Ain't Got No Alibi

YOU UGLY. YEAH YEAH YOU UGLY!

At least, that's how I feel about February's sewing project. To start, the finished garment is WAY too big. I tried to belt some shape into it and distract you with some cute boots, but there's no getting around the fact that this dress is huge. Next, the fabric is AWFUL. It's a suiting blend I picked up and Joann's. It's lifeless and feels gross. It's an all around fail.  

I struggled with the assembly instructions on this pattern, or rather the lack thereof, which is why I flopped on my deadline. After 2.5 hours on the neck facing/top button I decided to move on, nix the button and fully face the neckline. It took a lot of attention for me to focus one each step individually in order to figure out the what/how of the pieces. The pictorial hieroglyphics were vague and accompanied with one word caveman-like instructions: baste. sew. slice. Not very fun. 

Some high notes: the box pleats were wicked easy to form and sew. Setting in the sleeves was a PoC (piece of cake) now that I've done it a couple times and am getting the hang of it. While the dress was sack-like in silhouette, I did whack off enough (8 inches!) to achieve a flattering skirt length.    

I do not realistically see myself ever wearing this dress again; however, making it wasn't a complete wash, because it led me to some epiphanous conclusions. For the next several months, I'm going to step things back. Simpler shapes. Simpler Construction. In order to work on technique and sizing. My first knitting project wasn't a sweater, it was a square (trapezoid), and I worked my way up adding in new skills as I improved. I still continue to evolve as a knitter in that manner. I've not given myself the same opportunity with sewing. This is literally my 3rd or 4th sewing project. No wonder it isn't awesome. 

Here's to learning to walk before trying to run, and another month. Cheers!