Well, let's see, there was sewing yesterday. In the end, there was not as much as I would have liked, but there was enough. And I probably frittered away time as well, time going over stuff I'd been over before, time learning and relearning things I used to know, time making stupid mistakes and then fixing them.
All in all, I'd say it was quite fun.
Even though I had already cut out all the pieces to the skirt, my lack of confidence was running the show and I went back and laid out the fabric and fiddled with potential layouts again, trying to match the pattern as much as possible. I'm still worried about what matches, what doesn't, how much it doesn't, and if I've made some major miscalculation and will have a giant flower right where I don't want it.
I the front is easy as it is one piece. The back was relatively easy for matching the pieces at the center seam. But at the side seams all hell broke loose. I couldn't get anything to match, or if I got one side seam to be somewhat matched, the other one was terrible.
I thought perhaps I went about it wrong, that I should have the center back be along the same line as the center front, but that did not work as I would have double flowers at the side seams, and not in a nice way, right at the hip, where I didn't want it, and no matching anywhere else.
The skirt is pegged. No two pieces are the same size. The seams are not cut on quite the same angles. Perhaps a simple solid would have been easier. But it would not have been as much fun.
So I opted for not so great matches at the sides. Hopefully they are not so bad either. I won't really know until I put it together. I actually have lots of fabric left over so I can always cut the back again, or the whole skirt again for that matter. I bought this fabric in the 90's and I was thinking of something grander than a skirt. What can I say?
So today, after all that fiddling with potential new pattern layouts, I set all this hypothetical stuff aside and started assembling the skirt. I got that the back piece sewed up. That's it.
First I hand-basted the seam, because I wanted to be sure I got the pattern lined up correctly. Then I sewed it up. It worked really well and everything looked perfect. Or so I thought.
That was before I put in the invisible zipper. Somehow, the first time I got the zipper in, I got the pattern misaligned by about 1/4 of an inch. It was quite obvious. So I had to rip the zipper and do it again. The second time was better; not perfect, but better. If you look at this picture, you can see that it is off still. You'll have to trust me that it was worse before. This I may be able to live with. I'll do the side seams next and see how the whole thing looks before I make my final decision.
I can't redo the seam again. I discovered that the fabric is permanently scarred where the previous seam was located. If you look at this photo you can see the little holes and tears in the fabric on the right hand side of the zipper tape where I pulled the stitching out. I am in the process of convincing myself it is not so bad, that most people won't notice, and it is on the backside and will probably be hidden by a jacket or sweater. At any rate, I certainly won't notice it, and so I think I might bee able to live with it as long as I like the side seams.
I must be more careful.
I learned one other lesson today. It is not wise to fuse interfacing over your basting stitches, not if you want to take them out that is. In retrospect it is so obvious it is funny….
Comments
10 responses to “Another day, another opportunity to make a mistake”
I admire your patience on the skirt project. The fabric is nice too. Will there be any fabric left for a small top ( just a suggestion )?
I admire your patience on the skirt project. The fabric is nice too. Will there be any fabric left for a small top ( just a suggestion )?
The fabric is gorgeous and I think your layout is excellent. As a person who just started working with patterned fabrics (I was too scared of them till now), I’ve come to the conclusion that it doesn’t really matter! I like my badly matched up patterns just fine apparently. And I’m a tough sell.
I share your pain about the zipper. Actually I share your pain about it all.
Last weekend I made a Vogue top (stretch), in a small. It was too big (not that I am any smaller than usual) though, pre-assembly, I thought there was no way that the empire seam would be low enough to cover my full bust. I added 3 inches to the bust bodice and subtracted 3 from the below-empire bodice.
It was ridiculous! The “empire line” falls at my upper waist. So not right! And yet I learned a lesson and I”m going to try it again. I figure, at least I had a sense of what I need to do, even if I overdid it. And the pattern itself was actually fun. (It was an Easy.)
You know I’m not usually laissez-faire about these things. I must be having a good week 🙂
The fabric is gorgeous and I think your layout is excellent. As a person who just started working with patterned fabrics (I was too scared of them till now), I’ve come to the conclusion that it doesn’t really matter! I like my badly matched up patterns just fine apparently. And I’m a tough sell.
I share your pain about the zipper. Actually I share your pain about it all.
Last weekend I made a Vogue top (stretch), in a small. It was too big (not that I am any smaller than usual) though, pre-assembly, I thought there was no way that the empire seam would be low enough to cover my full bust. I added 3 inches to the bust bodice and subtracted 3 from the below-empire bodice.
It was ridiculous! The “empire line” falls at my upper waist. So not right! And yet I learned a lesson and I”m going to try it again. I figure, at least I had a sense of what I need to do, even if I overdid it. And the pattern itself was actually fun. (It was an Easy.)
You know I’m not usually laissez-faire about these things. I must be having a good week 🙂
I believe it’s impossible to get the side seams to match. If the back matches then the side seams won’t match unless your personal measurements match the pattern repeat exactly.
I have a commercially made skirt from Talbots with hot pink and black flowers, the side seams don’t match but the center back seam does. It looks good…..
I believe it’s impossible to get the side seams to match. If the back matches then the side seams won’t match unless your personal measurements match the pattern repeat exactly.
I have a commercially made skirt from Talbots with hot pink and black flowers, the side seams don’t match but the center back seam does. It looks good…..
I love the fabric and wouldn’t really worry too much about matching the pattern. I’m not sure it’s all that necessary!
I love the fabric and wouldn’t really worry too much about matching the pattern. I’m not sure it’s all that necessary!
Roseana, what would I do without something to obsess over?
Roseana, what would I do without something to obsess over?