I wasn’t going to write a blog post about this recent make. I loved making it, I loved the challenging pattern matching with the strange looking pattern pieces. I even matched up the inside of the pockets.
I used this fabric which I bought when I was in Dewsbury taking photos for a recent Spoolette meet up.
When I came to the big try on, just prior to hemming, there was an “oh no!” moment. I wondered why I’d just wasted 3 or 4 hours of my life! I don’t know why, but it just felt wrong. Clothes are supposed to flatter, not make you look fatter! I know I’m not a 36–24-36. I feel fairly ‘normal’ for someone approaching their mid-forties, but I just felt huge in this! My head seemed to shrink whilst my body appeared bigger. It reminded me of something out of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory!!??
The dress was put aside, then Corinne from Appleby Makes mentioned in a comment that she was thinking of using some fabric purchased on our recent trip to Dewsbury to make the Drapey dress, and I felt obliged to bear all.
I’m glad I did. They normally say ‘sleep on it’ before making an rash decisions. Well, I’ve had over 14 sleeps on it, and the jury’s still out.
So this morning I stepped outside in my orange wedges….. (I needed to add some likability to this post for my benefit, if not yours!)
I rested my little camera on the patio table and ended up with this:
You get the idea a bit I suppose, but I think trainee blog manager (TBM) needed extracting from the chair to help out:
He’s going through a Rocky phase. He’s onto Rocky 4 since coming home from Italy on Friday, but is resting his poorly knee so I shouldn’t complain.
So with the help of the afore mentioned TBM (Amanda, you are so lucky having a fully qualified one!) we managed a few photos. Unfortunately I had to chop my head off on some of the photos due to excess scowling at the TBM. Trying to take photos still wrapped in the above bear blanket was proving tricky.
This is my favourite shot. I think if I could walk around with my hands constantly in my pockets I could get to like this look.
Hands behind my back, not sure what was going on here, maybe I wasn’t quite ready or maybe the TBM just wanted to get a picture of Rory our cat.
Not too bad if I put my hands on my hips. pulls in the wideness.
Waaay! Looks like I’ve eaten all the pies! Tho I don’t have the flattest stomach you’ll ever see, I don’t have it as a mirror image on the back either. Good point to note though, can you see the pattern matching on the side seams?
Almost, and I mean almost, stopped scowling, but not quite!
A close up of the front (not that I need to tell you, but I need to type something!). Can you see the seams and the pattern matching? On the left side the fold over bit isn’t folded over enough and the neckline is slightly out because of it.
You can see the neckline problem better on here. That might be why a crease has developed on the right side.
So ‘yay’ or ‘nay’.
I’m still not sure. It was great to make and at one point I thought I’d made a mistake with my pattern pieces – but mine turned out with the fold over bit on the opposite side.
Don’t be put off making it. Especially if you are almost 6ft tall, I bet it would look amazing.
The best one I’ve seen so far, even better than the ones in the book, is Karens from “Did you make that?” She looks amazing in hers. It was hers that made me buy some fabric with lines on, but mine don’t have the same impact as hers.
I have changed my opinion slightly since taking the pix and whilst writing this post. I think with the right hair do, shoes and full slap make-up I could feel comfortable enough in it to go out in. We’ll see!
What do you think? Are you thinking of making it? Or have I put you off.
T H I M B E R L I N A 