BWOF 05/2009 dress 131 - Finished

I finished this dress tonight (and have to go to bed soon), so the pictures are not complete. Here's a peek at the finished garment.I've been really bad at putting up reviews on patternreview, so I need to get round to that sometime. I made this in a size 46.

BWOF 05/2009 dress 131

I completed the muslin for this dress last week. Here are some quick pictures I took.
The only real change I wanted to make was to raise the neckline at the center front by about 1 inch. I also planned to have the straps fasten a little lower on the bodice.

Next project

Before I go on, I want to thank all of those who took a moment to comment on my last (first) dress project. I really appreciate the encouragement and suggestions! The dress made its debut at church two weeks ago. In spite of the fit issues, I felt very comfortable in it, and can't wait to make another one! I also really liked the lining in the Kona cotton muslin fabric. The muslin itself wrinkles easily, but does a great job of keeping the outer fabric from wrinkling. This dress helped to to realize the importance of that concept.

This past Sunday, it seemed like all the ladies were wearing sleeveless cotton dresses like mine. I guess I was one week ahead of that trend! I will have to work on the pattern some more to perfect the fit, but for now I wanted to try another simple dress. I chose the dress pattern from the May 2009 Burda World of Fashion (Dress 131)
As you can see, it's a simple dress. The muslin was completed yesterday and fits relatively well. The only change I will be making is to redraft the V of the front neckline so it is not as low. I will post a picture of the muslin as soon as I get a chance to do so! Hopefully I'll be able to start on the actual dress tomorrow evening.

Out of town

I've been quiet lately because I'm out of town for a conference in Boston. Hopefully will sew another dress or a top this weekend...

My first dress! Simplicity 4118

I made my first dress this weekend - which is so exciting for me! The pattern is Simplicity 4118, a Threads pattern.

(still needs hemming) I made minimal changes to the pattern, and actually did make a muslin first. I can see if I make this again I will have to do at least the following:
1. Swayback adjustment
2. Use the original side seam allowances and blend to a larger size in the hips.
3. Figure out how to keep the top of the center back seam (see below) from sticking out.



I used a cotton print from Joann and lined it with Kona cotton muslin. It's very comfortable...

I also used an invisible zipper, so I had to change the construction steps a little. It was surprisingly easy, although I still didn't get it quite even at the top.

I'm ready to try another dress pattern. This one will probably get hemmed and worn - in spite of the fitting issues. It took me a day and a half to make, but the instructions were pretty good, and great for a first dress.

Almost finished...

I recently joined the American Sewing Guild, and have attended two of the neighborhood group meetings for my area. My group is made up of some wonderful ladies, all with a plethora of skills. Our last meeting was a UFO (unfinished object) challenge, where we were supposed to bring in something we had finally finished the week before.
Well, it's still not finished, but it was pretty close, so I brought in the Simplicity 3628 jacket. Here are pictures taken during the meeting (thanks Peggy!).

What's left? The hem and buttons/buttonholes...