps as it seems it might work

out as a strapless dress too which I don’t have in my wardrobe. Hopefully I

can wear it next spring/summer too if I make some minor adjustments. Will post

the finished dress very soon! As for my sewing list by season, I’m still not

sure what to sew for baby boy….

MISSION CURTAINS ACCOMPLISHED!

I finished all the curtains a couple weeks ago and have to say I love the fabric for the kitchen ones, so french and fun- exactly what I had in mind. I found it on my first trip to Joann's in the apparel section, although quite pricey for Joann's at 9/yd, me and husband agreed it would let the light in while giving privacy quite nicely. Since one of the windows has an AC unit I folded up and baste hemmed the curtain above it for the summer months. The living room and nursery curtains came out well too but the curtain wired I got from Ikea bow in the middle which doesn't do them justice. I loved the straight forward measurements of sewing curtains, compared to fitting clothes especially for maternity which i find stressful, but I did learn some things along the way:

1. A clear ruler is indispensable when measuring and pinning the hem.

2. You can't rely on the fabric having been cut in a straight line off the roll

3. Sewing large panels like curtains is physically exerting- maybe not an olympic worthy sport but still a challenge in my pregnant state!

On a recent day trip upstate to Poughkeepsie, NY for a babiesrus visit and olive garden gaff we frequented Walmart as usual so Husband could check out the sporting goods section and I could look at the craft and sewing supplies, where I found these two dress patterns A6123 and A6020:

I'm excited to use a real patterns rather than printing the downloadable ones or drafting my own from existing garments as I think it will be a smoother run. The ruffle dress seems like a good holiday dress to do in a sheeny fabric to wear with stockings and the picnic dress for the summer in a bold floral print a la Betty Draper. I've been having trouble finishing projects in time for suitable weather and feel a sewing project list by season might facilitate the process of buying fabric and executing the garment in time to wear it. Plus it should be easier to sew when I'm not at work even though looking after baby boy will be a full time job!

LUGGAGE TAG FOR MY MUM!

I made this luggage tag for my mum a while ago and didn't get the chance to take a photo until she visited last week. I followed the tutorial from Skip to my Lou using a retro print I knew my mum would like. As I didn't have any vinyl and it seemed very expensive online, I cut out a piece from an old comforter case and it worked perfectly. My mum loved the gift and I want to make more as I like the idea of an original luggage tag.

In other sewing news I made the first kitchen curtain and bought the fabric for the nursery curtains! I also bought a sewing book, since I can't find a class that fits in with my work schedule, and after much research I chose Vogue Sewing. I am very pleased with my choice and it seems to cover all of my needs so far. The diagrams are much clearer than typical photos where the stitching is barely visible. I can't wait to get back to working on my gingham  maternity dress but I'm focused on finishing all the curtains first since we have already lived in our park slope apartment for three months now!

MAKE UP POUCH

This was the first item I sewed on my new machine, using fabric I bought when I was 15 and had never touched! I used a thick satin for the lining that I had left over from a Halloween costume quick fix. I think it came out pretty good as I wouldn't have picked black but it actually contrasts great with the red. This was pretty straight forward under the guidance of my mother in law. I've been looking at sewing manuals since I can't find a class in NYC that fits in with my work hours, but I'm unsure which will be the best investment since I know a little more than a complete beginner but still need the basics like sewing in elastic. 

The gingham dress is coming along, I measured and cut the bodice pieces, as it turns out there were multiple parts to the bodice which I hadn't noticed, which presumably enables the bodice to lay right and not flat across the bust but I will see when I start fitting which is the next step. The apartment decorating has also moved forward, Husband surprised me with what he calls "Easter eggs" all over the apartment he had made the improvements I needed like hanging my mirror and coat hooks in the bedroom and fixing the curtain rail in the living room so the curtains I had re-hemmed were the right length. I'm so lucky to have such a great Hubby!