Update on Vogue 9479

It was so long ago.... Do you remember it?

Well, I chose the fabric, after some deliberation and stash shopping had not quite yielded the results I was hoping for...  Not to be dissuaded, I chose a plan of attack in View D, I plunged in!

Now, one of the first things I wanted to mention right off, is that more modern patterns have the pieces in multiple sizes (in this case 7, 8 and 10) printed on one giant piece of tissue paper...  Which means that unless you're super confident about what size you want, and what style, and are also sure you're never going to want or need the other sizes, you can just go ahead and cut out your pattern pieces.  If, like me, you're paranoid about ever needing the sizes/pieces and especially if your pattern is out of print (OOP) then you trace off the size and style you want.

Which leads to this glamorous get up:

Doesn't exactly get the creative juices flowing, does it?  (although suddenly I'm craving Indian food...)

For me, tracing off my pattern is my least favourite part of the process.  If there was any way I could skip it, I would.  Anyone know of any tricks?  Or better still, how to let go of my pattern paranoia?

On to the sewing!

I chose my white dotted fabric from the stash for this project.  I bought it about two years ago on my first trip to the fabric district in LA.  It was a Michael Levine find, a little under 3 yards in the remnant bin for about $7.  When I noticed on the selvage that it was a Robert Kaufman screen print, I had an extra little spring in my step!

Washed up it was about 44" x 2 yds 27".  This was enough to get the entire dress out, plus a little over.  Not bad considering the pattern has the bodice self-lined, and I cut out extra to line the skirt.

Regarding turning the bodice inside out:

1) It initally looked like a deflated Telletubbies plushie, because sewing late at night causes brain glitches where a person can forget whether they're right way in, or inside out.

2)  Trimming and grading my seam allowances made a huge difference in how the bodice lay flat.  I didn't notch them like this great video shows, because the notching would have shown through the fabric... which is a shame really because I'm getting some slight puckering at the center of the neckline in the front that is making me want to cry.

3) I'm really pleased with how I thought ahead far enough (and clearly enough, it was earlier in the evening) to plan my french seams so that the outside seam is folded to the back, and the lining seam is folded to the front.  This has not only finished the inside seams nicely with no loose threads to show through, but also created a polished look on the outside.


More to come!