Sunday, January 10, 2010

Butterick 5247 for Immediate Gratification

Recent sewing projects I've completed have been challenging. It is the first time in probably months that I started a dress pattern and completed it in one day. This was a nice project for immediate gratification sewing.

I pin fitted the pattern yesterday morning and began the process of making adjustments to the pattern. I needed a FBA of 1.5 inches; also a swayback and narrow back adjustment. Using my Fit For Real People "bible", I needed this reference to guide me through making a FBA with cut on kimono style sleeves. Using their method I was able to make the adjustments fairly smooth, even though it incorporated cutting off the sleeve and the bottom of the dress and then reattaching and truing up side seams. Some similar cutting and reattaching occurred after taking a narrow back tuck and swayback adjustment. All went back together well.

I cut out the fabric last night. I set up the serger and the coverstitch machine and was ready to sew this AM.

I probably could have completed the dress in two hours including allowing time for fitting. It took me longer as I took several breaks to do laundry, cooking and such. The dress is now complete. The only thing left to do is make the tie belt as this is one option for belting the dress. I also have two other chain type belts I plan to wear with the dress.
The only use of my sewing machine was to sew the darts that I kept as a result of the FBA and to baste the side seams for fitting before serging the seams. All other sewing was with the serger and coverstitch machine. I am loving the coverstitch machine more and more. I am getting much better with aligning the beginning and ending stitches to help stitch over and better secure the stitches. Acquiring the seam guide for the machine has also been a tremendous help.

I took a few photo shots of the dress hanging on the hanger before starting cooking dinner. My second garment for 2010 complete.



10 comments:

  1. You are going to love wearing this dress! I love wearing mine and it is a quick mindless sew especially since you didn't complicate yours by adding a lining! :)

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  2. That is one beautiful top and the color is lovely too. BTW, Please where did you get a guide for your CS, I have janome 1000CP and I am finding it difficult to align the beginning and the last stitch... Have a lovely week

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  3. I have been into that instant gratification of late! It has been all I have had time for recently. I hope to soon have time to begin something bigger - like a pair of Jalie jeans!

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  4. Super blue dress. Something you can dress up or down. I bet it felt good to sew something in one day!

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  5. Two finished projects already! You are really going full throttle! Your new dress is really cute.

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  6. Wonderful dress, especially when it's done in one day. Where did you get the knit?

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  7. Your dress looks great! Love the fabric too. I know what you mean about instant gratification sewing. I think that's what I did all last year, LOL! That why I want to get some challenging things going.

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  8. Lovely dress and also need instant gratification ... will be sifting through my patterns for that dress.

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  9. looks comfy and love the deep rich color. What a great dress...thanks for stoping by and commenting on my blog, and letting me know about the Mitford series, I have very much enjoyed the beginning books in the series. I want to see if there are other series too.. Debb

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