March 10, 2015

Scary Blue Lace - Simplicity 1717

I'm gonna say it again - Posture!!
 While Carolyn was visiting the one thing she wanted to do was hang out in the sewing room and mentor my sewing skills.  I've been sewing for years - but I'm often not very confident in what I am capable of.  Based on that - I tend to make lots of simple cotton skirts and dresses and loads of knit dresses.

This lace was bought back in March 2010 - so it's been precious for 5 years.  That's long enough, right?  The first thing we did after picking the fabric from the closet - was to start digging through the patterns.  Simplicity 1717 is one of their Amazing Fit line of patterns.  I spent some time with this myself back in the 2013 and made a couple of skirts.

Step One:  Because I'd already made this skirt - I pulled an old version of it out and put it on.  It was a big snug.  It was decided that I needed to add some room - but only in the front.  It's not uncommon for your front or back half (think splitting side to side) to be bigger than the other.

Changes were made to the pattern and I cut, serged and sewed the lining together before ever cutting into the lace.  Then Carolyn pinned it to me and we took some pictures.  it fit well -- no changes.

Next up - cutting that beautiful, expensive lace.  An inch was added to the length.  I'm hoping to just trim around the lace at the hem, letting the hem match the shape of the lace.

concentrate - don't forget to breathe
Once I was getting ready to sew the lace, that's when the convo about workroom vs. pretty sewing space came up - See - I didn't have any organza in my sewing room - well, I have some pink left over from my MOB dress, but how often are you going to use pink organza, really?  We also had to shorten a zipper because I only had long invisible zippers.  While I was stalling starting the sewing - I was playing with the cut fabric and notice the selvage - Carolyn trimmed it off while I sewed darts.  The selvage was used to stabilize the seams between the skirt and the yoke as well as the zipper and center back seam below the zipper.  Organza was used to stabilize the side seams.

I put a new universal 80 needle in and shortened the stitch length to 1.5.  I sewed slowly and had the strip of selvage under the two pieces I was seaming together.  There is lots of light at the needle on my sewing machine!

Once each piece was seamed together, I pressed it open, over the seam roll, using an organza pressing cloth to protect the lace.  Then I used the clapped to set that seam.  Repeat from the right side with a lighter hand.  Next up - silk thread and catch stitching the seam allowance to the lace.  Slowly and carefully - I've been working on the project.  Taking my time and doing my best at each stage of the game.

If you follow me on InstaGram - well you know the temporary outcome of this story.  The skirt is too big!  I have walked away for now - but I will not give up!


I'll let you know soon - what happened.

10 comments :

  1. If it was too tight I would worry...too loose can be fixed. Call me this weekend, and we will go over it!

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  2. Gaylen, you are capable of WHATEVER you put your mind to. Seriously ... it's only fabric. If it doesn't turn out, the world's not gonna end, and likely you will have learned something in the process.

    I'll be looking forward to what you and Carolyn come up with to adjust the fit.

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  3. You CAN do this!

    I love the lace. Great photo of you at the machine.

    Nancy - Wyoming Breezes

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  4. You have this, the lace is stunning. Take a deep breath and this weekend conquer the sizing and you will have a gorgeous new garment.

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  5. It's wonderful that you had so much machine time with Carolyn. I feel like she could teach us all something. I remember when you bought that blue daisy lace, and I'm glad you finally found a good project for it; this will be a nice spring/summer skirt.

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  6. Thanks for sharing your process....this will be beautiful and you will love wearing it will all your special details. What fun to sew with a buddy like Carolyn!

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  7. I can't wait to see the finished skirt, the lace is really lovely! You can do it!

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  8. You will get it fixed, and it is going to be beautiful.. Lovely lace..
    So proud you decided to use it.. Proud it was too big , instead of too little.
    I bought that pattern, and the same thing happened to me..But , it was just a muslin fabric..so no problem.. Happy sewing...

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  9. Thank you. I have a similar skirt that needs to be altered - as in taken apart and resized - in a similar fabric. I love it so though, so... Is it worth it?

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I appreciate you coming to see me. It may take me a bit to publish your comment - but I will get to them by the end of every day. If you leave a way for me to get back to you, I will. Thanks for taking the time to comment and share your opinions. g

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