Y'all I can sew but fitting is becoming a challenge! Let me explain. I've been sewing for years and I sewed through all of my weight gains and small losses. But this time I've lost a significant amount of weight in a short period of time. I've lost the weight and inches but in different places than times past. In this instance you would think that losing weight and experience would work for me. Well I'm here to tell you that it isn't.
Actually experience is making it harder to produce a well-fitting, well-sewn garment. I make what I think are amateurish mistakes, which frustrates me, and sends me back to the couch and a book. After years of sewing, I finally remember what new sewists feel like. How overwhelming the process of getting a garment correct is.
See, I've been attempting to sew...and choices have frustrated me. Pattern choices...fabric choices...fit choices...have all stymied me. If I didn't have actual proof, I would wonder if I actually could sew. But I've hung in there. Even though I'm moving slower, it's because I'm taking my time and working out what's wrong. That's where I differ from a new sewist. I do have some experience. 😏
I'm presently working on OOP Vogue 2647.
I originally made this dress back in 2016. I'm attracted to the pattern because my weight is the same now as it was then. The challenge, my body is different. I'm also looking for simple and easy to sew because I'm still not ready for complicated.
I reread the blog post. Greatful that I'd included so much information. I cut out not one but two versions of the dress. I sew it up, try it on, and WTF! It was tight on my body even with my Spanx on. Now it fit but it was close-fitting. Not since my 30s have I been a close fitting clothing kinda woman.
What to do? What to do? As always the answer came to me when I was waking up. But and it's a very important but, it was a complicated solution that a few years ago I would have done no problem. Now, I'm weary of the alteration. I've decided to finish the dress, after altering the seams and gaining another 1.5 inches. I will let it hang in the closet. Maybe if I lose more weight it will fit next summer.
The second version, I will make as a tunic to go over capris or jeans. I've figured out how to get it to fit my abdomen without a lot of work.
My third will be from another linen I pulled from the collection. Because after weeks of thinking about it, I realized what I did wrong with the original two.
1. I didn't add ease to my measurements. I'm chalking that up to the slight body dysmorphia I have.
2. I didn't double check the measurements before I cut. Would have saved so much heartache.
See rookie moves! I'm changing up my cutting layout and hopefully I will get a dress that fits...cause the sewing was easy!
In the next blog post will I share the finished pieces and of course more thoughts! Just wanted you to know that I am sewing...slowly...but I'm sewing.
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...as always more later!
