While it only seems like a few days to you, it's actually been several weeks for me working on the bodice of Dolores' costume! I am actually so ridiculously impressed with myself by how this turned out. Sure, I can't lift my arms higher than shoulder-height, but if I stand really still it's still gorgeous to behold.
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| Are you beholding yet? Reference photos in last post |
Because there was quite a lot that could go wrong with this, what with having to improvise on the pattern, having to add ribbon, having to make the shaped hemline, convincing my machine to sew buttonholes, etc... I decided the first thing to do was to create a mock-up using some spare fabric.
The Mockup
I started by pinning the tissue of the pattern to my dress form and attempting to draw the characteristic scoop neckline of Dolores' bodice.Pinning the tissue paper is actually a new trick I've picked up that keeps me from sewing something the complete wrong size - if the tissue doesn't line up with the "Center Front", "Waistline", etc. on my dress form, it's so much easier to fix it on the tissue than once the fabric is cut out!!
Once I was feeling bold enough with my freehand neckline, I cut the tissue paper. (*gulp*)
You can see that the first attempt didn't go so swell. This is why I needed a mock-up! I put together the complete torso of the bodice including the darts, the lining, the shoulder and side seams. I pinned some ribbon to the neckline to try to visualize the final product.
I could see that my plan to fully line the front part of the bodice in order to make the neckline smooth was definitely working, but the scoop was way too small and there was a vestigial collar on the back of the neck (the original pattern had a roll over collar).
I went back to the tissue pattern and made some adjustments to the neckline. At this point it was almost August (!!!) so I realized I wouldn't have time to make another mock-up and would need to plunge on ahead with the real thing.
The Darts
Have I mentioned I hate darts? I HATE darts. I mean, don't get me wrong, they make your garment fit beautifully, but this silly pattern had three darts on each side on the front AND the back, and since I was fully lining the front, that meant I had to do the front darts TWICE.
And since I did the mock-up as well... I basically did 32 darts on this project.
For those who aren't familiar with the term, to "fully line" something means to make two exact copies of the pattern, sew them front sides together, then flip them inside out like a pillow case. It makes the edges completely smooth and so worked very well for the neckline and center front panels of the bodice, which would be exposed in order to add the buttons later. The added thickness also added some structure to the front of the bodice, which is supposed to be worn with a corset, but alas, I do not own one.
I was incredibly nervous about this step because I'd never worked with ribbon before. And because of the way I was installing the box-pleated ribbon, I had to start working with the ribbon a lot sooner than I wanted to!
To install the box-pleated ribbon, I took the actual bodice and the lining-bodice and put them front to front. I put the box-pleated ribbon upside down and tucked it in between the layers along the neckline. When I sewed the neckline seam and then flipped everything inside out, it was like MAGIC. Seriously, this was the easiest thing for such a big pay off.
To add the lace I was a little worried about ripping it with the machine foot, so I hand sewed that sucker on. It was...time consuming.
Luckily, I was able to use the machine to sew on the velvet ribbon. Its texture made it super forgiving of any random mistakes, but surprisingly there were none. The ribbon wanted to bend where I told it to, and I think it turned out swell!
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| 32 darts and 3 days later.... |
The Ribbon
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| Hand sewing the lace |
To install the box-pleated ribbon, I took the actual bodice and the lining-bodice and put them front to front. I put the box-pleated ribbon upside down and tucked it in between the layers along the neckline. When I sewed the neckline seam and then flipped everything inside out, it was like MAGIC. Seriously, this was the easiest thing for such a big pay off.
To add the lace I was a little worried about ripping it with the machine foot, so I hand sewed that sucker on. It was...time consuming.
Luckily, I was able to use the machine to sew on the velvet ribbon. Its texture made it super forgiving of any random mistakes, but surprisingly there were none. The ribbon wanted to bend where I told it to, and I think it turned out swell!
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| Ribbon details at neckline and sleeve cuffs |
The Sleeves
The pattern I was adapting had pleated sleeves with a cuff, so I had to cut down the size of the sleeves quite a bit. Unfortunately in doing so, I mismatched the circumference of the sleeve to the sleeve opening, and had a horrendous time trying to get them to match up again.
If you've never sewn a sleeve, let me explain it to you this way. You have two circles. One is bigger than the other. You have to make them the same size. You can not scrunch up the bigger circle. You cannot cut the bigger circle down to the size. You must only lament and suffer.
One sleeve ended up tighter than the other, resulting in a whole day's work lost as I ripped out the seams and tried again. Finally, they were both the same size, but -- troublingly -- I could not raise my arms above shoulder height.
Siiiiigh.
Whatever, it will still photograph well.
I folded the slits up until it looked like some strange origami shape, then I ironed it and sewed across. Not 100% perfect, but it'll do! If I had designed the hemline when I made the tissue pattern, I could have used the lining-flipped-inside-out trick again, but hindsight, right?
I spent a very long time breaking my needle experimenting with the buttonhole settings on my machine before finally undertaking the real thing. First of all, buttonhole machine attachments are SORCERY. You put the button that you intend to use into this little gauge thing, and the machine automatically sews a buttonhole that is the perfect size! WHO KNEW, RIGHT?
Well, almost automatically. Because I had so many layers of fabric as well as a layer of interfacing I had adde
d, I needed to guide the fabric a bit through the machine so that it didn't get stuck (which it did... twice).
Pro Tip: Install the BOTTOM buttonhole first, because you will screw up the first buttonhole. Too bad I didn't follow my own advice...
I was also kind of flabbergasted that I had never realized that your machine could sew on BUTTONS. The end result is only very, very slightly crooked, and I was pretty pleased with myself.
I am so freaking excited about the end result!! Stay tuned for my next post, in which I attempt to create a skirt from a Franken-pattern.
If you've never sewn a sleeve, let me explain it to you this way. You have two circles. One is bigger than the other. You have to make them the same size. You can not scrunch up the bigger circle. You cannot cut the bigger circle down to the size. You must only lament and suffer.
One sleeve ended up tighter than the other, resulting in a whole day's work lost as I ripped out the seams and tried again. Finally, they were both the same size, but -- troublingly -- I could not raise my arms above shoulder height.
Siiiiigh.
Whatever, it will still photograph well.
The Hem
This one threw me a bit for a loop as well. I wasn't quite sure how to change the shape of the hem once I'd already cut out the fabric and put away the pattern. I ended up using a little bit of math and guesswork. I measured up at the "points" I wanted the hemline to hit, then cut slits. |
| Making hemline magic |
I folded the slits up until it looked like some strange origami shape, then I ironed it and sewed across. Not 100% perfect, but it'll do! If I had designed the hemline when I made the tissue pattern, I could have used the lining-flipped-inside-out trick again, but hindsight, right?
The Buttons and Buttonholes
I spent a very long time Well, almost automatically. Because I had so many layers of fabric as well as a layer of interfacing I had adde
d, I needed to guide the fabric a bit through the machine so that it didn't get stuck (which it did... twice).Pro Tip: Install the BOTTOM buttonhole first, because you will screw up the first buttonhole. Too bad I didn't follow my own advice...
I was also kind of flabbergasted that I had never realized that your machine could sew on BUTTONS. The end result is only very, very slightly crooked, and I was pretty pleased with myself.
I am so freaking excited about the end result!! Stay tuned for my next post, in which I attempt to create a skirt from a Franken-pattern.
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| "That doesn't look like anything to me..." - Westworld |
Very professional looking!
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