Decievingly Simple.

Do you ever start on a project thinking, psst, this will be cake! Only to dive into it and get stuck at every step! Not because the pattern is hard, per say, but because the universe and the sewing Gods have decided to have fun at your expense and laugh at you while you fumble around your sewing room in a fabric induced stupor. This was the case with my project this week. I cut out this fabric on Friday and started it on Saturday, but only worked on it for about an hour. I finished it Monday and Tuesday morning. I guess it wasn't that bad, 3 hrs of sewing is pretty quick. I made this dress for Missy Xiu, as part of her back to school clothes. It seemed simple enough, but cute still. It fought me, this dress, with every stitch. I have the worst time with this neck line. I have attempted it a few times in the past on other dresses and it never comes out right! I always have to hack off length or width to get it to fit right. This time was no different. The steps go as follows, first you need to attach the pockets. This step was easy enough, they went in without a hitch. The only issue with them was my sewing machine, not the patterns fault at all. It did get me thinking that I need to get my machine serviced though. I cleaned all the fabric lint from under my throat plate and continued. Next step is to sew up the side seams and the back seam half way to where the bottom of the zipper will be. I attach the sleeves after hemming them with a narrow hem and i bind the under arms. Fine. Seems fine, but I know that the challenge has yet to come. The challenge is that neck line!!!!!!!!!! I have to gather all around the neck line first, sleeves and all. I gather it using my gathering foot and start trying to line up the neck band. Of course it is too long. I try to adjust the gathers to make the neck line longer, after this, it is still not fitting together, I decide that If I pull out the gathers any more, that the neck line and sleeves will basically not be gathered at all. So I have no choice but to rip up the neck band and make it smaller length wise. I hate using my seam ripper. I make it small enough to fit finally and get it in with a little bit of struggle. I attach the neck band facing and sew it down, success. Even though, it is not a total success because the neck band is to fat, it comes up higher on her neck than it does on the picture. I have already sewn down the facing and decide that this is an imperfection I can live with. I rather like the way the neck looks coming up higher, it makes the dress look edgier. I know now though about the issue and can correct it with a bigger seam allowance next time. The zipper also fought me, I got it in though it is not my best work. This dress, umph!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My daughter was happy with it in the end. The pockets were exciting for her. She could put her lip balm in them. I styled her with a tiger print bangle bracelet and a leather like bow head band. She is the fiercest 2nd grader in town.

The fabric is cool, the pattern flowed continuously even with the seams.

Hopefully the next outfit will not be an epic battle of thread and needle.

I hope you all are having fun sewing for fall or school!

Besos!!!!!!!!!!!!!!