Knowing when to say when

After several weeks with no time for sewing, I finally returned to my project-in-progress: McCalls 7985 (the much-coveted Pauline Trigere pattern), this time in a blue-based plaid.   I love the fabric, I love the pattern, and I think (well, thought) I'm getting close on the alterations.   I had cut out the dress weeks ago, so I dove straight into sewing.  First I pieced the back pieces (the fabric is 45" -- you need a 60" wide piece to cut this dress without piecing, as the skirt is cut all at once).   And what do you know ... the plaids actually matched.    Wonderful!  Amazing!  And for me, definitely far above par for the course.  However, this was the last good thing that would happen for this dress.  When I went to piece together the angled side pieces ... well, I kind of lost control of the thing.   I wanted piping to accentuate the seaming details, and used my piping foot for the first time.  That part actually was fine, and the piping looked pretty nifty if I do say so myself.  Definitely want to pipe more in the near future.  But clearly something about my updated alterations to the bodice did not add up, and so neither did the front and back pieces.  I tried trimming off the weird excess in the back bodice piece that shouldn't have been there, but I just couldn't wrestle the two sides together.  Plus there are sections that are gathered, and some that are eased, and all of them were jumping around, or so it seemed.  As I was trying to wrestle the material through the machine, it occurred to me that I was working way above my skill level.   And when I saw the sad mangle I had produced, all doubt was removed.  Yeah, I could try again, but I think that would result in nothing more than a slightly different configuration of mangle.  I don't normally feel this way about sewing failures, I promise.   This is an acceptance of fact.    

FAIL. (And that's OK.)

So, wadder.  But I feel fine about it.  At least I realized it early in the project, before too much time was invested.  And through I love the pattern,  there was no doubt I was in over my head when it comes to the necessary alterations.  I love the fabric too, but it was cheap, and there was a big ol' bolt of it, and I intend to scoot back to High Fashion Fabric and try to get some more.   Plus, I was able cut out a muslin for my next project from what was left, and I'm hoping that it'll turn into something wearable.  I could tell you about it, but the plan is to just finish it soon so that I can show you.

On an unrelated note, my Burda magazine showed up yesterday.   You might not realize that I subscribe to Burda because I haven't been inspired to sew a single Burda design in 2010.  So, now that my subscription is up, I think it's time for Burda and I to part ways.   We've grown apart style-wise.  I have no love for drop-crotch pants or weird drape-y sack-dresses.   I live near the Gulf coast, and don't need to make coats.  This latest issue did have a 1940s-inspired spread, but the blouse from that I liked wasn't offered in my size, which seems to be another Burda trend.   I might pick up Ottobre again instead -- there's less pattern bang-for-buck, but they're usually nice patterns.

This little gem from the current Burda issue is worth sharing, though.   It leaves me positively bemused.  There's something disturbing about the way the kid's face is squished in there between the octopus eyes.

o_O

I have only a few work-days left in 2010, and will wrap the year up with a nice long holiday at home.   Which, needless to say,  I am really, really looking forward to.   Sewing is definitely on the agenda!