HotPatterns 1120: Out of the Ashes

It's been over a month since I started this dress and set it aside because I stupidly cut pockets out of the skirt panel, but it's finally finished. (Hey, no wallets or bags today — are you shocked??)

Here it is modeled. I moved the tripod to the sewing room where there's better light. Still not great light at 11 PM, but better than my dark bedroom. I am definitely NOT as tan as I look in these pics.

Hands out of pockets

I'm not sure about this print. It reminds me of a skeleton costume.

Hands in pockets, visually adding 4" to my hips. Nice.

As I noted the last time I blogged about this dress, I was concerned about the neckline plunge. As it turns out, rightly so. It's *very* low, and this is right after pulling it up to keep it more decent for internet viewing. If you don't make a muslin like I didn't, you will wish you had.

I added a free-form ruffle thing. I didn't want a neckband or modesty panel and I didn't want a flower. So, free-form it is. Very Anthropologie, right? (Say yes.)

I cut a straight 18 for this patten. I ended up taking about 4 inches out of the CB seam at the neckline, tapering down to the waist seam.That's a lot. I don't know what size these alterations equate to, but it's got to be around a 14-ish. Some of this is weight loss and some of it is that HP are wider cut than I'm expecting. Again, a muslin would've prevented the slapdash (Hi Trena) fixes. But slapdash or not, they worked, and the dress turned out fine.

But I didn't do an FBA and there seems to be enough bust room and the dart placement is OK. However, I did cut off some of the bottom of the back bodice because shoulder-to-waist was too long and was pooling above my rear end. I'm glad I pinned things together and did a try-on. Much easier than ripping out that seam in a knit.

I didn't hem it. This is the "knee length" from the pattern. I may have added 1", but I will need to check my notes on that. I will either leave it unhemmed or I will use the hem facings. I'm leaning toward the facings because the pockets drag down the front, making the hem edge kind of puddle between my knees. I think a lightly interfaced hem facing will help that. On that note, I would advise to use lightweight fabric for the pockets and pocket bags. There is a pocket facing that will hide any non-matching fabric used in the pockets.

Now that I have it made and know what I need to change, I do think I'll make it again. But not until I've made 267 more wallets. KIDDING!

* * * * *

My studying yesterday was almost useless. I dutifully watched all 5 hours of video tutorials and then took the test. Almost nothing in the test was covered in the the tutorials. But a lot of it was general graphic and offset printing info which I know inside and out. I got a 91. I also took another test for software I haven't used for at least 4 versions and 10 years. I got an 87 on that one, with no tutorial or studying. I've always been a good test-taker though, which kind of points out how useless skills tests (and school homework, which I always skirted!) can be - since I can get a 91 on software I've never used and an 87 just winging it. I don't know yet if I'll even be called in for an interview after all this, but the headhunter is giving it her best. That's all I can expect.

* * * * *


Parting shot: Tyler is still in Yuma AZ and will likely stay there a few days longer than expected since Hurricane Irene is due to come right at his North Carolina base. But as we discussed, it's the military and he probably won't know until 10 minutes after he lands in NC. And, it's not like his Command is taking a preference poll of all the lower ranks. ;-)