i really appreciate this honest almost real-time video of the challenges of sewing. I love sewing but feel so inferior when TH-cam sewist continually or only post their success. I keep thinking why do I alone make these stupid mistakes. Yours is the first such video i think i have seen like this ever,. Please do more. Don't hide or delete your setbacks so your viewers will udnertsand that these simple setback happen to us all, even perfect TH-camrs. :-) Bless you abundantly.
I am far from a perfect TH-camr! 🤣 We all make mistakes regardless of how long we’ve been sewing. Sharing them creates community and lets others know they aren’t alone. I make stupid mistakes ALL THE TIME. I’m happy to share them with the hope they help someone avoid them or feel less alone. Thank you for your comment ❤️❤️❤️
I am now starting to sew clothes. So I welcome your tutorial for all the mess up and how to recover . That’s how we learn . There is no sewing clothes classes in community centres , sewing shops etc . There is a whole missing two generations of sewists so no one to take over for those age 60 plus who retired . And I want a teacher and don’t know how to find resources . So you have a new subscriber….I want a teacher who explains and show us errors and recovery. Thank you 🙏🏻 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
@@berniecelee5062 you are very welcome. I started learning in college and still am far from perfect, but I want to share my knowledge and mistakes to help you learn to sew better than I did. It’s not easy but it is doable if you stick with it. If you ever have any questions feel free to send me an email 😉
I’m 75 years old and have been sewing since I was fifteen. My grandmother was a wonderful seamstress and could create a pattern from a dress that she would see in the great department store windows we had back then. My mother did not sew and really wanted me to take home economics and learn. I did not want to do this. I wanted to take Latin instead. She only agreed if I taught myself to sew. I did make a lot of my clothes including scrubs for work, skirts and blouses for square dancing until fabric got so expensive. After I retired I started quilting. I’m trying to get back into garment sewing. I enjoyed your video! I NEVER could do one of those Jiffy patterns in the time they said it would take. Your video was so real! I don’t think I could sew without a seam ripper. Keep up the good work.
Thank you for sharing your story! I think my mom would have wanted me to take Latin instead of home ec; neither were options at my very small high school overseas. I wish I had been sewing since I was 15!
@@patwinkeller9254 I had a friend that could do that when I was in high school. We would see something in a store one afternoon and she would wear a handmade version of it to school the next school day.
It’s my experience that those commercially produced patterns labeled “super easy…easy to sew…jiffy…are usually the most frustrating! As a moderate beginner I go straight to those labled intermediate and have had far better luck with the instructions. But that’s just me 😅
I think the key is finding which patterns work best for you. I have found that some easy/beginner patterns are easy in some parts and fairly complicated in others. I’d rather get more easy stuff sewn than make one advanced pattern that takes the same amount of time.
@@SewSewLounge thank you! I have had pretty good luck with Burda “easy” patterns in general….i find the instructions in many Simplicity and McCalls to be quite frustrating and the illustrations not great. Thank you for helping all your viewers to become better sewists ♥😃
I love your honesty. It helps all the rest of us keep sewing despite our mistakes. But after too many frustrating failures I now make mock-ups or toiles if it's a new pattern to see a) if I like the style on me and b) if it fits. I can go at it quickly and fearlessly because I can allow myself all the mistakes and changes I want. The second time round on my chosen fashion fabric is much smoother. The silver lining is that I've made mock-ups out of fabric I would never have chosen (I inherited some) and ended up finishing them and wearing them over and over again. The other thing my son suggested to me years ago was to make a second garment out of a completely different fabric once I got the kinks out of the fitting. "No one is going to know or care, Mom". He was so right. I heed his advice all the time. If you like fit of this "Jiffy" pattern once you get it straightened out (I hope you will show us how you do it) make it in a solid colour or a different print.
This reminds me of why I stopped sewing clothes maybe 30 years ago. I loved choosing the fabric and pattern, but 9 times out of 10, it wouldn't fit and the frustration just wasn't worth it for me. The quality of anything home sewn is going to be better than ready made, if it fits perfectly, but it was also far more expensive -- especially if you count the number of garments sewn that didn't fit and were never worn. I have a new sewing machine and am really enjoying quilting with it, but I think I'll leave dressmaking to people with more patience and skill. Quilts take longer (by a lot), but I know they'll fit the bed when finished! Loved the video though!
I took home ec in the late ‘60’s. My paternal Grandmother was a professional seamstress and I had been sewing my own clothes for years, I knew what size pattern I needed and it fit perfectly with no adjustments. The teacher of course had her lesson plans to follow and one of the things we were to learn was to make adjustments to a pattern. I tried to explain that I didn’t need to make alterations blah, blah…That skirt never fit and I never did wear it. My Grandmother taught me to make alterations. She had worked for a large department store doing alterations for men’s suits and ladies fancy dresses. I still have and use her sewing machine.
That’s awesome. Thanks for sharing the story of your grandmother. I wish I’d learned alterations! I worked for a tailor during college with the hopes of learning alterations and tailoring. It turned out they just wanted free labor to hem pants 🙄
Cutting out the material, adjusting the pattern, and doing the interfacing is all part of the sweing process. That time should also be added into the time frame.
Thank you for being so frank about the issues sewing this dress. It's great you did not give up on it because it will be beautiful when you have it done.
I learned to sew in the late 60s, before iron-in interfacing. Even in my University classes (except Tailoring), we were told to attach the sew-in interfacing to the facing pieces.
Same for me. That’s what I learned in 7th grade home economics in 1967. We sewed around and then trimmed away most of the seam allowance on the interfacing.
@@MariSews when I was in my 20s, the darts were usually at the right height. What I have noticed as I have grown older is that gravity has set in, and it's not that the darts are too high. I am now too low! 😆
I never use fusibles, especially on expensive or one of a kind fabrics. There’s too little margin for error. I was taught to sew it in so that’s what I do and don’t think twice about it. Not sure what the fuss is about.
My sewing teacher advised us to buy some cheap fabric to make a sample garment before cutting into the good stuff. Why not buy some old sheets at the thrift store just for this purpose? BTW that fabric is gorgeous!
Your video might very well be the most relatable sewing video I've seen on all of youtube. Or as my aunt (who is an absolute godess behind her sewing machines) put it: "The seam ripper is our most important tool, and more often than not, we use it even more than our sewing machines." I feel your pain in having to start over. In fact, I can't remember the last time I made a piece of clothing without making a mock up first.
Thanks for sharing your experience with this one. The frustrations aren’t fun, but I really appreciate the way you talked about why it didn’t work the first time through and your plans for reworking it. It can be so easy for me to get stuck in problems without knowing what sequence of steps would get things back on track. Especially with clothing projects, I really need to make an action plan. The logistics of filming must make all this so much more challenging. Thanks again for sharing.
Thank you for your comment. I try to read over every thing and have a plan in my head before I start. Sometimes that includes following the instructions and sometimes not. I get mixed results as seen in this video 🤣 I’m just glad there is no permanent damage to this dress because I love the fabric so much.
Same! Poorly written pattern instructions have a knack for knocking my confidence down to zero….im an intelligent woman, but the instructions can make me question my cognitive abilities 😟 I’m learning to make my own patters with existing garments I own (deconstructing and tracing the pieces onto tracing paper) and find they are just as nice - or better - than the commercial pattern created garments. The newer indie PDF patters are also FAR SUPERIOR to these traditional patterns - in my opinion.
Last summer I lost my sew-jo. Thankfully I got it back little by little. It’s very frustration when you keep trying and nothing is working. Hang in there!! You’ll get it back ❤️
The big 4 have notoriously bad instructions. I was making a dress a few years ago and an entire crucial step was omitted!! It’s very frustrating. Especially when you are learning or re-learning to sew. I have a bunch of indie patterns, but I’ve only made one. I don’t want to cut them and trace them off which just adds additional prep time.
Thank you for showing the whole process and being so honest about it. It really shows how difficult sewing really is to get it right. I’m a novice and come down hard on myself when things don’t go well. Your experience is a great lesson in being patient and trying again.
Thank you for your comment. Don’t be so hard on yourself! The more you sew the better you’ll get. Little by little things will get easier. The initial learning curve is steep but it levels out eventually. The first time I sat down at a sewing machine I threaded it backwards 🤣 when things get frustrating or if you keep making the same mistake sometimes it’s a good idea to take a break for a little while. Let me know if you have any questions ❤️
I love that you bought the fabric and waited for 'the' garment to make with it. The fabric is really lovely. I was interested in your commentary about the stay stitching as I hadn't noticed the instructions changing over the years. When we were taught in school (New Zealand 1970's) yes, the stay stitching was done across the shoulders, from sleeve edge towards the neck edge, and the neck line from the shoulder edge to the centre, then do the other side, sleeve edge to centre, both front and back. The fear of stretched fabric was real, lol! Rather than being 'bummed' at the initial result, I am so grateful that I am not alone in having to redo things. Thank you for sharing.
Your fabric is so lovely!! Sorry that the dress needs to be ripped out and redone!! Thank goodness for the Wonder Tape so redoing the zipper will be no problem!! Can't wait to see the finished dress! As I'm sure you are!!
I have lots of fabric waiting for just the right pattern. I get inspired by fabric and the pattern presents itself later. I can’t remember being taught to stay stitch in college when I learned to sew, but it’s totally possible and I just didn’t know what that meant. Most of the patterns I’ve seen recently just mention stay stitching on curves, is necklines and arm holes. That’s why I was surprised to see shoulders and side seams in these instructions. Needless to say, my sewing education was not ideal 🤣
This video made me laugh with you! A few weeks ago I made the same pattern in the version with the cap sleeves. I have been sewing for 40 years and so much difficulty with the upper bodice fit. It was huge around the back neck and too long at the shoulders. I had to add additional darts in the back neck area to match the pattern darts, and then I had to adjust the armholes and sleeves. I now love the final product, but there was nothing “jiffy” about it! It was a humbling experience for me for sure! If you had actually made this dress in 2 hours I might have hung up my shears for good. Thanks for sharing; we sometimes learn the hard way and always from each other. 😊
I’m glad to know the large sized top wasn’t just me! And thanks for letting me know the adjustments you made. My friend is coming over on Friday and I’m going to have it ready so she can help with fitting!
Gorgeous material and dress when it is done❣️ I’m in my late 50’s and I have only dabbled in sewing and mostly cushion covers, Roman shades, etc.. Since I can no longer work due to Fibromyalgia I have lots of time on my hands and decided last summer to try my hand at sewing garments…😂 I laugh because I have forgotten so much about sewing, and have realized, Thank God for TH-cam tutorials and that I am a bad sewer at best!😂 So what did I do a couple of weeks ago? Bought some material, picked out a dress pattern and now here I am…on TH-cam looking for help! 😂 I finally cut out the pattern pieces, hoping I didn’t do anything wrong and then proceeded to trip and fall holding a glass cleaning bottle in my right hand resulting in 12 stitches and not being able to use my hand now… So I’m going to binge watch TH-cam tutorials on sewing before sewing up the dress… Wish me luck, I’m gonna need it!😂
Thank you for this video! One of my first efforts sewing a dress was something like this and I was so disappointed it didn’t fit correctly. I hope you post a video of your next attempt with this cute dress. I must say that anymore I fit a dress pattern by the neckline. That’s really where most of the engineering is. Everything else on down can be adjusted.
I realized the neckline/top of the dress is the tricky part after what happened with this dress. I’ll start there when I take it apart. Yes there will be a video about the remake 😉
I appreciate this video on so many levels. I'm old, and began sewing at age 5 - mama put a needle in my hand and I began doing skirt hems. And had to do them "just right" (the stitching could not show on the front side). I was finally allowed to sit at her sewing machine about 6th grade. Yes. That's right. And that's when I began making my own clothes. I have made prom and wedding gowns (for my kids only) and done all sorts of clothing. I don't remember ever making tops with darts, that we didn't put them on to make sure they were fitted correctly before moving on. It's much harder to do when you're alone...but you have the manikin, so that's a help. And yes, the 14's from 1960 are NOT the new 14's of today's time. (people got offended when their "size 10" had to be a size 12-14.) And clipping arm and neck holes - you just gotta. Like you, I'm thrilled at the press-in interfacing!! But no, I've never used a surger to make a dress. (and I don't make clothes anymore. Clothing is far less expensive than fabric for clothing. ), that style of dress - darts at the waist front and back - is one of the most flattering on all body types. We called them "princess style" I suspect because the royalty rarely does other style of dresses.
Aww thank you for writing such a thoughtful comment. I wish I’d learned to sew that young! Unfortunately I grew up overseas and my grandma was in the States. (My mom was never a sewer.) Thankfully grandma was around to save a few of my college sewing projects from complete disaster. And she will be helping with my wedding dress at 99. She’s the best ❤️
I learned that pre measuring patterns to correspond with your own body dimensions is vital. The prep is more than applying interfacing. Dart points are never where you personally need them. Easy to move. Stay stitching is usually done before you attatch to the garment.
I often wondered how people calculate the time of their makes. I believe myself to be a slow sewist and have never been able to make things in the timescale stated by the pattern/ maker. Cutting out takes me longer than that more often.
I’ve been told that cutting isn’t included in the time estimate that’s listed on patterns. Some of them say “two hours to sew”. The cutting of this pattern was pretty fast since the pattern pieces are rectangular.
Time expectations were the bane of my early sewing experiences. I learned long ago that calculating the time factor for making a garment cannot separate the steps, including preparation, tech difficulties, pressing, snipping thread ends, ripping & re-doing, & so on. It’s all part of making a garment from a pattern. And mistakes are part of the process - - they contribute to the experience/skills of the sewist, which in turn (if one uses experience as one’s teacher) prepares the sewist for improved performance on the next garment. Also in my past experience of fitting disappointments, I learned, as this experience no doubt has revealed for you, a major time-saver is that of making a muslin toile in a pattern one has never fitted before. It saves all that lost time & fitting disappointment, not to mention wear & tear on the iconic & treasured fabric, & the pattern will likely then truly be a “Jiffy” make. For me “mistakes” have always been my most effective skill builders.
So sorry this one didn't go as planned. We've ALL been there. Sew up something that we expect to be a great fit and it just doesn't work. UHG. Huge bummer. Beautiful fabric. Good luck with the ripping out/re sewing. Hope you're able to make it work for you.
I cannot tell you how many times I adjusted a pattern to make it bigger and then it ended up being too big! Solidarity! I need to do a better job of looking at the "finished garment" measurements (if they are there!) and realizing that pattern designers put in ease (but how much!?). So so many questions. 😂
Great video. It reinforced for me the benefit of making a muslin before I make a garment. Takes more time but then I figure out what needs adjustment before I cut my fabric. Thanks for the reminder!
My sympathies abut your dress. I am impressed that you can make dresses without lots of alterations, even though this one in particular didn't work out. I have all kinds of needed tissue alterations before I can cut out the fabric on any garment, so I know how it feels to work on a project and have it be a disappointment. Thank you showing us for all of the real problems one can encounter trying to make a simple design.
Aww thank you. My dress will work out in the end. I know I’m lucky to not have to alter patterns to fit. Instead I share my mistakes and hope the camaraderie will keep you motivated to keep sewing along with me.
I felt this in my soul! This is my struggle with everything I try to sew! I took a long break from sewing (years) and I’m trying to get back into it. I tried making a pair of shorts that I had to redo 4 times!! Finally finished them, tried it on & I hate it. They sit an inch below the waist. Turns out, I don’t like that type of fit. To make things worse, when I was going through my patterns, I discovered that I have bought this pattern twice at some point. Thank you for showing your struggles. It makes me feel like I’m not alone.
You are not alone! Read through the comments 😉 lots of other viewers feel the same way. I’ve been sewing very regularly since I started posting videos and I still run into problems regularly. It’s just part of the process. Hang in there!!
That's pretty funny. I prefer Simplicity to Butterick. I will have to ask Grandma if she had a favorite pattern company back in the day. My mom isn't a sewer 😂
I am so sorry you had so much trouble sewing this dress. Things like this happen to me all the time. As frustrating as this is, it lets me know I am not alone in my sewing adventures. You did amazing and learned so much in the process!
Gawd, I love that fabric and I love that dress pattern too, and I know it will look fantastic on you when the dress is done! Iron-on interfacing. It was a hot new item in 1972 in our Midwestern Minnesota Fabrics store when I started sewing my clothing. It may have been around prior to that. The funny thing was that I didn't see any sewing patterns that provided directions for using it until much, much later. For years patterns continued to provide steps for basting traditional interfacing to the facing, then clipping it down. And that's what we were taught in h.s. sewing class. We were taught that iron-on interfacing made fabric stiff and cardboard-like, and basted-in interfacing was preferred. That probably wasn't the case everywhere, but so it went in the Midwest. Love your videos! Looking forward to the completed dress!
My professor in college wouldn’t let us use iron-in interfacing! She said it made garments look cheap so I fought with the sew in variety for years. It wasn’t until I took private lessons that my teacher showed me how to press in interfacing and use steam and let it cool that I became a convert. It’s just much easier to deal with once you know how to use it!
I just returned to sewing my clothes again and your video helped me with the frustration of the fit. I'm playing it safe for now by creating a template then completing the final garment. It still remains fun to create things and videos like yours help me to hang in there and not give up! Thank you for sharing your project.
Thank you for watching! I know I could probably get the fit better if I made it in muslin first but I don’t want to make that kind of effort for most things I sew. Now my wedding dress, THAT’S a different story. I’ll probably make a couple of muslins to make sure it fits perfectly before cutting into the shantung silk fabric!!
I made that same pattern recently. I don't know if it's a problem with the original or with the repro, but the pattern has WAY too much ease which is why it came out too big. It's always a good idea to not just check the "body" measurements, but the actual garment measurements. I cut a size smaller than suggested and still took it in another 2 inches to get the fit I wanted. I didn't make a mock-up but I did assemble it with just basting first to try on, so adjustments were easy and I was very happy with it in the end. You didn't mess up the bust darts; they are high on this design, as you can see in the cover picture. They work surprisingly well once you adjust the overall sizing.
I will have to look into the sizing AGAIN before I remake it. I checked all of the ease measurements on the pattern pieces, but if they were lies then that was also part of the problem. I'll measure the pieces this time around.
Ohhh goodness. everything that came out of your mouth is exactly what I did 40 years ago when I started sewing clothes. And this is why no one sews their own clothes anymore! I would say throw a shawl over your shoulders and color the damn thing done. It looks cute on you! I’m not convinced the darts aren’t in the correct place actually. Many times they land over the bust, not right at the point. Nope, I would never try to redo all that. Thank you so much for going through this torture, unless you make lots and lots of clothes and make those mistakes just fewer and fewer times until you’re very proficient, this is the story of everyone who tries to dabble in clothes sewing. You’re doing a fine job, and I admire your grit!
I think there are a couple of reasons no one sews: it's hard to learn on your own AND it's so much cheaper to buy it at a store! I sew and love sewing because I don't want to look like everyone else. Plus I love fabric and sewing helps reduce my stash. I'm out of practice. I need to plan ahead and have patterns and fabric prepped and ready to go, so I can just sit down and sew!
Loved this! Had a sewing teacher that taught me to do a long machine basting stitch where the invisible zip goes and then to Wonder Tape it face down, stitch zip sides, stitch seam allowance, then unpick basting (I would have edges serged). Never has failed me. Love stretch cotton sateen for dresses, both cool and comfy.
You had a good sewing teacher! I used to be able to press in the line and see it; now not so much. I’m going to have to get progressive lenses for sewing so I don’t have to keep switching glasses (as much as I’m fighting them). Your basting suggestion sounds like a winner! I will definitely use it the second time around. Thanks for the tip ☺️
@@SewSewLounge oh heavens progressive lenses! I’m also a weaver, and threading heddles and reeds drove me to progressive lenses. Didn’t wear them until I retired because my loupes (dental hygienist) used my bifocals. My old loupes live in my sewing space now since they are especially handy with that light.
It never takes as long as the ideal estimate. No matter what- especially if it’s the first time making something. Double that time and then double it again or 2.5-3x the time for a more reasonable estimate. Mistakes and accidents and problems happen. If it’s not you it’ll be the supplies or the machine or the pattern itself. 😂 great attempt!
It was an entertaining experience for sure! I have made a few items in record time, but they were super easy very basic patterns. I’m always optimistic at the beginning of each two hour project and then once I get into it things go astray 😂
What a shame all that work but it's nice to know I'm not the only one that makes mistakes. It is a lovely fabric so I'm sure it will be worth starting again, just take your time. I absolutely cannot sew quickly which is why I'll never apply for the great british sewing bee 😂😂
I like to challenge myself with these random 2-hour challenges. One day I’ll hit ny mark. Until then it’s more entertainment than anything. There is no way I could ever be on a sewing competition show. I marvel at how fast some of the contestants sew. That would stress me out too much for it to be fun!
I’ve learned over the many years of sewing, taking time makes for a better garment. I’ve forgotten to skip steps as well😂 then having to “undo” and some have been put up to deal with after my frustration. Loved the end product and will add this pattern to my collection. Thanks!❤
I really enjoyed your video. When I sew and I start ripping out things. It’s time to.call it quits for the day. I haven’t out in a zipper in about 15 years. I use to be quite good. I still have the instructions for invisible zipper from way back as well as the foot that is needed for the zipper. On my list of things to accomplish
I used to sew an invisible zipper really well too! I just can’t see that distance to get it lined up anymore 🤣 I agree when I rip more than once, especially in the same seam, it’s time to stop sewing. Thanks for watching ☺️
Toni, that fabric is gorgeous. Thank you for sharing your journey with this pattern. This is real sewing in my experience. I hate this part of the adventure!
Thank you for this video and showing us the reality of sewing. Things just happen! Good to know about the understitching and seam snipping creating the ripple. We feel your pain!! Best wishes on round two with this fabric and pattern. It will be lovely on you with your fabulous workout arms!
You are very welcome! This dress project was getting very long and I was tired. I know better than to keep pushing because that’s when the bad mistakes happen. Now that I know I have to rip the whole dress apart I’m glad that I didn’t trim those seams prior to understitching 🤣
That pattern went by everything I was taught when I first started sewing in the late 60's. It so funny to me when I see how the self taught sewists on you tube sew. However, their garments look just as good as mine did! Progress!
While I technically learned to sew in college, I didn’t learn to sew well. I’ve learned a lot from private sewing lessons and reading vintage sewing books.
I had to use a simplicity pattern for a jumper in home ec. I knew what size pattern i needed but the reacher made us take out measurements and by the corresponding size. I knew i was going to be huge and it was. Thats one of the reasons that i i dont see the armhole facing in a circle and attach. If you see facing and all in one long seam down the side it is much easier to alter the sides if needed. You dont have to rip out facing. I took my jumper home and altered it to fit bby taking it up on bote sidea out an 1 1/2 inches on each side. So that was an additional 3/4 inch seam on both sides. Total of 3 inchs. Thats how too big it was. It didn't alter the shoulders or neckline.
Vintage Simplicity Jiffy patterns were very easy to sew and usually took a few hours to 1/2 day. Vintage patters were plainly written and easy to understand. New Simplicity pattern instructions can be confusing because they seem to be printed in another country & translated into English. This is what I’ve experienced.
I have found that vintage patterns, including reprints give a lot more detail about the sewing process and construction tips than modern patterns. The funny thing is that more women learned to sew or knew how to sew back in the day. I have found that "learn to sew" patterns give more information and tips, but they would still be hard to use if you were just starting out.
Thank you so much for sharing all.... the good and the frustrating. For myself, the tireder I am, and the more I try to rush something..... the faster it goes downhill. Thank you for your perseverance: )
A pattern that has facings, darts, and a zipper will undoubtedly take a lot longer than 2 hours. Do not believe the time indicated on the envelope. Also, there’s never a circumstance in which a dart is sewn starting point first. Not sure who told you that. As far as sizing, you should do a toile first on muslin (no facings) to sort out the fit issues. Use your high bust measurement to choose a pattern size according to your frame size and adjust the measurements accordingly (add FBA, etc) since your skeleton doesn’t change even if your body does. I like to trace my patterns on tracing paper, make the adjustments as I draft the pattern and “tissue fit” on a dress form. I’m a costumer who often works with expensive fabrics (sometimes in limited supply, nerve wracking!) and have learned over the years that going through the trouble of drafting the pattern with adjustments on paper and making a toile first is worth the effort when fitting something with darts and zippers.
She sewed dart from the fabric edge to the point. That is the way I was taught. I made that same pattern years ago, it was a juffy, but doing the cutting and all the sewing took me more than 2 hours as I am not a fast sewist. With a large neckline there was no need for a long zipper in the back of the dress. That would speed up construction.
I read an article in Love Sewing magazine about sewing darts from the point to the side seam for a more accurate fit. I've never seen it mentioned in any US sewing books, so I wondered if it was a UK thing.
@@Pinnfeathers just because you've never heard of something doesn't mean it doesn't exist, or that "there's never a circumstance in which a dart is sewn starting point first". There's a rather famous sewing reference called 'Reader's Digest Complete Guide to Sewing'. It has this method under a section titled *Basic Construction Techniques*. The heading is Continuous-thread darts. It is used on sheer fabrics.
From what I understand about the reprinted "vintage" patterns, the companies use their modern pattern block rather than the one used in the pattern's actual time era. You could probably have just used the Big 4 pattern size you usually do and make whatever adjustments you normally do.
@@SewSewLounge it would be interesting to find an actual vintage copy of that pattern and do a pattern measurement comparison as @StephanieCanada does. She finds most patterns are not the same.
I think you put too much emphasis in finishing the garment in 2 hours. That why it didn’t come out like you wont. But the fabric is lovely so I would just start again. Don’t worry about the time. I would still like to see the finished garment.
It’s a sewing challenge video, that’s kind of the point 😉 I’ve come close to finishing other projects in the time limit and I like to know how long it takes and time myself. I’m almost done ripping it out to start again! There will be a “fixing” video at some point in the future.
Hello from Atlanta! I just found you this morning and subscribed. I haven’t sewn a garment in decades ( I’ve done quilting and home decor ) and would like to get back to it. I love your instruction style and can’t wait to get started on your video library! You have made my day! ❤️
Wait, you clip your curves and then under stitch? I have always just stitched. But then again I don’t so a lot of dresses or blouses. You just blew my mind! Apparently I knew this?? I had one of these last week and they are taking a time out underneath the desk where I threw them.
Yes! Otherwise it puckers like my sleeve facing. I knew it too and forgot! Which is crazy since I just clipped and understitched the neckline 🙄. I should have put my dress in a time out like yours!
Aww thank you for watching. I think NOLA is one of the few places in the world more humid than Houston! I’m staying home and hunkered down all day tomorrow. Court was cancelled so it’s going to be a sewing day all day long!!
Adjust it on the sides take it in. If you can do long fitting darts in the back. My suggestion is on the front darts pin you darts on the pattern and hold it up and see where the end up. Take the dart and change the angle on the pattern then pin and see if the angle is correct. I used to see in the 60s/70s alot and i cant say that i noticed the darts being out of position. We wear different foundations now and that could be part of the problem. Yep simplicity always runs large. Also dresses back then were not worn super fitted.
I have one bit of advice for any sewist; Never sew when you’re angry. Fold it away, take a break & come back later. If not the next day. It’s not worth all the ripping out the stitching only to try to do it right.
@@SewSewLounge I often find myself caught up with the night getting later and later, as they do. I make mistakes and question all my skill, etc. Then I notice the time and go to bed. A fresh start is amazing the next day 😊
One more comment and I promise I'll shut up. My mom had a fashionista friend who would buy Simplicity Jiffy patterns, and attempt to sew herself a new outfit within a single evening after work. She often ended up staying up most of the night sewing--and would go into work the next morning bleary-eyed (and often late), but fashionably attired in her new dress. Or cape! I remember the patterns as not being good in the fit department, so avoided them as a teen sewer.
Cute dress and wonderful fabric. I've been there - all that time and you still can't wear it. Somehow my measurements never track right on a pattern, and everything is too big. Oh well. Good luck with the dress. It's a great look. The neckline is very nice. Kay in Dallas, Texas (also hot)
Pin the pattern together first. That will tell you. After you sew a while you will know what size you wear in each brand. The only brand I found on size was butterick. Mccalls ran big too.
So in a nutshell it took longer than 2 hours because of normal sewing mistakes that we are all going to make.😂❤I just sewed with Scuba Knit for the first time and it was hell even with a demo version (which I sewed first) which made me thing the scuba would go smoothly. Wrong. OMG the end of the video is me yesterday with my project😂😫
I’ve thought about sewing with scuba knit but I’ve never found yardage that didn’t have a permanent crease or some damage to it. You are a brave woman!! Mistakes happen to all of us, such is life 🤣
I'm such a slow sewist that I could never make a dress in 2 hours regardless of what it states on the pattern envelope! The dress looks lovely, I love the design and fabric!
The 2 hour time limit is arbitrary. It did start with a pattern that said it only took 2 hours to sew and then I've just kept up with the challenge time limit. I'd much rather just take my time sewing at my own pace than rush.
Your fabric is very pretty. I feel for you....I always seem to make boo boo's too to the point I gave up sewing...but I am back at it with the attitude that it is the process I should be in the moment of and not just the finish line. Do you have a tutorial or favorite technique for changing dart placements? Thanks for your video
I love the fabric too much to let this dress languish unfinished. Plus, getting something finished is reward in itself. I'm currently in the process of ripping it out. I don't have a specific technique for moving darts-- I'll see what I can come up with and make a video to share! Thanks for the idea!
I can't recall if this is one of the "vintage" patterns that Stephanie Canada has reviewed or not. She sews a lot of decades-old patterns and sometimes compares them with the reprints and often the pattern pieces are not very similar to the original, even though the instructions are lifted right off the original (sometimes even down to the teeny tiny font!). But it seems like more of the issues you ran into were from technical issues than anything else. :( Hope the fixes work well.
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i really appreciate this honest almost real-time video of the challenges of sewing. I love sewing but feel so inferior when TH-cam sewist continually or only post their success. I keep thinking why do I alone make these stupid mistakes. Yours is the first such video i think i have seen like this ever,. Please do more. Don't hide or delete your setbacks so your viewers will udnertsand that these simple setback happen to us all, even perfect TH-camrs. :-) Bless you abundantly.
I am far from a perfect TH-camr! 🤣 We all make mistakes regardless of how long we’ve been sewing. Sharing them creates community and lets others know they aren’t alone. I make stupid mistakes ALL THE TIME. I’m happy to share them with the hope they help someone avoid them or feel less alone. Thank you for your comment ❤️❤️❤️
I love sewing as well but I too make stupid mistakes!
Your not alone. I like to make my clothes to fit. constantly stuffing up just to learn from it Just keep on sewing ❤️🧵🧵🧵🌺
I am now starting to sew clothes. So I welcome your tutorial for all the mess up and how to recover . That’s how we learn . There is no sewing clothes classes in community centres , sewing shops etc . There is a whole missing two generations of sewists so no one to take over for those age 60 plus who retired . And I want a teacher and don’t know how to find resources .
So you have a new subscriber….I want a teacher who explains and show us errors and recovery.
Thank you 🙏🏻 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
@@berniecelee5062 you are very welcome. I started learning in college and still am far from perfect, but I want to share my knowledge and mistakes to help you learn to sew better than I did. It’s not easy but it is doable if you stick with it. If you ever have any questions feel free to send me an email 😉
I’m 75 years old and have been sewing since I was fifteen. My grandmother was a wonderful seamstress and could create a pattern from a dress that she would see in the great department store windows we had back then. My mother did not sew and really wanted me to take home economics and learn. I did not want to do this. I wanted to take Latin instead. She only agreed if I taught myself to sew. I did make a lot of my clothes including scrubs for work, skirts and blouses for square dancing until fabric got so expensive. After I retired I started quilting. I’m trying to get back into garment sewing.
I enjoyed your video! I NEVER could do one of those Jiffy patterns in the time they said it would take. Your video was so real! I don’t think I could sew without a seam ripper. Keep up the good work.
Thank you for sharing your story! I think my mom would have wanted me to take Latin instead of home ec; neither were options at my very small high school overseas. I wish I had been sewing since I was 15!
@@patwinkeller9254 I had a friend that could do that when I was in high school. We would see something in a store one afternoon and she would wear a handmade version of it to school the next school day.
It would take me more then 2 hours to do all of the cutting out😅
This pattern was pretty fast to cut since had so few pieces. Marking took longer with all the darts!
It’s my experience that those commercially produced patterns labeled “super easy…easy to sew…jiffy…are usually the most frustrating! As a moderate beginner I go straight to those labled intermediate and have had far better luck with the instructions. But that’s just me 😅
I think the key is finding which patterns work best for you. I have found that some easy/beginner patterns are easy in some parts and fairly complicated in others. I’d rather get more easy stuff sewn than make one advanced pattern that takes the same amount of time.
@@SewSewLounge thank you! I have had pretty good luck with Burda “easy” patterns in general….i find the instructions in many Simplicity and McCalls to be quite frustrating and the illustrations not great. Thank you for helping all your viewers to become better sewists ♥😃
I love your honesty. It helps all the rest of us keep sewing despite our mistakes.
But after too many frustrating failures I now make mock-ups or toiles if it's a new pattern to see a) if I like the style on me and b) if it fits. I can go at it quickly and fearlessly because I can allow myself all the mistakes and changes I want. The second time round on my chosen fashion fabric is much smoother. The silver lining is that I've made mock-ups out of fabric I would never have chosen (I inherited some) and ended up finishing them and wearing them over and over again.
The other thing my son suggested to me years ago was to make a second garment out of a completely different fabric once I got the kinks out of the fitting. "No one is going to know or care, Mom". He was so right. I heed his advice all the time.
If you like fit of this "Jiffy" pattern once you get it straightened out (I hope you will show us how you do it) make it in a solid colour or a different print.
My friend Jen does the exact same thing! And if the mock up doesn’t fit, she gives it to her daughter. I should do that too.
This reminds me of why I stopped sewing clothes maybe 30 years ago. I loved choosing the fabric and pattern, but 9 times out of 10, it wouldn't fit and the frustration just wasn't worth it for me. The quality of anything home sewn is going to be better than ready made, if it fits perfectly, but it was also far more expensive -- especially if you count the number of garments sewn that didn't fit and were never worn.
I have a new sewing machine and am really enjoying quilting with it, but I think I'll leave dressmaking to people with more patience and skill. Quilts take longer (by a lot), but I know they'll fit the bed when finished!
Loved the video though!
My sister prefers quilting too. She says there’s less stress sewing a rectangle than a sleeve 🤣
I took home ec in the late ‘60’s. My paternal Grandmother was a professional seamstress and I had been sewing my own clothes for years, I knew what size pattern I needed and it fit perfectly with no adjustments. The teacher of course had her lesson plans to follow and one of the things we were to learn was to make adjustments to a pattern. I tried to explain that I didn’t need to make alterations blah, blah…That skirt never fit and I never did wear it. My Grandmother taught me to make alterations. She had worked for a large department store doing alterations for men’s suits and ladies fancy dresses. I still have and use her sewing machine.
That’s awesome. Thanks for sharing the story of your grandmother. I wish I’d learned alterations! I worked for a tailor during college with the hopes of learning alterations and tailoring. It turned out they just wanted free labor to hem pants 🙄
😂
Cutting out the material, adjusting the pattern, and doing the interfacing is all part of the sweing process. That time should also be added into the time frame.
But it’s not counted as “sewing time” when a time is printed on the pattern envelope 😉
Thank you for being so frank about the issues sewing this dress. It's great you did not give up on it because it will be beautiful when you have it done.
You are welcome. I’m glad you enjoyed watching. I wish it had gone better the first time around. Second time’s the charm 😉
I learned to sew in the late 60s, before iron-in interfacing. Even in my University classes (except Tailoring), we were told to attach the sew-in interfacing to the facing pieces.
My prof in college said the same thing-which is pretty much why I hate it and only use the iron in kind 😂
Same for me. That’s what I learned in 7th grade home economics in 1967. We sewed around and then trimmed away most of the seam allowance on the interfacing.
Those bust darts are so high! 😂 so frustrating tho.
@@MariSews when I was in my 20s, the darts were usually at the right height. What I have noticed as I have grown older is that gravity has set in, and it's not that the darts are too high. I am now too low! 😆
I never use fusibles, especially on expensive or one of a kind fabrics. There’s too little margin for error. I was taught to sew it in so that’s what I do and don’t think twice about it. Not sure what the fuss is about.
My sewing teacher advised us to buy some cheap fabric to make a sample garment before cutting into the good stuff. Why not buy some old sheets at the thrift store just for this purpose? BTW that fabric is gorgeous!
Your video might very well be the most relatable sewing video I've seen on all of youtube. Or as my aunt (who is an absolute godess behind her sewing machines) put it: "The seam ripper is our most important tool, and more often than not, we use it even more than our sewing machines." I feel your pain in having to start over. In fact, I can't remember the last time I made a piece of clothing without making a mock up first.
Awe thank you for your comment. I really appreciate it. This incident may have me making mock-ups in the future 🤣
Great video. I appreciate seeing the ups and downs. So much of sewing is ripping the seams out, lol.
Btw, I like your vibe. This was the first video of yours I’ve seen and I subscribed.
If I can keep ripping out to 30% or less I’m winning 🤣
Yay! Thank you ☺️
I call the seam ripper The Second Chance tool. Not a negative, but a positive that you can try again.
Thanks for sharing your experience with this one. The frustrations aren’t fun, but I really appreciate the way you talked about why it didn’t work the first time through and your plans for reworking it. It can be so easy for me to get stuck in problems without knowing what sequence of steps would get things back on track. Especially with clothing projects, I really need to make an action plan. The logistics of filming must make all this so much more challenging. Thanks again for sharing.
Thank you for your comment. I try to read over every thing and have a plan in my head before I start. Sometimes that includes following the instructions and sometimes not. I get mixed results as seen in this video 🤣 I’m just glad there is no permanent damage to this dress because I love the fabric so much.
YOU are a STITCH!! I LOVE your honesty. It's so refreshing and fun. Just like my own sewing experiences. THANK YOU!
You are so welcome! Thanks for watching Cathy ❤️
Thanks for being real! I've been struggling with my sew-jo lately, and this is the story of my life!
Same! Poorly written pattern instructions have a knack for knocking my confidence down to zero….im an intelligent woman, but the instructions can make me question my cognitive abilities 😟 I’m learning to make my own patters with existing garments I own (deconstructing and tracing the pieces onto tracing paper) and find they are just as nice - or better - than the commercial pattern created garments. The newer indie PDF patters are also FAR SUPERIOR to these traditional patterns - in my opinion.
Last summer I lost my sew-jo. Thankfully I got it back little by little. It’s very frustration when you keep trying and nothing is working. Hang in there!! You’ll get it back ❤️
The big 4 have notoriously bad instructions. I was making a dress a few years ago and an entire crucial step was omitted!! It’s very frustrating. Especially when you are learning or re-learning to sew. I have a bunch of indie patterns, but I’ve only made one. I don’t want to cut them and trace them off which just adds additional prep time.
Thank you for showing the whole process and being so honest about it. It really shows how difficult sewing really is to get it right. I’m a novice and come down hard on myself when things don’t go well. Your experience is a great lesson in being patient and trying again.
Thank you for your comment. Don’t be so hard on yourself! The more you sew the better you’ll get. Little by little things will get easier. The initial learning curve is steep but it levels out eventually. The first time I sat down at a sewing machine I threaded it backwards 🤣 when things get frustrating or if you keep making the same mistake sometimes it’s a good idea to take a break for a little while. Let me know if you have any questions ❤️
Don’t beat yourself up, sewing is a lifelong learning journey, we have good sewing days and learning by our mistakes days🙏
I just need to sew more and get back into the swing of things 😉
I love that you bought the fabric and waited for 'the' garment to make with it. The fabric is really lovely. I was interested in your commentary about the stay stitching as I hadn't noticed the instructions changing over the years. When we were taught in school (New Zealand 1970's) yes, the stay stitching was done across the shoulders, from sleeve edge towards the neck edge, and the neck line from the shoulder edge to the centre, then do the other side, sleeve edge to centre, both front and back. The fear of stretched fabric was real, lol! Rather than being 'bummed' at the initial result, I am so grateful that I am not alone in having to redo things. Thank you for sharing.
Your fabric is so lovely!! Sorry that the dress needs to be ripped out and redone!! Thank goodness for the Wonder Tape so redoing the zipper will be no problem!! Can't wait to see the finished dress! As I'm sure you are!!
I have lots of fabric waiting for just the right pattern. I get inspired by fabric and the pattern presents itself later.
I can’t remember being taught to stay stitch in college when I learned to sew, but it’s totally possible and I just didn’t know what that meant. Most of the patterns I’ve seen recently just mention stay stitching on curves, is necklines and arm holes. That’s why I was surprised to see shoulders and side seams in these instructions. Needless to say, my sewing education was not ideal 🤣
I love the fabric too 😍
I’m so glad that wonder tape is washable!! And I’ve got plenty to redo it all.
This video made me laugh with you! A few weeks ago I made the same pattern in the version with the cap sleeves. I have been sewing for 40 years and so much difficulty with the upper bodice fit. It was huge around the back neck and too long at the shoulders. I had to add additional darts in the back neck area to match the pattern darts, and then I had to adjust the armholes and sleeves. I now love the final product, but there was nothing “jiffy” about it! It was a humbling experience for me for sure! If you had actually made this dress in 2 hours I might have hung up my shears for good. Thanks for sharing; we sometimes learn the hard way and always from each other. 😊
I’m glad to know the large sized top wasn’t just me! And thanks for letting me know the adjustments you made. My friend is coming over on Friday and I’m going to have it ready so she can help with fitting!
Gorgeous material and dress when it is done❣️
I’m in my late 50’s and I have only dabbled in sewing and mostly cushion covers, Roman shades, etc..
Since I can no longer work due to Fibromyalgia I have lots of time on my hands and decided last summer to try my hand at sewing garments…😂
I laugh because I have forgotten so much about sewing, and have realized, Thank God for TH-cam tutorials and that I am a bad sewer at best!😂
So what did I do a couple of weeks ago?
Bought some material, picked out a dress pattern and now here I am…on TH-cam looking for help! 😂
I finally cut out the pattern pieces, hoping I didn’t do anything wrong and then proceeded to trip and fall holding a glass cleaning bottle in my right hand resulting in 12 stitches and not being able to use my hand now…
So I’m going to binge watch TH-cam tutorials on sewing before sewing up the dress… Wish me luck, I’m gonna need it!😂
I taught myself to sew with Jiffy patterns in the 60’s. They were great!
I’m enjoying this one. I’ve got a few others to try out.
You dont have to rip out the armhole second stitch. Just clip to it not cuting the second stich. It will be ok
Good idea!
Thank you for this video! One of my first efforts sewing a dress was something like this and I was so disappointed it didn’t fit correctly. I hope you post a video of your next attempt with this cute dress. I must say that anymore I fit a dress pattern by the neckline. That’s really where most of the engineering is. Everything else on down can be adjusted.
I realized the neckline/top of the dress is the tricky part after what happened with this dress. I’ll start there when I take it apart. Yes there will be a video about the remake 😉
I hope you show us the dress when you had adjusted it. Thank you
I appreciate this video on so many levels. I'm old, and began sewing at age 5 - mama put a needle in my hand and I began doing skirt hems. And had to do them "just right" (the stitching could not show on the front side). I was finally allowed to sit at her sewing machine about 6th grade. Yes. That's right. And that's when I began making my own clothes. I have made prom and wedding gowns (for my kids only) and done all sorts of clothing. I don't remember ever making tops with darts, that we didn't put them on to make sure they were fitted correctly before moving on. It's much harder to do when you're alone...but you have the manikin, so that's a help. And yes, the 14's from 1960 are NOT the new 14's of today's time. (people got offended when their "size 10" had to be a size 12-14.) And clipping arm and neck holes - you just gotta. Like you, I'm thrilled at the press-in interfacing!! But no, I've never used a surger to make a dress. (and I don't make clothes anymore. Clothing is far less expensive than fabric for clothing. ), that style of dress - darts at the waist front and back - is one of the most flattering on all body types. We called them "princess style" I suspect because the royalty rarely does other style of dresses.
Aww thank you for writing such a thoughtful comment. I wish I’d learned to sew that young! Unfortunately I grew up overseas and my grandma was in the States. (My mom was never a sewer.) Thankfully grandma was around to save a few of my college sewing projects from complete disaster. And she will be helping with my wedding dress at 99. She’s the best ❤️
I learned that pre measuring patterns to correspond with your own body dimensions is vital. The prep is more than applying interfacing. Dart points are never where you personally need them. Easy to move. Stay stitching is usually done before you attatch to the garment.
Oh I pre measured and it seemed like it would be small hence the added seam allowance.
Fabric drape could account for the extra ease. You mentioned how soft it is. You may want the larger seams with a less fluid fabric.
I often wondered how people calculate the time of their makes.
I believe myself to be a slow sewist and have never been able to make things in the timescale stated by the pattern/ maker.
Cutting out takes me longer than that more often.
I’ve been told that cutting isn’t included in the time estimate that’s listed on patterns. Some of them say “two hours to sew”. The cutting of this pattern was pretty fast since the pattern pieces are rectangular.
Time expectations were the bane of my early sewing experiences. I learned long ago that calculating the time factor for making a garment cannot separate the steps, including preparation, tech difficulties, pressing, snipping thread ends, ripping & re-doing, & so on. It’s all part of making a garment from a pattern. And mistakes are part of the process - - they contribute to the experience/skills of the sewist, which in turn (if one uses experience as one’s teacher) prepares the sewist for improved performance on the next garment. Also in my past experience of fitting disappointments, I learned, as this experience no doubt has revealed for you, a major time-saver is that of making a muslin toile in a pattern one has never fitted before. It saves all that lost time & fitting disappointment, not to mention wear & tear on the iconic & treasured fabric, & the pattern will likely then truly be a “Jiffy” make. For me “mistakes” have always been my most effective skill builders.
It looked like a basic enough pattern that I didn’t feel the need to make a toile. But for sure it was a learning experience 😉
It always took me several hours just to pin the pattern and cut out the pieces.
This dress was pretty quick to cut because the pieces are basically large rectangles.
Love your honesty, thanks for a great video🙏💚☘️🇬🇧
You’re very welcome! Thank you for your comment 😊
So sorry this one didn't go as planned. We've ALL been there. Sew up something that we expect to be a great fit and it just doesn't work. UHG. Huge bummer. Beautiful fabric. Good luck with the ripping out/re sewing. Hope you're able to make it work for you.
I’m convinced it will work the second time around and I’ll be more meticulous 😉
I cannot tell you how many times I adjusted a pattern to make it bigger and then it ended up being too big! Solidarity! I need to do a better job of looking at the "finished garment" measurements (if they are there!) and realizing that pattern designers put in ease (but how much!?). So so many questions. 😂
Some days it’s just so complicated-why?!? 🤣 Solidarity now!
Great video. It reinforced for me the benefit of making a muslin before I make a garment. Takes more time but then I figure out what needs adjustment before I cut my fabric. Thanks for the reminder!
It was a good reminder for me too 🤣🤣🤣
Always stay stitch everything first so the pieces don’t droop or get distorted
Also go to do if you’re stoping and starting a project so when the pieces get moved around they don’t distort.
@@SewSewLounge Yes, that's actually exactly what I meant!
My sympathies abut your dress. I am impressed that you can make dresses without lots of alterations, even though this one in particular didn't work out. I have all kinds of needed tissue alterations before I can cut out the fabric on any garment, so I know how it feels to work on a project and have it be a disappointment. Thank you showing us for all of the real problems one can encounter trying to make a simple design.
Aww thank you. My dress will work out in the end. I know I’m lucky to not have to alter patterns to fit. Instead I share my mistakes and hope the camaraderie will keep you motivated to keep sewing along with me.
I felt this in my soul! This is my struggle with everything I try to sew! I took a long break from sewing (years) and I’m trying to get back into it. I tried making a pair of shorts that I had to redo 4 times!! Finally finished them, tried it on & I hate it. They sit an inch below the waist. Turns out, I don’t like that type of fit. To make things worse, when I was going through my patterns, I discovered that I have bought this pattern twice at some point. Thank you for showing your struggles. It makes me feel like I’m not alone.
You are not alone! Read through the comments 😉 lots of other viewers feel the same way. I’ve been sewing very regularly since I started posting videos and I still run into problems regularly. It’s just part of the process. Hang in there!!
My Mother would only sew Simplicity patterns. Those were her terms. My Grandmother would sew Butterick! 🙌
That's pretty funny. I prefer Simplicity to Butterick. I will have to ask Grandma if she had a favorite pattern company back in the day. My mom isn't a sewer 😂
I think that I made that dress in the '60's! Love your fabric!
It’s such a classic design! I know I’ll love it once it fits.
I am so sorry you had so much trouble sewing this dress. Things like this happen to me all the time. As frustrating as this is, it lets me know I am not alone in my sewing adventures. You did amazing and learned so much in the process!
We are all together in our sewing misadventures!! I’m sure I’ll end up learning more by the time I remake it.
Gawd, I love that fabric and I love that dress pattern too, and I know it will look fantastic on you when the dress is done! Iron-on interfacing. It was a hot new item in 1972 in our Midwestern Minnesota Fabrics store when I started sewing my clothing. It may have been around prior to that. The funny thing was that I didn't see any sewing patterns that provided directions for using it until much, much later. For years patterns continued to provide steps for basting traditional interfacing to the facing, then clipping it down. And that's what we were taught in h.s. sewing class. We were taught that iron-on interfacing made fabric stiff and cardboard-like, and basted-in interfacing was preferred. That probably wasn't the case everywhere, but so it went in the Midwest. Love your videos! Looking forward to the completed dress!
My professor in college wouldn’t let us use iron-in interfacing! She said it made garments look cheap so I fought with the sew in variety for years. It wasn’t until I took private lessons that my teacher showed me how to press in interfacing and use steam and let it cool that I became a convert. It’s just much easier to deal with once you know how to use it!
I just returned to sewing my clothes again and your video helped me with the frustration of the fit. I'm playing it safe for now by creating a template then completing the final garment. It still remains fun to create things and videos like yours help me to hang in there and not give up! Thank you for sharing your project.
Thank you for watching! I know I could probably get the fit better if I made it in muslin first but I don’t want to make that kind of effort for most things I sew. Now my wedding dress, THAT’S a different story. I’ll probably make a couple of muslins to make sure it fits perfectly before cutting into the shantung silk fabric!!
I made that same pattern recently. I don't know if it's a problem with the original or with the repro, but the pattern has WAY too much ease which is why it came out too big. It's always a good idea to not just check the "body" measurements, but the actual garment measurements. I cut a size smaller than suggested and still took it in another 2 inches to get the fit I wanted. I didn't make a mock-up but I did assemble it with just basting first to try on, so adjustments were easy and I was very happy with it in the end. You didn't mess up the bust darts; they are high on this design, as you can see in the cover picture. They work surprisingly well once you adjust the overall sizing.
I will have to look into the sizing AGAIN before I remake it. I checked all of the ease measurements on the pattern pieces, but if they were lies then that was also part of the problem. I'll measure the pieces this time around.
Ohhh goodness. everything that came out of your mouth is exactly what I did 40 years ago when I started sewing clothes. And this is why no one sews their own clothes anymore! I would say throw a shawl over your shoulders and color the damn thing done. It looks cute on you! I’m not convinced the darts aren’t in the correct place actually. Many times they land over the bust, not right at the point. Nope, I would never try to redo all that. Thank you so much for going through this torture, unless you make lots and lots of clothes and make those mistakes just fewer and fewer times until you’re very proficient, this is the story of everyone who tries to dabble in clothes sewing. You’re doing a fine job, and I admire your grit!
I think there are a couple of reasons no one sews: it's hard to learn on your own AND it's so much cheaper to buy it at a store! I sew and love sewing because I don't want to look like everyone else. Plus I love fabric and sewing helps reduce my stash. I'm out of practice. I need to plan ahead and have patterns and fabric prepped and ready to go, so I can just sit down and sew!
Loved this! Had a sewing teacher that taught me to do a long machine basting stitch where the invisible zip goes and then to Wonder Tape it face down, stitch zip sides, stitch seam allowance, then unpick basting (I would have edges serged). Never has failed me. Love stretch cotton sateen for dresses, both cool and comfy.
You had a good sewing teacher! I used to be able to press in the line and see it; now not so much. I’m going to have to get progressive lenses for sewing so I don’t have to keep switching glasses (as much as I’m fighting them). Your basting suggestion sounds like a winner! I will definitely use it the second time around. Thanks for the tip ☺️
@@SewSewLounge oh heavens progressive lenses! I’m also a weaver, and threading heddles and reeds drove me to progressive lenses. Didn’t wear them until I retired because my loupes (dental hygienist) used my bifocals. My old loupes live in my sewing space now since they are especially handy with that light.
I’m Glad I’m not the only one that does these things. I make a lot of dumb mistakes. 😄
It happens to the best of us. 🤣
It never takes as long as the ideal estimate. No matter what- especially if it’s the first time making something.
Double that time and then double it again or 2.5-3x the time for a more reasonable estimate.
Mistakes and accidents and problems happen. If it’s not you it’ll be the supplies or the machine or the pattern itself. 😂 great attempt!
It was an entertaining experience for sure! I have made a few items in record time, but they were super easy very basic patterns. I’m always optimistic at the beginning of each two hour project and then once I get into it things go astray 😂
@@SewSewLounge whoops I didn't realize I posted twice but hey! engagement . For some reason my first comment didn't appear for a while.
What a shame all that work but it's nice to know I'm not the only one that makes mistakes. It is a lovely fabric so I'm sure it will be worth starting again, just take your time. I absolutely cannot sew quickly which is why I'll never apply for the great british sewing bee 😂😂
I like to challenge myself with these random 2-hour challenges. One day I’ll hit ny mark. Until then it’s more entertainment than anything. There is no way I could ever be on a sewing competition show. I marvel at how fast some of the contestants sew. That would stress me out too much for it to be fun!
Beautiful fabric and style. Hope you get it to fit well..
I’m determined to make it work the second time around! It’s ripped out and ready to go.
That dress is going to look amazing. Fun video.
Thank you! 🤗 I think it will be great once I get it cut to the right size.
I alway sew on the armhole facing first then sew the side seam one line down including the facing
I’ll have to try that
I'ts nice to know other people have the same sewing issues I have! Pretty fabric.
You are in good company! Despite best efforts I totally messed this dress up. Thankfully it’s fixable 😉
I’ve learned over the many years of sewing, taking time makes for a better garment. I’ve forgotten to skip steps as well😂 then having to “undo” and some have been put up to deal with after my frustration. Loved the end product and will add this pattern to my collection. Thanks!❤
I think it will beautiful once I take it apart and rework it ❤️
You done really well. I have a problem just cutting out a pattern 😢
Baby steps. One thing at a time. You can do it! ❤️
I really enjoyed your video. When I sew and I start ripping out things. It’s time to.call it quits for the day. I haven’t out in a zipper in about 15 years. I use to be quite good. I still have the instructions for invisible zipper from way back as well as the foot that is needed for the zipper. On my list of things to accomplish
I used to sew an invisible zipper really well too! I just can’t see that distance to get it lined up anymore 🤣 I agree when I rip more than once, especially in the same seam, it’s time to stop sewing. Thanks for watching ☺️
Thank you for showing us all the details. You prevailed, dress is beautiful!
You’re welcome! The dress will be beautiful once I get the fit issues fixed. Totally my bad on that issue.
Toni, that fabric is gorgeous. Thank you for sharing your journey with this pattern. This is real sewing in my experience. I hate this part of the adventure!
It is definitely not the fun part of sewing. But then again, any day sewing is better than work 🤣
I’ve had several projects go this way lately! Thanks for sharing.
You are so welcome! Thank you for watching ☺️
I have great luck with big four - but I never add any extra and I go by the finished garment measurements - never by the size guide.
The problem was the finished measurements listed on the pattern weren’t accurate. That’s why I added extra seam allowance.
@@SewSewLounge ohhhh .... uhg!
Thank you for this video and showing us the reality of sewing. Things just happen! Good to know about the understitching and seam snipping creating the ripple. We feel your pain!! Best wishes on round two with this fabric and pattern. It will be lovely on you with your fabulous workout arms!
You are very welcome! This dress project was getting very long and I was tired. I know better than to keep pushing because that’s when the bad mistakes happen. Now that I know I have to rip the whole dress apart I’m glad that I didn’t trim those seams prior to understitching 🤣
I used to always use jiffy patterns when I sewed for myself and my daughter.
I’ve found some that my grandma sewed for my aunt back in the day 😉
I have always seen people clip around curves after stitching together. What do you mean under stitching? Maybe I am not understanding.
You fold in the seam allowance and sew close on the inside of the seam on top through all 3 pieces interfacing plus the 2 pieces of seam allowance
Understitching catches the facing, interfacing, and seam allowance against the facing so everything rolls to the inside of the garment.
That pattern went by everything I was taught when I first started sewing in the late 60's. It so funny to me when I see how the self taught sewists on you tube sew. However, their garments look just as good as mine did! Progress!
While I technically learned to sew in college, I didn’t learn to sew well. I’ve learned a lot from private sewing lessons and reading vintage sewing books.
First time watching you. I love that you are so real! The dress is going to be lovely.
Aww thank you for watching! I true my best to keep it real 😉
The moment you need to walk away… I call it the moment of ruination.
I think it’s better to walk away and not ruin the dress by forcing it when it’s not working. Or worse yet, start cutting into it to “make it work”.
I had to use a simplicity pattern for a jumper in home ec. I knew what size pattern i needed but the reacher made us take out measurements and by the corresponding size. I knew i was going to be huge and it was. Thats one of the reasons that i i dont see the armhole facing in a circle and attach. If you see facing and all in one long seam down the side it is much easier to alter the sides if needed. You dont have to rip out facing. I took my jumper home and altered it to fit bby taking it up on bote sidea out an 1 1/2 inches on each side. So that was an additional 3/4 inch seam on both sides. Total of 3 inchs. Thats how too big it was. It didn't alter the shoulders or neckline.
Good to know! Unfortunately I added seam allowance to the shoulder seams (I have not idea why) so I’ve ripped them out to correct the size.
Vintage Simplicity Jiffy patterns were very easy to sew and usually took a few hours to 1/2 day. Vintage patters were plainly written and easy to understand. New Simplicity pattern instructions can be confusing because they seem to be printed in another country & translated into English. This is what I’ve experienced.
I have found that vintage patterns, including reprints give a lot more detail about the sewing process and construction tips than modern patterns. The funny thing is that more women learned to sew or knew how to sew back in the day. I have found that "learn to sew" patterns give more information and tips, but they would still be hard to use if you were just starting out.
“Loss track of time,” had me laughing! Isn’t that just what sewing is all about? 😂
Yep. Plus having to stop and start filming, running to the store to get wonder tape, it’s just got out of control 🤣
Thank you so much for sharing all.... the good and the frustrating. For myself, the tireder I am, and the more I try to rush something..... the faster it goes downhill. Thank you for your perseverance: )
You can do it! It just takes time. The universe keeps telling me to slow down. I need to start listening!
A pattern that has facings, darts, and a zipper will undoubtedly take a lot longer than 2 hours. Do not believe the time indicated on the envelope. Also, there’s never a circumstance in which a dart is sewn starting point first. Not sure who told you that. As far as sizing, you should do a toile first on muslin (no facings) to sort out the fit issues. Use your high bust measurement to choose a pattern size according to your frame size and adjust the measurements accordingly (add FBA, etc) since your skeleton doesn’t change even if your body does. I like to trace my patterns on tracing paper, make the adjustments as I draft the pattern and “tissue fit” on a dress form. I’m a costumer who often works with expensive fabrics (sometimes in limited supply, nerve wracking!) and have learned over the years that going through the trouble of drafting the pattern with adjustments on paper and making a toile first is worth the effort when fitting something with darts and zippers.
She sewed dart from the fabric edge to the point. That is the way I was taught. I made that same pattern years ago, it was a juffy, but doing the cutting and all the sewing took me more than 2 hours as I am not a fast sewist. With a large neckline there was no need for a long zipper in the back of the dress. That would speed up construction.
@@eleanoreagly4844 she mentioned while she was sewing it that darts sewn point to seam was a method she had heard of, but I never have.
I read an article in Love Sewing magazine about sewing darts from the point to the side seam for a more accurate fit. I've never seen it mentioned in any US sewing books, so I wondered if it was a UK thing.
There is no time printed on the envelope. This is an arbitrary 2 hour sewing challenge based on how long I personally think it will take me to sew it.
@@Pinnfeathers just because you've never heard of something doesn't mean it doesn't exist, or that "there's never a circumstance in which a dart is sewn starting point first". There's a rather famous sewing reference called 'Reader's Digest Complete Guide to Sewing'. It has this method under a section titled *Basic Construction Techniques*. The heading is Continuous-thread darts. It is used on sheer fabrics.
From what I understand about the reprinted "vintage" patterns, the companies use their modern pattern block rather than the one used in the pattern's actual time era. You could probably have just used the Big 4 pattern size you usually do and make whatever adjustments you normally do.
Not according to the measurements listed in the envelope! If they are changing the sizing they need to add a disclaimer!
@@SewSewLounge it would be interesting to find an actual vintage copy of that pattern and do a pattern measurement comparison as @StephanieCanada does. She finds most patterns are not the same.
LOL, the apron I'm wearing is the same fabric you used in your curtains. Love it!
I LOVE that Alexander Henry print ❤️ Grandma helped me make the curtains years ago-we had the best time seeing them together.
Love it! Pattern and fabric. I'm sure it will work out in the end.
I think it will. It’s pretty easy to rip out 🤣
Darts are always too high for me. That's the first thing I change.
Normally they are in the right spot for me. That’s why these darts were a shock!
I think you put too much emphasis in finishing the garment in 2 hours. That why it didn’t come out like you wont. But the fabric is lovely so I would just start again. Don’t worry about the time. I would still like to see the finished garment.
It’s a sewing challenge video, that’s kind of the point 😉 I’ve come close to finishing other projects in the time limit and I like to know how long it takes and time myself. I’m almost done ripping it out to start again! There will be a “fixing” video at some point in the future.
Hello from Atlanta! I just found you this morning and subscribed. I haven’t sewn a garment in decades ( I’ve done quilting and home decor ) and would like to get back to it. I love your instruction style and can’t wait to get started on your video library! You have made my day! ❤️
Thank you for your comment! It’s been a tough couple of days with the hurricane that hit Houston and it’s so nice to read your message ❤️
I have that beautiful Simplicity dress pattern as well & ❤, thanks for this video on the make of it
You’re welcome! There will be another video on remaking it 🤣
Very cool!
Thanks! 😉
Wait, you clip your curves and then under stitch? I have always just stitched. But then again I don’t so a lot of dresses or blouses. You just blew my mind! Apparently I knew this?? I had one of these last week and they are taking a time out underneath the desk where I threw them.
Yes! Otherwise it puckers like my sleeve facing. I knew it too and forgot! Which is crazy since I just clipped and understitched the neckline 🙄. I should have put my dress in a time out like yours!
Thanks for this pattern up date , i have this pattern as well ❤
I’m going to take it apart and redo it 😉
Lovely dress
Thank you ❤️
My mother made this dress for me about 17 times, it seems, when I was in jr. hi. Talk about memories!
It’s such a great dress! I can’t wait to remake and wear it.
Fabric is beautiful
Thanks. I’m loving it too 😍
Love your videos! So real! I go though the same issues and it is hot as Hades here in New Orleans. Be safe in Beryl.
Aww thank you for watching. I think NOLA is one of the few places in the world more humid than Houston! I’m staying home and hunkered down all day tomorrow. Court was cancelled so it’s going to be a sewing day all day long!!
Adjust it on the sides take it in. If you can do long fitting darts in the back. My suggestion is on the front darts pin you darts on the pattern and hold it up and see where the end up. Take the dart and change the angle on the pattern then pin and see if the angle is correct. I used to see in the 60s/70s alot and i cant say that i noticed the darts being out of position. We wear different foundations now and that could be part of the problem. Yep simplicity always runs large. Also dresses back then were not worn super fitted.
Good tips, thank you!
I heard the sleeve roll is called the sausage 😂 to complement the ham!
I love it!! I’m going to start calling it a sausage 🤣
I have one bit of advice for any sewist; Never sew when you’re angry. Fold it away, take a break & come back later. If not the next day. It’s not worth all the ripping out the stitching only to try to do it right.
I also don’t sew when I’m tired or have a headache!
@@SewSewLounge I often find myself caught up with the night getting later and later, as they do. I make mistakes and question all my skill, etc. Then I notice the time and go to bed. A fresh start is amazing the next day 😊
I'm pretty sure I made this dress in 1969 from navy blue crepe. It was stunning.
It’s such a great style. I can’t wait to remake it 😉
One more comment and I promise I'll shut up. My mom had a fashionista friend who would buy Simplicity Jiffy patterns, and attempt to sew herself a new outfit within a single evening after work. She often ended up staying up most of the night sewing--and would go into work the next morning bleary-eyed (and often late), but fashionably attired in her new dress. Or cape! I remember the patterns as not being good in the fit department, so avoided them as a teen sewer.
Back in college me and my fashion friends would make outfits to wear out clubbing on a Friday night, with mixed results 🤣
Cute dress and wonderful fabric. I've been there - all that time and you still can't wear it. Somehow my measurements never track right on a pattern, and everything is too big. Oh well. Good luck with the dress. It's a great look. The neckline is very nice. Kay in Dallas, Texas (also hot)
Thank you Kay! I will get it figured out and ready to wear at some point soon. Stay cool in Dallas!
Pin the pattern together first. That will tell you. After you sew a while you will know what size you wear in each brand. The only brand I found on size was butterick. Mccalls ran big too.
So in a nutshell it took longer than 2 hours because of normal sewing mistakes that we are all going to make.😂❤I just sewed with Scuba Knit for the first time and it was hell even with a demo version (which I sewed first) which made me thing the scuba would go smoothly. Wrong. OMG the end of the video is me yesterday with my project😂😫
I’ve thought about sewing with scuba knit but I’ve never found yardage that didn’t have a permanent crease or some damage to it. You are a brave woman!! Mistakes happen to all of us, such is life 🤣
This does not seem like a two-hour project LOL.
It seems like it should be able to be sewn in two hours. It’s not that complicated.
@@SewSewLounge I thought there were a lot of steps, so it might take more. Lots of darts and pressing, a zipper. Etc.
I'd love to learn how you made adjustments after cutting according to pattern.
I will be sharing all of that in a video too-stay tuned 😉
I just made this dress. I don’t sew very fast but I really loved this pattern
I’m liking it enough to try again! It’s such a classic style .
It will be great in the end.
I know in my heart it will be ❤️
Sometimes, if you are lucky, you can fit to the bust darts just by trying a bra that uplifts.
The only way those darts would be in the right place were if my boobs were surgically augmented 🤣 no bra could get them that high.
I'm such a slow sewist that I could never make a dress in 2 hours regardless of what it states on the pattern envelope! The dress looks lovely, I love the design and fabric!
The 2 hour time limit is arbitrary. It did start with a pattern that said it only took 2 hours to sew and then I've just kept up with the challenge time limit.
I'd much rather just take my time sewing at my own pace than rush.
Your fabric is very pretty. I feel for you....I always seem to make boo boo's too to the point I gave up sewing...but I am back at it with the attitude that it is the process I should be in the moment of and not just the finish line. Do you have a tutorial or favorite technique for changing dart placements? Thanks for your video
I love the fabric too much to let this dress languish unfinished. Plus, getting something finished is reward in itself. I'm currently in the process of ripping it out. I don't have a specific technique for moving darts-- I'll see what I can come up with and make a video to share! Thanks for the idea!
I can't recall if this is one of the "vintage" patterns that Stephanie Canada has reviewed or not. She sews a lot of decades-old patterns and sometimes compares them with the reprints and often the pattern pieces are not very similar to the original, even though the instructions are lifted right off the original (sometimes even down to the teeny tiny font!). But it seems like more of the issues you ran into were from technical issues than anything else. :( Hope the fixes work well.
I’m familiar with her channel but haven’t see this specific dress mentioned. I’ll figure it out and make it work 😉
I don't think she's reviewed this particular one, but the company has certainly made some very questionable changes in some of the repros.
Do you mind if I ask what size of clothing you buy in NA sizing?
Right now I’m between and 8 and a 10. My size 10 suits are loose but the 8s are a tiny bit tight.