I participated in my first ever sewalong, YAY!
The Georgia sewalong couldn't have come at a better time. I was planning on making a Georgia for my friend's wedding.
I was worried that I wouldn't be able to keep up when BHL announced that the dress would be finished in time for Valentines Day.
I didn't think I could get the fitting on a dress like Georgia right and have the dress finished in 18 days, no way!! But yesssss way I did.
Surprisingly the only adjustments I needed to make was a sway back adjustment and small bust adjustment (SBA) because the difference between my 'high bust' and 'full bust' was "up to 1 inch smaller" - read this tutorial from BHL to work out if you need a SBA or FBA or no BA!
Turns out I'm an A-cup in the pattern world.
The muslin only took two x's two hours sessions to put together. A SBA was done on the pattern, and sway back adjustment done after I tried on the muslin.
The dress took about five x's 2-3 hours sessions. I broke it down to:
- cutting out fabric and interfacing
- putting together bodice, putting together skirt, straps
- joining bodice and skirt (I then had about 3 days break to figure out how to join the skirt and bodice at the centre back where that "Y" looking seam was)
- invisible zipper and hem
- finishing touches - the bust padding (last minute decision) and handsewing the lining
It's amazing how much sewing I can get done when I plan my week and block out days for sewing rather than just sewing "when I have time".
The pattern is rated "intermediate".
The difficulties I faced with this pattern was definitely with joining the curved seams. It reminded me of when I first started sewing and I had to join capped sleeves to the V8469 dress and it took me 6 hours.
The difficulties I faced with this pattern was definitely with joining the curved seams. It reminded me of when I first started sewing and I had to join capped sleeves to the V8469 dress and it took me 6 hours.
My muslin was a shocker! The front of the skirt was puckers galore. I found that snipping into the SA on the less curvy skirt piece (no more than 10mm/1cm) helped spread the fabric out or something. It worked a treat and when I unpicked and restitched my muslin, there was no puckering.
My other struggle was joining the centre back bodice with the centre back skirt. I could not for the life of me figure it out. I was so frustrated, thoughts of screaming and tearing up my Georgia went through my mind. I decided to put the dress down, take the measuring tape off from around my neck and sleep on it for the weekend.
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Experienced sewers wouldn't need to do this.
I haven't in the past, but this time around I struggled with the curved seams!
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LEFT SEAM: clipped into the SA
RIGHT SEAM: puckering when I stitched without clipping into the SA
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| What the hellllllll!! Why can't I figure it out?!?! |
On Monday night, refreshed from a weekend of birthday feasting and gallivanting around at St Kilda Festival covered in SPF50, I sat down with Georgia, calmly drew the seam lines on both the bodice and the skirt and somehow I managed to join the two together. It wasn't perfect, but it was good enough. Sewalong #7 was posted on BHL blog after I finished the dress, I'll definitely refer to it next time I make Georgia.
I then put in my invisible zipper and hemmed the skirt. The hem is very skinny - just overlocked and turned it up once and stitched, the skirt was already the perfect length for me.
The invisible zipper on Georgia is the best I've ever inserted! It went in the first time with no issues. Guess what, the needle position on the sewing machine can move, who would have thought! Discovered this when I was reading the manual for my new computerised Janome (didn't know how to change the stitch length, lol, such a newb!)
I finished my Georgia three days before Valentines Day, but I wasn't happy with how the bodice sat against my chest, it was kind of warped and gapey - either I had stretched it out while trying to join the skirt and bodice, or the interfacing worked against me and stiffened the fabric too much, or I needed a chest adjustment of some sort.
It was time for a quick fix since I was not prepared to do any more unpicking.
I cut out the front bodice pieces in cotton batting (no SA) joined them using butted seams and made padding for the bust. I made bust padding for my strapless maxi dress last year, post here with links to tutorials. This time I made two layers of padding for extra shaping :)
After the bust padding was stitched on to the lining by hand, I overlocked the raw edge of the lining and blind stitched it down.
What did you girls get up to on VDay? Did you celebrate with your man? Did you get flowers from a secret admirer? But most importantly...
Did you make a Valentines Day dress? :)
I then put in my invisible zipper and hemmed the skirt. The hem is very skinny - just overlocked and turned it up once and stitched, the skirt was already the perfect length for me.
The invisible zipper on Georgia is the best I've ever inserted! It went in the first time with no issues. Guess what, the needle position on the sewing machine can move, who would have thought! Discovered this when I was reading the manual for my new computerised Janome (didn't know how to change the stitch length, lol, such a newb!)
I finished my Georgia three days before Valentines Day, but I wasn't happy with how the bodice sat against my chest, it was kind of warped and gapey - either I had stretched it out while trying to join the skirt and bodice, or the interfacing worked against me and stiffened the fabric too much, or I needed a chest adjustment of some sort.
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| Take a dart out next time? |
It was time for a quick fix since I was not prepared to do any more unpicking.
I cut out the front bodice pieces in cotton batting (no SA) joined them using butted seams and made padding for the bust. I made bust padding for my strapless maxi dress last year, post here with links to tutorials. This time I made two layers of padding for extra shaping :)
After the bust padding was stitched on to the lining by hand, I overlocked the raw edge of the lining and blind stitched it down.
Pattern review: By Hand London, Georgia
Size: 2/6 bust, 6/10 waist, 2/6 hips
Fabric: 2m printed cotton from my stash, probably not the best choice as there was no stretch and it's quite soft. But I love the cherry print!
Notions: Gutermann thread (000), 16" invisible zipper, 0.5m cotton batting, 0.5m whisperweft interfacing for the bodice pieces - I knew that I would be playing around with the bust pieces a lot and didn't want any stretching to happen.
Pattern Modification/Adjustments: small bust adjustment, sway back adjustment, padded out the bust.
I have to investigate why there was a weird gape/stretch on the bodice, the centre didn't sit against my chest. Not sure if I need to adjust the bust (hollow chest adjustment perhaps) to get rid of the gape at the neckline? I'd rather not have to pad the bust out again.
There is some excess fabric at the centre back which poofs out. I don't know if it's because the cotton I used has no weight to sit against my body, or if the sway back adjustment inadvertently added more fabric to the area? The muslin fit perfect over my centre back, hips and but, so I might eliminate the sway back adjustment from the next Georgia and see how that goes.
I have to investigate why there was a weird gape/stretch on the bodice, the centre didn't sit against my chest. Not sure if I need to adjust the bust (hollow chest adjustment perhaps) to get rid of the gape at the neckline? I'd rather not have to pad the bust out again.
There is some excess fabric at the centre back which poofs out. I don't know if it's because the cotton I used has no weight to sit against my body, or if the sway back adjustment inadvertently added more fabric to the area? The muslin fit perfect over my centre back, hips and but, so I might eliminate the sway back adjustment from the next Georgia and see how that goes.
What I learnt:
- I learnt how to do a small bust adjustment, thank you BHL for the easy to understand tutorial.
- I learnt that the needle on my machine can move!! Installing the invisible zipper was a dream, went in right the first time.
What I love about the pattern:
- This pattern is so darn sexy! For something that has a fitted and sleek silhouette, it's actually simple to put together and easy to get the fit perfect.
- Love the zipper being on the side, different from all my other dresses.
- Love the skinny straps - sexy and supportive.
What I didn't love about the pattern: I love everything about this pattern. The first fitted dress that has fit me nicely!
Cost: cotton $15, zipper $5, whisperweft interfacing $5, padding $5
Hours: Lucky I documented my life my Georgia journey on Twitter. Muslin was cut out on 3rd Feb. Dress fabric cut out on 7th Feb. Can't remember the exact hrs, my guess would be about 12 hrs, give or take.
Completed on: Wednesday 12th February 2014.
What did you girls get up to on VDay? Did you celebrate with your man? Did you get flowers from a secret admirer? But most importantly...
Did you make a Valentines Day dress? :)