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A frustrating update! But maybe there is hope?
December 11, 2008
Thanks so much to everyone who gave advice and opinions on my last post. They were all much appreciated! I am still very undecided on the sheeny vs shiny dilemma, but luckily (?) I am also still undecided on the muslin, so there is plently of time to keep mulling it over!
I of course followed the unanimous advice to make another muslin, and have been tweeking away, but am definitely not happy with it. I bought a vile shade of polyester satin that was on sale, because as advised by Sil, it will be more like the real thing than a flimsy cotton. It was only £4.50 per metre and well worth it. You can't really tell in the photos below, but it's a kind of pale peachy gold, and looks worse in real life!
I am now happy with how the dress looks from the front:
It fits fine around all the key places, and I can sit in it.
But! I don't like how it looks from the side at all!
It's like it poofs out, both at the front and back, from under the waist. It makes me look like I am sporting a pot belly that I don't even have, and it balloons too much over my bum!
I think the back of it is ok really - the last photo here isn't really that bad, but I'm not happy about the pot belly. My waist is probably my best feature!
Maybe the pattern I'm using (Vogue 2237) is designed for more drapey fabrics, where this wouldn't be an issue?
To make the muslin, I noted how much ease was allowed compared to the body measurements for a set size, and then took my actual measurements and added on the ease to adjust the pattern to fit me. But this was a bit of a failure - perfect around the bust and waist, but ridiculous around the hips! If it looks like a balloon now, it was 10 times worse before. There is 4 inches of ease around the hips in the pattern, and that just doesn't seem to work in a stiff satin fabric.
I slept on it, and this morning decided to try another pattern. The pattern I'm using for the bridesmaid dresses might be perfect. It is Vogue 7848. The reason I picked Vogue 2237 in the first place is because it seems a posher dress. It is fully lined, and has a foundation and inside belt. But, now I have that pattern, I can see how these things are done, and add them to the less well finished dress in Vogue 7848.
I don't know if you guys remember the dress I want to copy? It's here. I think V7848 is closer to that dress anyway (I was always going to add on the little skirt and full skirts at the bottom), the only difference is that it flares out more. But surely I could just cut all the panels to go straight from the hip down, and that would work? Any thoughts?
Instead of making a muslin straight away for this dress, I will just make the second bridesmaid dress, because the second bridesmaid is my size anyway (just several inches taller!), and try it on myself before giving it to her! Then if it needs adjusting, make YET ANOTHER muslin for myself.
You guys realise the wedding is only THREE MONTHS away now! Aaaaargh!
Posted by jen at 01:13 PM | Comments (14)