Victory over Simplicity 1801

prior to alterations

post alterations

(equally crappy pictures, for fair comparisons - scroll down for nice ones taken in actual sunlight...)

Dearest Hive-Mind,

Thank you for your help!  As you can see, I redid the bodice and am now infinity happier with the fit.

                                             All my love,

                                                               Allison

This was a bit insane, as I had to take the dress almost completely apart - I got to be *amazing* at pulling out serging.  However, at long last, victory was mine!    I ended up taking in the shoulders by about a centimeter, elongating and shaping the midriff, and this last one hurt, taking out the pockets.    I love me some pockets, but with material this drapy it just wasn't working.  I mourn the pockets.

alterations to midriff

As in the nature of things, this picture is properly rotated in file and 90 degrees off on the blog.   I have no idea...   Anyhow.  I lengthened the the midriff about two inches and added a shaping section to the center front, so it would better sit over my hips.  (the back was expanded in the same way, slice and add!)  This allowed the gathers to sit *below* my natural waist, which I think is far more flattering in general.   In terms of other changes to the pattern, I moved the zipper from the side to the center back and removed the gathering from the small of the back on the bodice. I also raised the neckline about an inch (and its still a bit lower than intended....)

All in all, I'm rather pleased with this dress.   The rayon was a pain in the ass to work with, but lovely to wear.   (It grows... not only on the bias, but everywhere... I'm also pretty sure the bodice expanded while I was wearing it.   gremlin-fabric....  but awesome-summer-wear gremlin-fabric, so I'll give it a  pass)

I felt terribly elegant.  Despite having removed a good 8 inches of width from the original pattern version of the skirt, I still found I had plenty of room to walk.  The skirt itself is a bit wider than my natural stride, and I hike it up a bit if I want to run.

Somehow I neglected to get a proper picture of the back.... so this will have to do.   I call this one, watching-people-walk-by-trying-to-figure-out-if-I-know-them.