Just call me Mrs. Draper

So, here she is! My finished Mad Men Challenge dress. If you read my post, or follow me on Instagram (everfive), it's probably obvious to you which dress I decided to replicate, but in case you missed it, here was my inspiration. I hear most people say that now that the show is moving into the late sixties, they don't enjoy the fashions as much. I am so different, I LOVE the styles! The makeup, hair, clothes... I die.

I know that I may be in the minority, but I don't hate Megan. She's not perfect, but is anyone on that show? I was hoping she'd be good for Don...and maybe she still will be. As for Don, I can't help it. He's an asshole and obviously a horrible husband but I adore him. I mean, that man has issues but he came by them honestly. And he's so dreamy. Oh, and if you saw the episode last week, then you know what I mean when I say, "Go TRUDY!!"

Now, onto the dress. Once I picked which dress I was going to replicate, I immediately started looking for a pattern for a decent shift dress. I studied these pictures like my life depended on it. I needed a shift with back shaping that would not flare out at the bottom. When Colette Patterns released Laurel, I knew I found what I needed.

 For the fabric, it was obvious I needed something with some weight to it. I went to the fabric store to compare fabrics and decided on this cream gabardine. I also purchased olive green gabardine and coral linen, since it was the closest I could find in the color I needed. I ended up trading out the green gabardine for some scraps I had left over from this skirt since the color was a better match. It's a stretch cotton sateen, but I sewed it wrong side out (to eliminate sheen).

  Once I had all that in my greedy little hands, I started experimenting. I traced off a smaller size than I normally wear because I knew I needed less ease than the original pattern was designed for. I sewed together quite a few muslins trying to test my colorblocking. There was a lot of cursing, I won't lie.

 The bust darts were proving a problem and I made a decision to convert them to french darts. In the back, I had to chop through the top of the back darts for the bottom stripe of coral. I just closed up the dart in the stripe and redrew the dart starting a little lower and ending a little lower. This worked out really well. The whole dress is lined in a coral satin that I'm going to admit I purchased mainly for the color. I had planned on inserting a back zip, but the thought of fiddling with all those stripes to match scared me off. The dress slips over my head just fine, so I took the easy way out and eliminated it.

I went with a more military style button. I could have chosen the round gold ones that Megan's original dress has but I really hate gold and I was hoping the military ones would make it less dated. They weren't the best buttons to pick because of the shank, but I still like the look.

So, I'm pretty proud of this. This was my first time attempting colorblocking and I feel I was pretty successful. It's not perfect. I won't point out specifically what bothers me, except to say my french darts aren't perfectly executed and pressed.

The Details

Pattern: Colette Laurel

Size Cut: between a Sz 6 and Sz 8

Fabric Used: Cream Poly Gabardine, Olive green cotton sateen, Coral Linen

Alterations: I sliced up the top to colorblock it, I also converted the bust darts to french darts. Eliminated the zip and sleeves, fully lined dress.

 This project has absorbed most of my creative thoughts for the past two months. I had so much fun making this dress, I almost don't know what to do with myself now that it's all finished!  Actually, I know exactly what I'll be doing with myself...Me Made May :)

Fake It Til It's Warm Parfait

So, after proving that I'm impatient, a bit of a follower and sometimes just plain lazy, I am now going to prove that I'm flighty and indecisive. Just days after declaring how "edgy" I'm getting, I present you with a frilly, girly number. Evidence that this strange girl just can't make up her mind.

Ever since I made my first Colette Parfait I have been obsessed with the pattern. I've had my non sewing friends beg me to make them a version and I get compliments every time I wear it. I had always planned on making a heavier winter weight version but could never find a fabric that inspired me. Then spring started creeping up on me and the idea of making a cold weather dress seemed silly.

When I spotted this lightweight, printed denim I instantly fell in love and knew immediately I wanted it to be a Parfait. And it's the best of both worlds, perfect for layering when it's cold but light enough to wear alone in warmer weather.

Romy getting in on the action.

I solved some of the fit issues that I had in the last one by cutting the waist/skirt portion one size smaller. I also adjusted the strap placement.

 

   Last time I made it I sewed the buttons on the tabs but this time I decided to make it right and installed all the suggested buttons correctly. I'm glad I did because it seems to help with the fit. The second, smaller button behind the strap helps take some strain off the main button and keeps everything in place. Wow, those Colette Patterns people really know what they're doing, huh? Speaking of buttons, these particular ones took me a while to decide upon. I love them though, especially the little blue roses on the pockets!

   Do not be fooled by these pictures. It was not warm enough for me to be baring all. Only about 52 degrees F. But I'm all about faking it till you make it and in this case I'll just keep pretending it's warm enough to bare my pale ass legs in a dress and strappy wedges until it actually is. And when it is finally warm enough...I'll still be just as pale, but a little more freckled.

The Details:

Pattern: Colette Parfait 

Size Cut: Size 8

Fabric Used: Printed lightweight denim from Hancock Fabrics

Alterations Made: I messed with the strap placement but other than that, nothing major

 

The Verdict: You have not seen the last of this incredibly gorgeous, flattering pattern!

When you say Parfait I think ice cream....

 

  Oh how I've missed you. I'm pretty much in full denial that it's January. Our Christmas tree is still up, my kids are still on their winter break from homeschooling, my husband just went back to work from his vacation, I chopped off about 7 inches of hair AND I'm headed to NYC next week to see The Airborne Toxic Event! Sometimes I think I live a pretty charmed life....until I realize that while I'm living it up my laundry pile is growing rapidly. Sooner or later I'll have to return to the real world. Still, all in all life has been good and carefree. Next week is back to business as usual so I'm soaking it up while I can.

 
   This dress technically should have been featured in my fails of 2012. Only because I purchased it with so much enthusiasm and then just didn't finish it. I sewed the bodice and skirt up quickly but when it came time to sew the straps and button tabs and button holes and facings......BLAH. Like a child, I balled it up and threw it in a ziploc bag before stuffing it into back of my sewing cabinet. There it sat....giving me the evil eye every.single.time I encountered it. I'd be digging for my rotary cutter and there it would be. Judging me. I swear I could hear it's thoughts, "You wasted perfectly good paper printing me up. You're wasting that pretty fabric. You're WASTING all that interfacing....YOU ARE A WASTEFUL FAILURE!!" Finally it became too much. I had to make it stop. The guilt! It was haunting me. Ok...maybe not haunting me but you know what I mean. I just had to get it finished.

 

  So, I buckled down and did the annoying stuff. I still felt pretty "meh" about it until I tried it on. My husband called me right as I stepped into so I walked out of my room, pinning it up to check for fit, and asked him what he needed. He didn't say anything and when I looked up he was just looking at me. But not just looking at me....looking at me. I almost scolded him that there were children in the room, but instead I cocked my hip and said, "You like it?"  "YES." he replied, with much enthusiasm. With that I giggled like a 16 year old and ran off to finish it. Sometimes that's all it takes, right? For someone else to tell you it's awesome, or for your husband to tell you you look awesome. I'll admit that I got a little ridiculous. I kept trying it on and prancing around, "Do you like it? Do you like it? How does it look?" Jeremy was a good husband and kept up the compliments I so desperately needed and I finished it happily.

  After all of that, what do I think? For what it is, I love it. This dress was always meant to be a wearable muslin. I cut out a 6 on top tapering out to an 8 at the waist. As you can tell by some pictures it swings out in front a little, giving me a pregnant look. And you know how I feel about NOT LOOKING PREGNANT. EVER AGAIN. ha. Next time I'll cut a straight sz 6. The bust gapes at the underarms. I'm undecided as to whether I'll take a dart out of the pattern or taper the side seam under the arms. The straps need to be adjusted also.

 

  

 

 I used a quilting cotton I got on sale last year. I wish I had taken a picture of the print, it's this beautiful art deco looking design. If you follow me on Instagram (Everfive), you can see a close up of it from when I very first started it. Of course this isn't the best fabric for tights. They kept sticking to the dress so I tried to wear a slip but my slip was WAY too long so it's peeking out from the bottom in a lot of these pics. Oh well, I'm over it and hopefully you won't be too irritated with me for it.

 

 

 

  I see so much huge potential in this pattern, though! Seriously, it's perfection. The straps and the pockets and the gorgeous gathers at the bust! It's so flattering! I have plans for a winter weight version as well as a pretty floral one for summertime.

  OH, heeeey, I just realized that in the 6 plus months I've had this blog I've had OVER 5000 VIEWS! Whaaaaaat? To me, that's pretty awesome. I think I should give something away to celebrate, yes?
  

Pesky Peony

I believe I've told everyone who will listen that I've been sitting on this pattern for over a year. I originally wasn't very sold on this dress...I was too smitten with the Clover pattern. Still, after seeing a couple of adorable versions pop up, specifically by Lauren of Lladybird, I purchased the pattern. I knew that a lot of other people who made it had problems with the bodice fit so I went in expecting to make alterations. I made a true muslin of the bodice last year and after deciding I wasn't going to be able to escape a FBA, I made the choice to move the darts outward also. Doing this left the fit in the bust ok but the rest of it baggy. After much internet scouring I found this tutorial by Gertie about shortening and widening the darts to remove excess fabric from underneath the bust. I did this but after making a third muslin of the bodice, the fit still wasn't right and I promptly moved the whole project to my UFO pile.

My pattern when I saved it from the UFO pile. Notice the tear from balling up and throwing.

 I've toyed with picking the pattern up a couple of times since then but obviously I just let it sit. When it was chosen for Sew Colette 2.0 I was pleased for the kick in the butt to finish it and went in feeling I would have a year of sewing/fitting under my belt and a fresh outlook. I made a muslin, and it was a bit of a baggy mess...again. I adjusted it by taking in the side seams, the back center seam and I felt that did a sufficient job of taking care of the fit. Plus, I was already getting stressed out about the whole challenge all over again.

Muslin...looks good except for the HUGE GAPING BACK!

 I bought this fabric 50% off of the clearance rack at Joann's. I actually had been eyeing it for awhile but there was less than 2 yards left on the bolt. I was afraid that there wouldn't be enough but there definitely was. That's actually a huge plus for the dress...less than 2 yards of fabric? Awesome.

 What worked on my muslin did not work on this fabric. Ugh. I fiddled with the darts some more, took in the sides..even more...chopped a couple of inches off of the bodice, took a HUGE chunk out of the center back and called it a day. I am glad I chose to make the cumberbun belt because I think it really adds to this otherwise plain dress.

 I initially planned on this being my wearable muslin but I don't think I'm going to be making this again. I just don't have it in me. If inspiration strikes, I may whip one together but as of now I don't see that happening. I'm disappointed in myself because it was a personal goal to do my best to make the "Parade" at the end of each garment sew along for Sew Colette 2.0. I don't feel this dress is really parade worthy. My family tells me I'm way too hard on myself, and maybe I am. I admit to being my own worst critic.

 I'm not positive what went wrong but I have a few theories. From what I've seen and read from other bloggers, what I originally diagnosed as a too-tight bust (wrinkles and pulling across the bust) may have been from just the dart placement. I think I could have done without the FBA as I feel there was a lot of extra room in that area in the end. I think that the FBA may have solved the initial problem of the bust wrinkles, but with it it set off a whole new set of fit issues. As for the back, it's CRAZY! Was this pattern drafted with a hunchback in mind?! At the end of the day, the only thing saving this dress is the fabric and I'm not sure all those alterations are even worth the outcome. I just feel meh about the pattern as a whole. I have to accept the fact that I do not have the fabulous looks and figure of so many of my favorite bloggers. I think I'm often drawn to a pattern based on the way it looks on someone else and then I end up disappointed when I see the way it looks on me. I'm going to try to make an effort to shop for my body shape when choosing patterns.
 On a side note, sorry for these heavily tweaked photos. I was losing light fast and I'm afraid all the pictures came out pretty washed out looking.

 Now I take a break momentarily from sewing clothes for myself to sewing costumes for my children. I have my oldest daughter's costume in the works and I still have the rest of my little ones to attend to.

The Way It Was Shirt

Can I just apologize for my hair? Ack, I am so sick of it. It needs to be dyed and cut and I'm really leaning towards just chopping it all off. So.sick.of.it.
 
I'm going to admit to being a bit obessed with blouse patterns right now. There are so many awesome ones out there. Alma, Jasmine, Violet, Airelle, Roxanne? Oh so many gorgeous options, so many wonderful indie patterns. So much $$ that I just don't have. Le sigh. It's cool. Someday I'll have them but until then I've got to work with what I got. Which is a pretty awesome New Look pattern that cost me only $3.99, a Colette Pattern that was free and a tutorial on how to draft a peter pan collar. Hoping to get a wardrobe essential unlike one I've already made,  I mashed them all together and here we are...

   I've been holding onto this fabric for almost a year now. I lusted after almost every single pattern and colorway in Anna Marie Horner's Innocent Crush line and when it went on sale on Fabric.com, I snatched up a couple of yards of this voile. So soft, so pretty. LOVE. I took New Look 6808 and used the neckline from the Sorbetto pattern from Colette. This was so easy, guys. Really. I'm shocked. I really took my time with this one.  The seams are all french seams and this shirt should last for a long time.

  Now, obviously the meat and bones of this top is New Look 6808. Do I dare utter the letters T...N...T? My first ever!? It's an easy pattern anyway but when I omit the zip, like I did...again... it's a walk in the park. And it fits and it looks good and I think it might be exactly what I need for a basic top.

For the peter pan collar I used this wonderful tutorial from, who else, Gertie. I actually hadn't ever watched her live before but she was such a fantastic instructor for those little videos. Don't you just love her? Maybe I'll buy her bombshell course. Anyhoo, I digress. Drafting the collar was easy peasy, lemon squeezy. The bow was because, you know..I'm kinda obsessed with stuff like that.

I'm wearing this with a previously unblogged Colette Ginger. I have 3 of these skirts and I really love them in theory but I kind of hate the way they look on me. I dunno. I have a rather thick waist in comparison to the rest of me and I feel like it just emphasized that fact. BUT, they are so comfy. I can't stop wearing this one in particular. Stretch denim? comfy.

In case you're wondering...those are trashbag ghosts. ha.

 I'm super excited that my first real foray into altering and combining patterns was so...easy.
And in case anyone is wondering why the heck I'm calling this The Way It Was Shirt....it's a song that was stuck in my head the whole time I sewed this thing up. It just seemed fitting.


Next up....Peony!