Thursday, March 2, 2017

Leftover Cherries


I am currently working on two different versions of Butterick 6413.  I don't believe I have ever done this before, and it certainly has its benefits, but since I am constructing the two dresses slightly differently, it is messing with my head!


When I brought this pattern home, I really hoped it would be the perfect design for my leftover cherry silk/wool from New York.  I have tried repeatedly to use this fabric, but there is never quite enough.  I really am down to scraps!  In fact, the muslin for Vogue 9125 was meant for this fabric, but it ended up working better in a knit.


Since this design has quite a few smaller pieces, I thought there was a good chance that this might work.


Of course, I started with a muslin.  Finding enough scrap fabric was even challenging - I ended up piecing the skirt front.  Which reminds me that I have to order more!


My standard alterations made this dress fit quite well, but that did not stop me from messing with the back skirt darts.  In the end, I went back to the original placement, and just shortened them a bit.


Then the whole thing was ripped apart.


The real test, of course, was to see if the pieces would fit on my leftover fabric (basically a yard of 60" wide fabric with a flaw smack dab in the center, plus scraps).  It took a bit of finagling, but I did manage it!  


I took pictures of my layout, and I also drew a sloppy diagram in case the pictures somehow disappeared and I was unable to replicate the jigsaw puzzle!


The underlining for this is plain old mid-weight cotton.  The stitching lines were traced onto that, and then I had to fit those on my cherry print.  I would have liked a deeper hem on the skirt, but really, I am very, very lucky that everything fits!


Next up is a whole lot of hand basting . . . because such a gorgeous fabric deserves special treatment!

3 comments:

  1. NOT double dipping!

    You are blending New York Cherry, Gertie, and "atelier Laura Mae" into one dress (points for puzzling and piecing), whilst constructing the Blue Roses Dress (from a fabric which is a essentially a script that you wrote, flipped, and will star in), from the same pattern?!?

    Can we expect these to be modeled in split-screen?

    And what's with the open and notorious duplicity? You've historically waxed poetic for another version of the same, whilst keeping true to a closet full of one-offs. [turns head slowly into a shadow where the camera sits, forcing a harshly back-lit profile, and bellows] Something is afoot!

    Hand sewing that makes you go, "Hmmmmmmm????"
    Hand sewing that makes you go, "Hmmmmmmm????"

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  2. This is going to be a lovely dress when it's finished! I'm glad you managed to use up your scrap fabric. :)

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  3. So gorgeous! Love the fabric!!!

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