One Last Sprout Dress

It's a little weird to be writing about this project after it's ended.

It started out with great ambitions, and

I've been participating for awhile now

January 2015 email

Check out all that white space! I used a dalek robot  pattern for a cosplay I was cooking up.

https://erniekdesigns.blogspot.com/2015/08/rusty-dalek-culottes-culotta-playola.html

Eventually, Sprout Patterns was born, and they added patterns from independent pattern companies such as

Betz White and the SideKick bag.

October 2015 email

https://erniekdesigns.blogspot.com/2015/11/side-kick-sprout-patterns.html

This bag remains mostly sewn together and unfinished. The ecocanvas was too heavy to be used for the exterior and the lining of the bag, and the grommets were a mess. Nobody's at fault, sometimes things just don't work out. Self-lined bags are not my jam.

You've seen a few posts from me about how Sprout stuff doesn't work. 

https://erniekdesigns.blogspot.com/2016/05/sprout-grows-appleton.html

Theoretically, using a combination of layout software, pattern software and digital art should produce the future of sewing. Or a direction it can go in (nothing replaces me, the fabric, altering the pattern on the fly to fit the fabric, adjusting the layout). With enough coding savvy and bandwidth, it should be possible to match fabric pattern and design so that the plaid or the design matches across seam lines.

Another example is 'Bags of Love' products.

https://erniekdesigns.blogspot.com/2017/04/online-digital-printing-contrado-bags.html

They couldn't do it (you have to line them up yourself as well)

And I think Spoonflower is closer than they think, given the amount of offset repeats and variations on DPI they can handle now.

There are, however, too many variables at play at one time. Pattern repeats, pattern pieces, different sizes of pattern pieces and repeats - it's a ton of data to manipulate and code for.

It will happen. Just not today.

So, with the discount they tossed onto the pile, I finally ordered one of the projects in my queue.

That's three yards kids. And the design is flipped sideways for the skirt panels.

This is where the design areas around the pieces turns.

Pieces are labeled in the margins. The seam allowance is baked into the piece, so you'd trim at the edge of the print (cutting off the words 'front bodice' in this illustration). I wanted a wider seam allowance for a little manipulation ability and size flexibility.

Yeah, I put clear elastic in the waistband for stretch recovery. I probably sewed over the pins, too.

The Turner dress has a complete front and back set of bodices, plus duplicates for a fully self-lined bodice. In a light fabric like the Modern Jersey shown here, it's genius. Cashmerette, you're a smarty!

In a heavier fabric, it would be insanity!

I cannot remember if I had an option for a princess neckline, or just the v-neck. I was trying to do two things at the same time AGAIN. 

I didn't want the v-neck, and IF I HAD BEEN THINKING I could have cut the bodice pieces differently to make my own neckline choice (could have used the v-neck printed pieces as the interior facing pieces).

But.... I cut one of the v-necks before I thought about this, and then it was too late.

One of the goals for 2019 is to create a selfie set-up for photos.

And yes, I am wearing a v neck t-shirt under this. The dress fits very nicely without modifications, but I am just not comfortable with a v-neck dress.

This is where being able to make small modifications in the pattern is key: my ideal neckline is a little narrower than this (my bra straps are always going to show with this). The fabric is very smooth around my hips, so adding pockets at the side seams is going to be .... lumpy. Lumperiffic? 

As my middle expands, maybe I do want to add saddlebags at the sides now, to create the illusion of a waist.

I could wear it backwards.....

I'm not in the habit of doing end of the year round-ups, as the end of the year is always a scramble of family fun and bookkeeping and work. I'm editing this from work right now.

Shhhhhh!

I wish all of you the best. I really do appreciate the conversations I've had with you, and hope to have many more.

And at least one will be posted remotely from Disneyland this year.

Padded winter vest from the stash

Yes, this all came out of the stash.

I already had enough of the Seattle Fabrics quilted nylon puff.

I had traced a pattern from a vest I wear all the time, and made an allowance for the thickness.

And now I'm just auditioning fabrics.

I love this cowboy print

 I love this handpainted muslin more.

I had yards and yards for years; this is all I have left.

https://erniekdesigns.blogspot.com/2013/04/miyake-dress-1309.html

There was lots of trimming the fluff out of the seams, not the facing for it. Keeps it from pulling away from the seams as much as it will want to.

The collar is a elongated ellipse

And a super easy draft.

Cut out one piece on the bias (green is the grainline, red is the fold). One outside edge is the measure of the collar opening. plus overlaps for the snaps.

Fold it over on the red line.

You can draft that front curve from the curve of the neckline. Don't fuss over the back neck line, it will resolve itself.

It doesn't have to be precise (too long is better, you can trim it down to fit at the end).

And it flexes and snugs up to your neck; without a seam there, it doesn't chafe.

My neck is chafe free. It's my holiday wish for yours as well.

I add the pockets after the body, because I want the pocket to go where my hand wants to find it.

So I need to put the vest on to use my hand to determine that.

Here's where my pocket should be: where my hand hits the front expecting there to be a pocket.

Note that I marked where my lower wrist hits on the front with a safety pin.

And here's my diagram of how this pattern should work.

Those extra rectangles are the fat upper self-welt, that folds over to fill the gaping hole my hand goes into.

You can use the fashion fabric to cover that part, so it all matches, but I wanted the black slashy contrast, to work with the collar.

I have noticed I tend to forget what the pattern piece is supposed to do after I draft it. So I've taken to writing the instructions on the piece.

I can read it, that's good enough.

Tracing and correcting

Marking where the hole is going to be.

This piece of lining was scavenged from a miniskirt I thrifted for it's fabric. That fabric made into a hat, the zipper went in a purse, the hook into the stash, but the lining filtered down into the box.

And today, that skirt is all used up.

One pocket done before I thought to take photos.

Trust me, there's a pocket sewn on there. Not my best finish job, but my handsewing game needs work.

The red computer-drawn lines are where the stitching lines go. I don't stitch the ends of the rectangle shut,  I don't need to.

Top stitch the hole before I flip the pocket in and sew that.

I blew through this, no time for photos.

It's really chilly in this house, and I needed this vest pronto.

I blew through the snap insertion part, too.

The best punch is still the one on the left, from Closet Case Patterns' Kelly anorak snap set kit.

The one on the far right is from Tandy, and it doesn't like fabric. The shorty in the middle is from the Dritz set I used, and it doesn't like anything.

2019 will improve my hand sewing and my photography. 

There will be a bit more posted before we close this year out.

Unless I eat too much chocolate.

Or drink too many lattes.