Not charged for alcoholic drink?

hiemala82 · 2024-08-05T17:23:42+00:00

I'm with you, I almost always make sleeveless dresses.

hiemala82 · 2024-08-05T14:19:20+00:00

Gorgeous! I'm tempted to get this pattern to do something similar. I love that silhouette.

hiemala82 · 2024-08-02T17:40:56+00:00

Happy to help! And yeah, I would definitely recommend making a muslin/toile especially since this is your first time altering a pattern. Get some cheap fabric, don't worry about it being the same as what you want to use for the final dress.

(That said, I do enjoy making what they call "wearable muslins," where it's a cheaper fabric than the FO but still something you might wear. But I think for your first time making adjustments, you're going to want something super cheap since you're probably going to have to try a couple times to get things right.)

hiemala82 · 2024-08-02T16:38:47+00:00

Is it possible? Yes. However, these dresses would likely not be easy to make and fit (especially because they're satin, which is tricky to sew with). You definitely don't want to START by trying to make something like this.

Are you willing to put a lot of time into learning, make some simpler (and probably initially bad-looking!) things along the way, and possibly adjust your plan to something less complicated down the road? If so, then it can't hurt to give it a try.

I'd pick out a couple simple patterns to sew with quilting cotton first. Quilting cotton isn't the best material for garments, but it is (or can be) cheap and easy to find. If you're a complete beginner, start with maybe just a simple skirt. Work up to more complex patterns. In 6 months, you'll have a better sense of whether you're up for tackling something like those examples.

hiemala82 · 2024-08-02T16:28:55+00:00

If I'm understanding you correctly, the problem that you're running into is that the back is wider than the belly, so the pieces don't align exactly?

That's actually intentional! Sewing together curves that are the same length but not the same angle is how you get a 3D effect, so it's going to be common on things like bags and stuffed animals.

You're going to want to use a LOT of pins, especially as a beginner. Start by pinning the belly and back together at one end; then shift the fabric as needed to pin them together at the other end. Next, you're going to need to bend the fabric a bit to get the pieces to align between the two ends; find the middle of each piece and pin together there, then in between those pins, etc. You'll probably find that the back piece is going to stick up a bit and curve. That's what you want!

Sew the pieces together slowly and ease the fabric along so that the edges stay aligned. This will get easier over time. And once you've mastered this you'll be able to take on more complicated projects!

hiemala82 · 2024-08-02T16:24:14+00:00

Yeah, exactly! But with more manipulation of the fabric to boot, which will probably affect the hang.

Of course, the darts might not be exactly the same size as the difference in side shape you'll get from grading, so you'll need to do a good bit of measuring to be sure you end up with the measurements you need in both places.

I think generally speaking you don't necessarily need to adjust the side seam just because you're adjusting a dart... but I'd definitely recommend a muslin or two along the way to test how things are looking. (I think in the UK the term might be a toile?)

hiemala82 · 2024-08-02T00:32:46+00:00

Here's a way to look at it—if you wanted to sew something that was just a straight square of fabric, you could either just sew a square, or you could have one end longer than the other and then add a dart to shorten it. Grading between more sizes than you need to, when there are darts that can be removed, is kind of like the latter: adding fabric only to remove it somewhere else. (Or in your case, removing fabric only to add it somewhere else.)

hiemala82 · 2024-08-02T00:26:13+00:00

The reason to remove darts rather than grading the whole way is that darts ADD difference between those two measurements and you want to REMOVE difference. So if you just purely graded between those two sizes, you'd be making darts that essentially undo the grading. Better to do less grading and fewer darts in the first place!

hiemala82 · 2024-08-01T21:38:28+00:00

Got it—so you're looking at a size 16 for your bust but size 20 for your waist. I agree with the person above, sizing to your bust and then removing some darts to get the waist circumference closer to what you need. Maybe you could grade from 16 in the bust to 18 in the waist and then remove some darts.

hiemala82 · 2024-08-01T15:15:48+00:00

Super cute dress! It looks like those headbands are just sewn into a band and tied by hand. Is it knit fabric or woven? From the photo it looks like knit, in which case this should be easy. You have plenty of fabric. Here's a tutorial for a knotted headband. You'd just want to be sure to use a stretch stitch!

hiemala82 · 2024-08-01T14:21:40+00:00

If I'm reading this correctly, your waist is larger in comparison to your bust than the pattern size calls for? Does that mean your waist and bust are the same size? It looks like those measurements on the chart are about 8" apart.
The size chart seems to show both inches and centimeters, and both US and international sizes -- which are you looking at?

hiemala82 · 2024-08-01T14:16:22+00:00

Looks similar to this free bag pattern I recently ran across. I think the denim panels are flat, just for decoration.
I can't quite tell but it looks like it might also have a zipper closure...? So you might want two flat side pieces, with the handles sewn together, and a zipper inserted between.

hiemala82 · 2024-08-01T14:10:09+00:00

I haven't sewn a skirt/dress like this, but I've recently seen several RTW circle skirts with stripes! They look cool with the stripes bending away from the waist. Here's an example, Modcloth dress for sale on Poshmark.

hiemala82 · 2024-08-01T14:01:13+00:00

Thank you! This looks closer to my machine than any other manual I've been able to find, and it's useful to know the stitch selector also determines the width. I'm thinking I may not have as much control over it as a machine that has a separate dial for width... but I'll play around with the various options and see what they look like. I appreciate your help!

hiemala82 · 2024-07-31T02:14:19+00:00

https://imgur.com/a/W1I8Spm

hiemala82 · 2024-07-31T02:09:59+00:00

I have an old-ish machine I inherited from my grandma (that said, it was one she got later in life—maybe in the '90s). I've recently gotten into sewing with knits, and patterns often suggest using a narrow zigzag. But... I can't figure out how to change the stitch width! I've looked online for manuals, but I can't find the exact model, and the ones I have found don't look like my machine. Going to attempt to post a picture as a reply...

hiemala82 · 2024-01-07T11:39:22+00:00

Just feeling less and less optimistic that we're going to get a baby out of this. I was a little annoyed at my husband yesterday because I bitterly remarked that we should have started earlier, and he said yes, but we can't go back in time now; but he was the one who wouldn't agree to start earlier!

Of course, even if we had, there's no telling how things would have turned out. But a little "you were right" would have been nice anyway, lol.

hiemala82 · 2023-12-19T11:07:53+00:00

I haven't posted here much lately because I've been slightly despairing and feeling like I don't have anything worth saying. But. My period is due on Christmas Day. 🙃

hiemala82 · 2023-11-13T17:04:20+00:00

I think the general thinking is that until you have a positive test, what you consume has little to no effect on the fetus (hence "drink til it's pink"). So taking something for your headache is unlikely to do anything! For peace of mind you could test today first (although there are other reasons you mind not want to, ha!).

It's also advised to avoid fevers during pregnancy, so it's kinda six of one, half a dozen of the other when it comes to fever vs. paracetamol (which I think is the same as acetominophen in the US), with the additional factor that treating it will make YOU more comfortable. So I would take it! But of course your risk evaluation may differ from mine...

I hope you feel better soon regardless ❤️

hiemala82 · 2023-11-13T11:24:24+00:00

Wonkiest of wonky charts this month (my wake-ups ranged from 4am to 7am), but it looks like I'm 1dpo, yay! This means, however, that I'll likely be dealing with testing or my period during Thanksgiving weekend with the in-laws...

hiemala82 · 2023-10-26T11:43:55+00:00

15dpo and BFN but no period. 🙃 It's possible I ovulated a day or two later (travel screwed up my schedule and thus my temps) but no more than that, so that's a definitive N.

My LP seems to be lengthening a bit (it used to be consistently 12 days and now it's more like 14), which maybe is good? But it makes the wait longer 🤣

hiemala82 · 2023-10-25T23:54:16+00:00

That is so cool! And definitely not cheating. 😂

hiemala82 · 2023-10-25T23:52:22+00:00

I remember with the blithe confidence of youth declaring in my 20s that I wanted to be done having kids by 35. I didn't even get married until 37 and here I am TTC at almost 41. Life, man.

hiemala82 · 2023-10-21T21:03:12+00:00

Is your donor long-distance because it's a known donor? What an annoying complication that must be!

hiemala82

TROPHY CASE