Wasted Sunday

I know I said that revamping the chain-print dress was one of my upcoming projects, but I actually started on it Saturday night.  It was late and I wasn't tired, so I cut out the pattern pieces.  The pattern said it was self-lined (meaning you make the lining out of the same fabric) but I didn't have enough, so I went to Jo-Ann's early Sunday and picked up two yards of baby blue lining.



I started on the lining, as kind of a practice for the real thing. I figured I could work out any kinks that way. Good thing, because it went bad quickly. I sewed the front bodice yoke on backwards.



I was in the zone, so I didn't take a lot of pictures of me putting the lining together. Let's just say it was confusing. The person at Butterick who decided this pattern is "Easy" should be available to come to your house and help you when you get stuck. My needle must've come loose and hit the bobbin or something, because when I started on the outside of the bodice, it was doing this:



A quick needle change and everything was great again.



I got my bodice fronts put together, which actually was easy, once I figured out which way to sew on the yoke.



The back wasn't bad, either. There was some "pivot around the square" junk that made me have to think it through, but it came out nice.



Then it was time to sew the back to the front. It wasn't matching at all, and there was so much ease to work in. Then I remembered my own advice to think of things in 3-D, and I put it on a hanger. Then it was much easier to put together. Oddly, one side matched up perfectly, and the other seemed to have two inches too much fabric in the sleeve.



After I sewed it up, trimmed the seam allowances, and started to press, I realized one sleeve was on backwards.  That's why it wasn't matching up.  I'll be honest and say that I toyed with leaving it on the wrong way, but then I decided that I've done this much work, I might as well do it right.  Also, the lining wouldn't match up if it was backwards.  So I fixed it.

Here's my lining inside:



And bodice outside:



Finally, I sewed my bodice front, which was way harder than I expected. I had to do a little hand sewing to close the gap. Then I sewed the right side of the bodice and went to try it on.

Annnnnd, it does not fit. The seams that are supposed to be under my boobs are right across them.

The side doesn't close, either, and there aren't any seams I can let out since I stupidly trimmed them. My husband says the fabric is cursed and just to give up and move on to a new project. I guess my lesson learned is to always make a muslin when it's a new pattern I haven't done before.

The dress is actually really pretty, so if there's any size 6 ladies out there who would like to try their hand at finishing it, let me know and I'll send it to you. I'll even include the vintage zipper. All that's left to be done is the skirt needs to be attached, and the zipper and the hem.  Just leave me a comment with your email address!