Yes, I’m still here, just about. The last few weeks at work have been somewhat stressful, and I’ve spent a lot more time out of the Shed than I normally prefer, so things have been a bit quiet on the sewing front.
So, this is Simplicity 3042, a pattern from the late 1950s or early 1960s, in a Slenderette size 18½. Not my Holy Grail sewing pattern, because I wanted to make a test version in a size that should theoretically be absolutely perfect for me, so I could make the relevant alterations without too much guesswork.
So, on the plus side, the fit of a Simplicity Slenderette size 18½ is indeed absolutely perfect! I didn’t make a single alteration to the pattern, the waist is in the right place (and the right size), and the length is spot on too.
On the minus side, I don’t really like this fabric now it’s a dress (maybe Paul was right about it looking like a sofa?), and there are quite a lot of mistakes that happened when I thought I already knew how to make a dress and so didn’t read the instructions properly.
To begin with, I simply didn’t read the instructions for the front facing. That had implications for the collar, which now looks nothing like the illustration. I didn’t bother to unpick that, because I don’t plan to walk around with the pattern envelope pinned to my chest, so I don’t think it matters too much. Annoying, though.
The skirt, on the other hand… I knew I was going to need to make alterations to the pleats, because the side front/back panel piece was slightly larger than the fabric I had left… because I didn’t follow the layout given with the pattern. On top of that I somehow managed to sew the skirt to the top in such a way that it didn’t fasten properly, so I unpicked the waist seam and started again. I thought I’d done really well to get it to all fit back together again… and then I noticed that the left front (as you wear it, so on the right in the picture) has three pleats in the skirt, while the right front only has two. I also didn’t turn the binding of the skirt placket to the inside, so a) you can see it, and b) the skirt front doesn’t sit quite right.
I am quite pleased with these cufflinks though. Two pairs of covered buttons, linked together by several strands of thread that’s covered with a simple buttonhole stitch. Now I just need to make the eight buttonholes in the french cuffs to fasten them through. Sadly I think that’s going to have to wait until tomorrow. The amount of hand sewing I can do in one day is gradually getting less and less. Making seven covered buttons and the three buttonholes in the front of the dress is all that I can manage for now.
This dress will be worn, mainly because I don’t want to waste four metres of fabric and two days’ work. I have a pink v-necked pullover that will go nicely over the top, and enough wool to knit a pink cardigan too. I’m also waiting for the arrival of another pattern, Simplicity 4838, which is a pinafore (jumper) dress.
I’d planned to make a couple of these in wool or suiting fabrics, to wear over my smart shirts for work. Conveniently, it will also cover up the botched centre front of the dress I’ve just made, and lessen the impact of the sofa-like fabric. I think I even have some dusky green suiting which will go perfectly.
Next time, I might even read the instructions, too.
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