Monday, December 28, 2009

The perfect knit dress?

There was still enough black thread leftover in the bobbin so I made McCall's 5974, one of the Palmer/Pletsch "perfect knit dress" patterns.  Can you believe that the bobbin thread ran out as I was hemming the last sleeve?  I stopped and wound two bobbins for my next all black sewing frenzy.

Like all the P2 patterns, the instructions were very thorough and clear; the pattern was well-drafted. My only complaint is about the neckline finish.  They tell you to make a self-fabric narrow hem!  I think that this dress deserves a separate strip of stretch fabric, stitched and turned to the inside.

I added front pockets because always miss having pockets when I buy off the rack dresses.

Using the pattern markings, I made a SBA and sway back adjustment.  P2 patterns are known for printing these common pattern alterations right on the pieces. Next time I make a sway back adjustment (a tuck at the center back waist area), I will add length to the CB hem to compensate. Live and learn.  The back doesn't look too bad.

It fits me better than the dress dummy. That uniquely you dummy just grows and grows. The foam has enough pressure to launch that dummy into orbit someday.

It took some wrangling to cut the dress out of the two yards of cotton jersey I bought at SAS fabrics.  Here's the reason why.

SAS is an odd jobber of discards from the fashion industry.  The stuff is cheap for a reason.  This section of fabric looks like it got caught and torn in the printing machinery.  But it is a nice cotton with vibrant dyes and only cost $2.99 per pound.  This dress took about a pound.

Check out this cotton and lycra jersey I bought at the same time.  Do you think I can entice Iris to ride the family bike more often if I made her a bicycle jersey out of this?

Notice the misprint on the edge here, too.

2 comments:

  1. Anonymous00:00

    Cute - I love the print!

    ReplyDelete
  2. The dress came out so pretty! I love the print

    ReplyDelete

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