Dark magic and the checkered bedsheet dress
One day I want to start a blog post with the words: look, I made a dress and it turned out exactly as I wanted. And now you know which turn my checkered bedsheet dress took.
AHHHHHHHH! Am I cursed? Should I start to search for hidden pentagrams in my sewing room, look for dead animals or blood smeared thresholds? Are my over neighbors not my friends but satanistic sewing haters? So many questions…
But let me first show you the problem(s).
In my last post I was still full of hope to copy a lovely bought dress from H&M. I used a pattern of a comparable dress I already have made a year ago (the fibremood Mira dress) and changed the details I liked better on the H&M dress; for example I wanted the shoulders smaller, the waist lower and the skirt part less full. And I am fairly sure that I really!!!!! incorporated these modifications into the new pattern I drew. REALLY!
(Sorry I need so many capital letters as I must convince myself that I am not going crazy 😜)
Left dress is the Mira pattern, right dress is bought from H&M
But now have a look at the nearly finished new dress… The shoulders are in my view even wider than on the Mira dress and I have no idea how this happened. I could repeat my black magic theories from above, but I fear this is not helpful right now. I cut away 3 cm of the Mira dress pattern at the shoulder and the new checkered dress should sit much better on my shoulders, but no… it does not.
My one idea what happened besides brutal ritualistic attacks is, that I was inaccurate while cutting out and that I unintentionally made the seam allowance too big (I know, it sounds unrealistic, as you all know me as a super patient, neat and well planned crafter :-DDDDD).
So, I am back to step one. I again must draft the body part of this dress as this try was not perfect. For the next one I will cut away again 3 cm on the shoulders and will also make the body smaller at the sides, so that the original sleeves will still fit into the armhole.
The other items I changed on the Mira pattern – the lower waist and the less voluminous skirt – came out nearly as anticipated. Nearly…
Let’s start with the waist. This is easy: I like the new length of the body. No criticism, no nothing, I really like it… Or wait, there was my husband who said something like „hm, its very wide, I have no idea where you are beneath it. Did you plan it like this?“ This question may have unsettled me a tad :-DDDD
So, what do you say? Is this dress too tent-like? Does it look nicer with the waist a bit smaller and higher up (like the Mira dress)? Perhaps I should try a pattern with a button-band at the front, so that I can make the whole thing a lot more fitted. Again. Questions. You see me a bit perplexed (grumbling) this Monday. Perhaps I should go knitting… :-D
And while you are looking at my grumbling portrait you perhaps understand why I have chosen a faulty dress post as a representation of my character... I am secretly a monster which hides its nature beneath ill-fitting dresses and too big knitted cardigans.
Thank you to the @ocd community for this wonderful contest and opportunity. As every real (and immensely greedy monster) I naturally want to win. WIIIIIN!!! MEEEEEE
(sorry, could not stop myself :-DDD)
Thank you @crosheille for initiating and @muscara and @marblely for hosting the #needleworkmonday. If you want to see more beautiful projects with yarn, fabric and most of all needles, follow @needleworkmonday. Or even better grab your needles and keyboard and join the #needleworkmonday community.
Ohhh, if you don't have a hive account and want to comment then visit my Wordpressblog Bliss and Blisters and write me there.
Read more about my art und upcoming exhibitions on neumannsalva.
THank youuuuu <3 I am so happy you liked the post (although my sewing skills still are not the best, sigh... when will I learn this...)
Your support means a lot to me <3
Your downstairs neighbor:
😂 Anyway, I still say you do better than I do on the sewing clothes! Where the waistline hits is totally a style choice. You could also try shaping the bust with darts and leaving the waist where it is if you want a more fitted look? Or did I just complicate things more with another idea? 😅 I've always been a fan of empire waisted things, too.
Yes - ahem - maybe it’s not the above neighbors who represent the dark magic problem - it also could be me :-DDDDD
This dress was a first try with a lowered waist and I think I like it. I sometimes feel I look pregnant in empire waists, although I love this style on others. And with the bust darts, I think this is a very valid point and I should try this on the next dress. But these wide shoulders are really strange, I honestly have no clue how it happened. I just now compared the patterns of the Mira dress and my self-drafted, and mine is definitely smaller in the shoulders... very strange...
And with the skill: I admire your creativity and imagination and the deep sense of history and myth you incorporate into your artwork - I really love this. Also, the tiny details (dolls clothes... I would never try something so small, still too impatient)
Magick and mystery!
I love your dress, I have made something similar for myself and I often worn this dress almost every time am going out.
Maybe it can only separated from me when it gets a tear.
I love designing and using patterns can be tricky sometimes but am grateful for the fact that one can always make amendments when there is a mistake.
Just remove the sleeves, retake your shoulder measurements and make all the adjustments like you have rightly pointed out.
Well done, bravo
Thank you so much for the support. I also loooove dresses and I (still) hope to learn more about fitting them to my measurements. I yesterday took the shoulders in, but either not enough or the problem lays elsewhere. @nikv pointed out it could be too much width in the back panel. Right now I again have too much headaches to try more modifications, but I hope it will be better soon, I can try out to get this dress ready <3
I can understand your plight I experience that alot too.
Regards
Oh no, I am sorry to hear, that is no fun at all. I hope for us all (I have a very good friend who also has nearly daily headaches) that it will get better <3
Yes dear, I wish us the best of health
😍It's always so much fun to read you, since I read the post thing I started to enjoy it.
Good thing what happens to the sleeves has a solution, otherwise, to me it looks great on you. So keep going. I hope to see the dress fitted soon.
Thanks for sharing the emotional process when you sew.
Success in the #OCD community constest.
Big hugs. Be well.
Regards.
"Emotional process" 🤪😂 I tell you... No idea why sewing is so hard for me. Knitting and crochet is so much more relaxing. But I am stubborn, I really want to learn how to sew a good fitting dress for myself (I have no problems to sew for my husband as he has less curves :-D).
But although the checkered dress has still some flaws, I am sure I can wear it in summer.
THank you for your uplifting comment <3
hi, it's a nice checker dress @neumannsalva. but it's look a bit large, is it because of the loose model of the dress?
Oh sigh (I am sighing because I find sewing really hard)
To answer you: the dress is meant to be flowy and big... but not so big 🤣 This happened because I still cannot sew/fit very well. I hope I can rescue the dress. I will try to take in the sides and shoulders and hope it looks less huge on me :-DDD
know i understand :)
but i think maybe the material was not perfect for that kind of dress, it's not your fault.. fabrics have many textures that you also need to pay attention on when you make dress or something to wear... i also need to use the perfect texture of fabric to make any fabric things i made, for example i have two kind of cross stitch fabric, the one is thick and hard while the other is thin. Of course to make things like tissue cover or fabric box i need the thin one but for another thing like bookmark, i would choose the thick one.
Anyway wish you good luck in the repairment of the dress :) i would like to see it fit you well later
Yes the fabric is totally different from the fabric the bought dress is made of... but because of Lockdown and money, I cannot buy a different one, so the bedsheet has to work out :-DDD But you are right, I did not took the different drape of the fabric into consideration. Right now I am again with these sh**** headaches, but when I am better I will try myself again on this dress.
(By the way, I fear I often neglect the material... you know I also love to crochet or knit and very often I simply choose the yarn because of the color :-DDDD and then I end with a super stiff knitted cardigan... but in a lovely color :-D)
hahaha yes but sometimes you need to pay attention on the fabrics structure too :)
hope you didn't allergic to some kind of yarn you crocheting with, when you wear your crocheting thing
i need to pay attention lots to structure and materials cause i could be allergic to some.
btw i'm sure you could fix the dress well later
😄 I love how you did this post and revealed to us at the end how this dress reflects your character.
You make this journey of fitting and mending a lot of fun and at the same time everyone learns together during the process. Thank you for always being you ~ ❤️
I’ll stay tuned of course to see how this dress fits in the end.
Thank you for your kind words, but honestly, sometimes I am really at a loss why sewing is so hard for me. But I already got a grip on myself and have drawn new seams. I will take the dress in 1 cm at both sides at the waist and 2 (not 3) cm at the shoulders. Hopefully this will fit a bit better...
(And yesterday I really felt like a monster... bloodshot eyes because of the migraine and unwashed hair... 🤣😱)
I know you joke a lot about it but I can imagine how frustrating you actually get at times. I’m glad you made your decisions on the seam and I am so hoping it’s a better fit for you ;)
Don't ask... I tried the new seams 😭😫 And taking in the shoulders did exactly: nothing. Now I will stop doing anything and reread @nikv explanation because I think she has the solution (but my again headache brain makes it hard to understand the process... ok, maybe its more my missing sewing skill)
Oh no! Well I still have faith in you to understand the instructions and get it fitted!! You Can Do This!!! 🤗
oh, how annoying !!! 😶 but I'm sure you can figure out something how to fix it. I really like this fabric: it refreshes you 😃
Yep, annoyed I am :-DDD But I am already planning to take the sides in (about 1 cm) and the shoulders. I hope this will look better.
And the fabric is really funny, reminds me of the summer and picnic (perhaps it looks a bit like a picnic blanket? 😆)
you're right! it really is associated with a picnic: relaxation, nature, peace and loved ones. I like it!!! 🌹
I think the biggest reason why any of this matters is the choice of fabric. Your H&M dress fabric drapes differently and little changes become glaring with the stiffer fabric. This may soften up after washing or not. Did you wash your fabric before sewing? The check pattern also make things look more boxy but if I look at it overall, I wouldn't change that much about what you have there
Oh yes!!! I did not thought of the fabric at all. And you are right the fabric of the H&M dress is completely different. Its a jersey and I used an old bedsheet (still lockdown here and I am not skilled enough to buy fabric online... besides its expensive).
The bedsheet/checkered fabric is cotton and a bit stiff, but already washed million times :-DDDD Its an old one from my parents, which I used then for years but now it has holes, so the decision to use it as a muslin.
But the Mira dress (the blue one) is also woven fabric, so I am still a bit perplexed why the shoulders of the checkered dress turned out so wide (the pattern is smaller at the shoulders than the Mira pattern, which I used as a starting point). I really fear I was inaccurate.
I will now try to take in the shoulders 2 cm (not three) and the waist 1 cm (at both sides). Cross your fingers :-D (or do you think I should not do it??)
Physically check your seams against the original to see where the discrepancy crept in, don't simply cut at the edges unless you can prove that it came from there. It may be that you should reduce things at the centre line, rather than cut off at the edges. It looks boxy overall and the thing should actually flare out towards the waist so reducing the waist is not a good idea. I would change the angle of the centre line and cut a little out of the neckline and the lower armholes to compensate, if necessary
Could you please beam yourself to Germany :-DDDD I am sure your explanation is the right one, but I fear I am not sure how to integrate it into the dress. If I understood right, you think the back width (and the front) is too big and I should take out fabric in the middle (which is not possible at the front of this dress, as it is made from one piece. But I could try this on the next dress)?
And with the waist:
Could you please beam yourself to Germany :-DDDD I am sure your explanation is the right one, but I fear I am not sure how to integrate it into the dress. If I understood right, you think the back width (and the front) is too big and I should take out fabric in the middle (which is not possible at the front of this dress, as it is made from one piece. But I could try this on the next dress)?
And with the waist: the Mira pattern had a kind of rounded line at the sides of the body and I only made it straight for the checkered dress (second alteration).
Are you on instagram? I found an account of a lovely sewist who has made a lot of of these wide dresses and all of them fit her very well. They sit good on her shoulders (not dropped like mine) and are nevertheless boxy and wide. I try to insert the link. If you have fun looking at this.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CNu46mxsPTf/?igshid=11329tgeok8jf
And thank you again for your insights!!! <3
Sorry for not responding yesterday, my life was chaotic. Yes, you will be able to change the dress in future patterns, if you try it on the existing dress, you'll have a giant dart down the centre front. What I recommend is to put it on inside out and using pins, experiment with tightening here and then transfer the changes that you are happy with to your pattern.
Yes, the bottom lines should be slightly curved to create a flare effect on the lower panels
Hello @nikv just saying hi.. see you just up-voted my latest post.. Have not seen you around for awhile. Hope all is well in your part of South Africa..And thanking you for your support of me... Is Peanut ok?
The look on your face pointing to that wider shoulder is priceless...! 😆
Pattern making and sizing is SUCH a skill - and yes, we (me!!) also have those "failures". But my seamstress mother would have me unpicking that sleeve, trimming the shoulder width back and re-sewing it till I'm happy. I learned from a women who knew from wartime what it was to not waste, and so yes, we re-swed, re-knitted and unpicked OFTEN.
Hope you can adjust it and make it more the way you wanted.
I fear I learned from a woman who is even more impatient than me :-DDDD But simultaneously my mother has a much better instinctive understanding of sewing (I seem to have an ant-understanding :-DDDD) But for you - I imagine- this was very helpful to have a mother who really learned and mastered sewing <3
But be sure, I wont give up. I altered the sleeves/shoulders already and its a tiny bit better, but not as I want. But I fear as @nikv explained its not only the fit of the shoulders but much more I need to change on the pattern. I will try to incorporate her explanations into the next dress I will try to make.
Thank you for encouraging me in my (endless) learning process :-DDD I find fitting really hard! Really!
<3 <3
You are hilarious dear and I love it! :D I know, I know, it is a serious subject and it is totally frustrating and annoying and I am here laughing. But you know what, that is you. You always show us the lighter side of things in all complexity and challenge. You can sew, you can knit, you can crochet, you do art, you do gardening, you can do anything and I love YOU!!! You sew the most beautiful skirts, blouses, dresses and coat! Who can forget the coat!!
"I am secretly a monster which hides its nature beneath ill-fitting dresses and too big knitted cardigans."
I agree to disagree hehe. You are secretly a master sifu.... In all your ill-fitting dresses and too big knitted cardigans, you work your magic to make them. Ill-fitting or not, I can never make them! :)
OHHHHHHH I am speechless. I am not sure I really earned such huge compliments (especially as I always feel like I do not earn them... ahhh my brain is really not nice) I am so honoured. Honestly. And I would have stopped learning to sew a long time ago without you!!! And I even more important my mother would still have a lot of too long trousers 😂 (you know, you are my mending hero, without you I would have never started to mend or alter)
I hate that we are so far away - I would love to hug you.
You really brightened my day (and this day too and I think also tomorrow and tomorrow tomorrow <3 <3)
Congratulations @neumannsalva! You have completed the following achievement on the Hive blockchain and have been rewarded with new badge(s) :
Your next target is to reach 5000 replies.
You can view your badges on your board and compare yourself to others in the Ranking
If you no longer want to receive notifications, reply to this comment with the word
STOPCheck out the last post from @hivebuzz:
Support the HiveBuzz project. Vote for our proposal!