Dress Yes and Dress No

Pattern: Ellie & Mac – I love the 90s Dress Measurements at the time: high bust 38 1/2 bust 42 waist 37 hip 48 ½ Size sewn: shoulders L, XL bust, XXL waist and hips Alterations: I added one inch to the skirt length for my height because this is drafted for a 5 foot five woman and I'm 5’7” .   I did my normal half inch forward shoulder adjustment  I added another half inch so I could have a one inch hem. I don't like 1/2 an inch hem (as the pattern calls for) because it usually flips up, I like a beefy 1 inch hem. So in total I added 1.5” to length of skirt portion.  I added 1/2 inch to each side of the sleeves at the hem and then blended to the armpit - they were way too small when I flat measured them so the total added to each sleeve hem was an inch in width.  That way I could get 14 1/4 inches of room after sewing and seam allowance. I have big biceps.  I did keep the 1/2 inch hem on the sleeves - though I would prefer to have at least 3/4 inch hem there. Date sewn:  May 21, 2023 Fabric:  Double Brushed Navy & Pink Floral Poly Spandex purchased in 2017 from Knitpop for $8.50/yard.  I used 2 yards so $17 total. Instructions: I found that there was no pocket line on the back only on the front pieces but you start sewing them on to the back piece so make sure to transfer the pocket lines to the back pieces.

The back skirt piece is shorter than the front by two and 3/4 inch and wider by two inches this really confused me until I wore the dress and realized it really helped even things out over my rear end.

I didn't cut the front or back bodices on the fold. I traced it to be one open piece and not on the fold and then just cut 2 - laid out flat like a normal proper pattern piece.  You all know my pet peeve is cut 2 on fold - I can't stand that.

I also cut the neck band 1 1/2 inch by 20 1/2 inch – I think it was a 1” width, I like a beefier neckband.

Thoughts: Ok, I know it sounds like I did a lot of altering and things for this dress, but I really love this dress.  A first I wasn't sure if I would like it, but when I wear it I feel like a teenager all over again.  It has the best pockets too!  I also thought that at first when I saw it, that I would look like I was wearing a tent.  But it's really cute and really fun and it's twirly and flowy and I'm probably going to make more. I really love it, it's a great dress. I got the pattern on their weekly $2 sale patterns. It was cheap and I figured why not and now I love it.  So that's the second pattern that I've gotten and made from Ellie and Mac that I absolutely love.  The first pattern was the curved hem tank and you know I've made a ton of those and that's a free pattern. Now I look every Tuesday at which patterns they have on sale for $2 and I'm scooping them up because I really love how the Ellie & Mac patterns are laid out and I love how they look on me.  If you haven't given them a shot yet you might want to try the free curved hem tank to get an idea of how they work but they're great in my opinion. Pattern: Snapdragon Studios – Summer Jazz Dress Measurements at the time: bust 42 high bust 39 waist 37 to 39 hip 49 Size sewn: L bust, XL waist and hips Alterations: Alterations I did French seams on the center front seam and on the shoulders.  There is no elastic length for inside the casing - no idea what length to use, I winged it. Date started: date started June 8, 2023     Date finished: date finished June 10th 2023 Fabric:  In March of 2018 I got this in the Fabricmart Precut sale. So for $12 I got the pattern and 5 Yards of Muted Navy/Bright Blue/Pink 100% Polyester Abstract Print Peachskin Blouse Weight Woven 60W fabric. I still have 2 yards left. so this dress took 3 yards.  so this dress was only about $7 of fabric plus I got the pattern with it. Instructions: the instructions are really weird, they're super wordy and convoluted.  The neck binding is a very weird way to do this as well and so not all of the neck binding gets caught because of how they say to sew it. Also, with this weird neck binding, when I wear the dress it flips to the front and you can see the bad neck binding. I might have to hand stitch this somehow to the inside so it doesn't flip forward, but I don't know how without showing stitches on the front. Not a fan of the neck binding. Thoughts: Why is there a center front seam? Unnecessary center front seams are gross to me. There's no reason to have a center front seam on this. The fabric was completely horrible to work with.  It is some weird slippery rayon crap and it's just horrible, I don't like it. I bet it would snag in a heartbeat because it was unraveling as I was trying to work with it. I should have starched it to make it stiff and easier to work with like I blogged about ages ago with how to work with slippery fabric. (I should have taken my own advice!)

On the front of the dress where you tack down the elastic, under the bust, is a sloppy way to do it and it shows on the front and it's just right there in front. Everybody can see where you've tacked it down.

Overall I did not enjoy making this dress. I wrote on my notes “Give up, terrible.”  I didn't enjoy the fabric. I didn't’ enjoy the instructions.  However, when I wear it - I think it looks cute, so I don't know. I also see that you can make it in a jersey as well, even though I used a woven. So it might be cute in a jersey but I still don't like how you do the front elastic tack down at the center front waist. I'm going to have to think about how to make that look better.  This dress is not my favorite.  But I will let it hang in the closet for awhile and see if it grows on me.

Happy Sewing! Kristin

Jalie Bathrobe 2567

Pattern: Jalie bathrobe 2567 Fabric: a fuzzy minky king size blanket from Kohl's.

I totally had a screenshot saved somewhere that told me when I bought it and for how much but I cannot find it anywhere now when I need it…. typical. But it was roughly like $20 on sale and I have large scraps left (which each dog has claimed due to the softness).

Measurements at the time: bust 40, waist 32.5, hip 46.5 Size sewn: AA bust to DD hip Date started: March 24 2023    Date finished: April 16th 2023 Instructions: They are great and easy to follow.  However, In step 24 the belt loops are marked on the back of the bathrobe piece, not on the front, but the step 24 talks to you about sewing them on the front. So make sure to transfer the belt loop markings to the FRONT pattern pieces from the back. The bathrobe tie is an excellent length.  Sometimes when I sew things with ties I find them too short – but not this pattern.  They give you just the perfect length tie.  The pockets are also nice and big on the front. fits my phone with no issue and when I lean forward the phone doesn't fall out of the pocket (like my other store bought bathrobes). Thoughts: The arms are really long but you can fold them up easily.  The cuff is huge and flips up nice.  I used the hems of the blanket on the bottom of the bathrobe so I didn't have to hem all this, Yay! I do wish it was a lot longer because I like ankle length on my bathrobes for maximum warmth in these cold Wisconsin winters. I find it to be huge on top/bust area, but that could be my fluffy blanket causing this.  I Measure in a BB or CC for the hip but when I flat measured I found not enough butt coverage so I decided to grade it out to a DD in the hip. I like how it fits now there. The butt coverage is great now that I sized up there.  Overall, it was easier to sew then I thought, disregarding the thick super fuzzy fabric.

For a long time now I have wanted to make myself a new bathrobe. My family is tired of seeing my old, slightly torn, very worn out bathrobe that I usually wear. The torn one was from when Cheeto was a baby 9 years ago and he ripped it.  So, Finally I decided to just sew it.  Bathrobes take a lot of fabric; I got the idea that I would use a blanket as the fabric.  I’m thrifty at heart and it was much cheaper to go the blanket route.  I cut it out and fuzz went everywhere, up my nose, in my eyes, my whole cutting table and sewing room where fuzz.  I had to change my rotary blade after cutting this out.

And then the pieces sat, and sat.  I didn't have the energy to sew and mainly I was scared it would take forever.  But it didn’t!  It was way easier than I thought.

End thoughts: I thought using the Super soft blanket would make a really awesome bathrobe, however, it is thick and therefore the bathrobe is heavy. Yes, it's plush and soft and super warm, but I haven't really been using it as much because it is so heavy and thick. We’ll see if that changes in the winter. Also, with my health issues I now sweat more than I'm cold and this blanket is very sweaty.  However, I’m happy I made it and I love how it looks. I am certain I will get lots of use out of it in the winter.

Plus, it's very snuggly.

Happy Sewing! Kristin