There’s been discussion recently in the craft blog community about the “beautiful studio” phenomenon, where everyone shows pictures of gorgeous inspiring spaces that they work in, when we all know that it is a pile 12 inches deep on the floor and an empty coffee cup (or three) on the desk in our own spaces. I feel like sewing blogs are a little bit the same way. Beautiful dress after gorgeous skirt show up in the photos and it makes sewing something wonderful seem easy. So this is another blog post inspired by a conversation today, where a friend and I agreed sewing is hard. Even if you are good at it. And sometimes the hard outweighs the cool factor. Every project has a challenge and not every one works out.
So, I would like to introduce you to my pile of shame.
This is a skirt without a hem. It’s made from some really soft clearance aisle stretch something-or-another. It’s a pencil skirt with these pleats along the back hem. Its issue is that when I tried it on that stretch something-or-another stretches and creates some bulges that I am pretty sure are really not particularly flattering. It hugs where it should hang and the pleats are just slightly off (grumble). I got less inspired to finish hemming it when I looked at it on me and had a big case of “meh”. It should be cute and it is really just mediocre.
This one seemed like a great idea, but it just has too much going on. The fabrics look great together, but when you put it on, it’s LOUD. And it’s an indie dress pattern, which I try to love, but this one has some peculiar construction and it took a lot of re-thinking to do things in a way that I found acceptable. Not up to snuff. It looks a little “homemade” and not in a good way.
The neck facing and hem are all that’s left here and I have an inkling that it is just a hair too big. This was an experiment. I ordered a pattern from Lekala.com and they created this one to match my measurements and sent me a pdf that I printed and taped together. Either they add just a bit more ease than I like or I had some issues with connecting the 36 sheets of paper that this printed on which introduced some extra room. Either way, it is totally alterable, but I just don’t want to. That’s fiddly and the not fun part. And I don’t like how the bias tape facing turned out on the arm holes. I cut my own bias tape and it was not my best work. I really should rip that out and fix it too. I will probably fix this one, but I am procrastinating.
This one is super cute and I love everything about it. But I bound the neckline and arms with yellow bias tape and I ran out before I got to the hem. Need to make a trip to the store and remember it. That is harder than it sounds.
This one just makes me sad. I am desperately in love with this fabric and the design of this dress (the classic slim wiggle dress) but it absolutely does not fit. I don’t often make a muslin, because seriously, who has time for that? And I am lucky because usually patterns from Simplicity and Butterick just fit me with only minor alterations. I always have to shorten the bodice on dresses by about 1/2-1 inch and shorten the hem, but most everything else is pretty dang close. And that’s how I know that I can usually get away with no muslin. (I know, you can hate me now.) This dress however, has seriously 4 extra inches of fabric in the back between my shoulder blades to the top of the zipper. I don’t know what happened but it is ridiculous how much this does not fit. And the really annoying thing is that I lined it because I knew I would love this dress, so there is a LOT to pick apart to figure out how to remove the extra fabric. I hand picked the zipper; I matched the patterns. Sigh.
These are all problems that I might have figured out earlier in the process, but you know that just doesn’t always happen no matter how good we are. Can I fix all of these issues? Probably. But at this point, do I want to? Was this one just all about the process? Maybe this was a “teachable moment” and I have learned everything I need to learn from this project and it is time to say adios? (I am looking at you stretchy skirt.) I think these need a little while longer in time out to think about their issues.
You make me feel lots less klutzy! Thanks!
I hope you aren’t the only one! I actually got inspired this evening and seam ripped the sub-par bias tape on the green dress. Feeling much better about that one. (Not quite finished yet though.)
I happened on your blog by looking up Raven quilt, I am so glad I did! I first laughed and then realized I was looking at an article about myself! Yes, sewing is hard that is why it is so satisfying when it works! BUT….if you accept that things don’t always work it makes it easier to let it go instead of trying to hard to make it work. I try to live by this but it’ s hard, sometimes I get thick headed about a project. Thanks for reminding me to let go. By the way I love the IKEA raven quilt, did you ever make a pattern for it? Jan
Jan;
Thanks for the chuckle. No pattern for the Raven quilt because mostly it was just about using that great patterned fabric. But the silhouette of the raven on it came from one of my embroidery pattern sets that I sell in my etsy shop: Spooky.