I'm getting to be a relatively quick sewer. Relatively. And I feel like I'm beginning to get a feel for patterns - to sort of know what to expect from the sketches, what the techniques used will most likely be and how I can tailor the pieces for what I need.
But when it comes to technique, I could really benefit from practice... Especially the finishing!! So I'm taking the plunge. I'm trying to tackle techniques that have long been ignored on my sewing list. Patterns that I've been avoiding because I can't necessarily bend them to my will:)
First up: taming the button placket. Here's my first attempt...
I love buttons. My mom is a pioneering seamstress. She made my baptismal gown, quilts, stuffed toys galore, a poodle skirt for the school play, added feathers to my prom outfit, and on and on. She did put her foot down about making my wedding dress but I think that was because she was already responsible for making the genache for 300 plus guests and because I wanted her to make a Vera Wang or something ridiculous. Oh youth...
Insert gratuitous shot of youth with mom waiting on me literally hand and foot at the end of the aisle, which I insisted on tromping down alone. Wince.
As a saavy seamstress, she has always had a box full of intriguing buttons. I remember combing through them as a kid. Some time over the last couple of years, she handed them over to me and now my daughter spends hours sorting them in the sewing room while the machine hums.
So, I've long wanted to add buttons to projects but it is a tough step. You know, you have a perfectly pretty garment and the final step is to cut holes in it? Eek. But Rae's Geranium dress got me used to the idea a couple of years ago. And she makes the process foolproof.
I added the buttons to the front, instead of the back and made the placket extra long to overlap the skirt.
It is not perfect, it almost was, though, but at the last minute I decided to make the buttonholes that I had already marked, washed off and remarked, horizontal instead of vertical and instead of taking the time to mark them again - I eyeballed it and they ended up quite a bit east of where they should have been:( But I still think it's sweet and next time I'll do better.
About the dress and the alterations that I made:
- I cut out a size 3/View A
- I changed the hem to a high low, inspired by the dress in this post and using my previous notes for monkeying up a hem.
- I eliminated the overlapping button placket part on the Geranium's back bodice piece and cut the back bodice on the fold instead of in two.
- I used this tutorial for making the new, front button placket and made mine 9.5" long.
- Additionally, I omitted the lining and instead used bias tape as facings. I made the bias tape using this tutorial .
- The lavender shot cotton and gray linen are from here. The whitish/bluish dot is from here (this shop is so super awesome, fastest shipping ever and pixie sticks in their packaging, woot!).
- The buttons are from here.
It took me most of the weekend to make. And it really is something that I'm proud of - just a muslin, I don't think that it'll end up in her regular rotation but now I know! I can make bias tape, I can make a placket and practice makes perfect, right?
What are you working on?
Joining Nicole and her readers today over here.
And finally, just caught a lovely little Geranium with back ties over here. Check it out:)
