Finished ~ sage green dress

It took me months, but it is finally done! The sage green full length dress is finished! It had been put on hold several times due to fostering adorable kittens (see previous posts) and just needing the space in my craft room to lay out such loooong pattern and fabric pieces.

This was the first sewing on my dress. I had done the back zipper and was trying it on for fit. To anyone who sews, you may already know that pattern sizes aren't 100% accurate. I used Simplicity pattern 1137, misses & women's sizes. But even with my measurements the fabric had more stretch to it then I anticipated. I had to bring in the bust and torso and bring the hem up by at least 3"s. 

I also decided to give this dress a square neck. I wanted something delicate but with ribbon. I found a beautiful ribbon with gold thread and sewed this on completely by hand. Don't be afraid to add embellishments and decorations that suit your taste. The actual pattern suggests flowers (the pattern includes directions) at the neckline. But you could add lace, embroidery or even jewels. This pattern can be a challenge if you are unfamiliar with sewing clothing. I'd suggest it for intermediate or those comfortable with sewing & altering their own clothes. 

And hey cool cats ~ I'm on Instagram now! Just follow my link and the new icon on my page to follow me. I include current DIY, short videos on projects and always a pet photo (or five). Here it is: Craftinessbyb on Instagram 

Altering a bought dress, Spring equinox

Hello everyone, I hope spring has found you! The weather is warming, birds are out daily and flowers are sprouting up everywhere. After a long harsh winter I think we could all use some sunshine. Thinking of sunny days ahead, I am going to share how I've been altering a bought dress.

I think like many women, you sometimes find a beautiful dress but it just doesn't fit quite right. It could be too big in one area but too tight in others. The straps could be too long or short. Maybe the hem line isn't what you hoped for but the rest is a perfect fit! So what do you do when this happens? You go about learning how to alter the dress.

I bought this lovely dress from a store and it had everything I wanted: a navy blue color, soft embossed print, cinch at the waist but... it was too large in the bust and the straps are far too long for me.

Yes, that says 'police box' on the waist band!

If you didn't know before you sure know now - I'm a nerdy kind of girl. I love Doctor Who and was beside myself upon finding this dress! It resembles the TARDIS and has this lovely tulle at the hem line. As you will see in my photos it has black piping on the bust and that is where I decided to pin the bust in some. 

I have a dress form, it's a way to size clothing to your exact measurements. It's very handy and they frequently go on sale at many craft supply stores. I placed my dress on the form and pinned it in areas that were too large or baggy. I then tried it on to make doubly sure it was just right. I am stitching this by hand with a curved needle, sometimes sold as an upholstery needle. But they do make small ones for working on clothing and they are about 1 1/2"s in length or more. Using a curved needle while your dress is on the dress form makes this project very easy. I am sewing it at the black piping and the new stitches are not visible.

You can apply this method for most any bought clothing that you need to fit your measurements correctly. If you do not have a dress form you can carefully pin the article of clothing while you wear it. And this can be easier if you have a helper to pin areas for you, so you can stand up straight while wearing it. To add width is a different post I'm afraid and I do plan to share how to someday. It's often not as difficult as it sounds. But to take in clothing, this can be done by a novice with just a bit of guidance and practice!

As spring has sprung so has my desire to decorate for the new season! I have a mantle above my fireplace and was so pleased to decorate for the spring equinox. I included two faux birds in their nest, tulips and other brightly colored flora to welcome the new season. 

I hope you have sunny days ahead and April showers soon ~ check back soon for some new posts. And be sure to pay my new photography page on Facebook a visit, it is: Bertha Bee Photography. Stop by to show your support for us small photographers & artisans. 

Lisette dress ~ the first of many

Let me say from the start - I've been sewing since I was a little kid. I grew up with it, I've learned from many family members. So I do have experience in trying to sew clothing and zippers and such. But these patterns are by far the best ones for a novice! They have clear instructions, pointers and are really well put together. My downfall is often the arm holes of a top or dress - but not with this pattern. So before I share the finished dress, I have some pointers on sewing clothes ~ I hope they are of help!

Lisette pattern 2245 ~ Dress B ~ dusty rose fabric and ivory with tree branches

~ Always wash the fabric you intend to use, because it can shrink or the colors could even bleed (just follow suggested washing instructions)

~ I'd suggest reviewing the instructions a few times. If you have questions about a step many patterns have a webpage now with an Q's page.

~ Not sure about what size pattern for your measurements? Ask an associate at the fabric store, consult with a friend or even try the patterns webpage for assistance.

~ Don't forget to buy your notions! Notions are thread, buttons, zippers, interfacing - almost all patterns will say on the back "notions" that are needed.

~ Have a fun, it's a project! I take a long time to do my patterns now so I don't mess up as much. Plus, I greatly enjoy a new seamstress challenge.

~ Be creative in solving problems that might arise. For this pattern {after I had it all washed} I learned my fabric hadn't been cut to the right length. I had to improvise so the middle was 2 pieces instead of 1.

Ok already, to the reveal! I made dress B from Lisette pattern 2245. It ended up being much shorter then dress A {which surprised me, but I'm also 5' 7" in height}.

Me and my dress (winterized!) 

So this finished dress I will probably wear leggings or tights under it when its not cold outside. And I did have one problem arise - the guy that cut my fabric didn't measure it correctly! I thought something was off with my ticket, which I told an associate. They had to go back and redo it twice to get it correct. Even then it wasn't until I got home, washed it and laid it out to cut - it was too short! I improvised and made the middle piece (meant to be one) into two pieces (sewn in the middle).

 I purchased these other Lisette by Simplicity patterns

And these are a few of my fabrics I have picked for my future Lisette clothes. 

I adore these patterns, I'm in love with them. Here is the Lisette website which also has a great little blog to follow! I hope to dive into that adorable yellow top on their homepage next. The above picture, the pink fabric (has rosebuds on it) is going to be that top. I'm just a little too excited to sew clothing that fits me *and looks good too!* 

------- Side note -------- Thank you for stopping by, visiting my wee Etsy shop {please, buy my "out with the old stuff" seriously, it needs to go!} and sharing comments and your page links. I'm not a big blogger {as you can surely tell} and I don't blog often. I have few followers, even on my Facebook page few people ever respond to me. But it's all in good fun and it's enjoyable. I'm an at-home seamstress/crafter/artisan. I tend to our pets, our home, sometimes volunteer and hubby works full time for us. I don't work outside the home because I have something called Fibromyalgia {Fibro for short}. It's annoying, bugs me all the time and can make it very difficult to commit to or even have a social life at times. So thanks for allowing me a fun little outlet online, for making new friends and having fellow crafters to chit-chat with (✿◠‿◠)