Tuesday, July 3, 2012

The Conquering My Fears Shirtdress

Celebrating the 70s with my vintage pattern and my dad's wood-paneled office.
Oh Walnut, why doesn't my dad understand?

If you thought my mom was blunt about my sewing hobby, my dad is even more honest. When I came upstairs in this shirtdress, he looked at me, started laughing, and said that I looked like "a hospital nurse...or maybe a hotel maid." Oh, Dad. And to think I was even going for a (belated) Father's Day tribute dress!

See, this dress started when Father's Day came and went, but the Sew Weekly challenge didn't even mention dads at all...why is it that we can sew up garments in tribute to our mothers, but not our fathers? I suspect it might be because fathers are not usually known for their fashion choices, and mine is no exception. You know those dads who wear tube socks with sandals and shorts? Yup, that's my dad. Factor in that the sandals were less than $5 at Walgreen's fifteen years ago, and yeah... I will say, though, that my dad definitely fits a lot of the things on Dads Are the Original Hipsters. He was totally rocking the huge nerd glasses, Beatles haircut, and playing "How Many Roads Must a Man Walk Down" on the guitar when he was in college. Anyway, I decided to go ahead with my own dadwear-inspired challenge, which somehow crystallized as:
  1. A button-down shirt(dress). That's pretty much all my dad ever wears, even with sweatpants.
  2. No girly colors. My dad, who's a poster child (adult?) for old-fashioned ideas about gender roles, doesn't believe in guys wearing pink or purple (or getting ear piercings, for that matter). This dress is all about the brown and blue, albeit in more pastel, washed-out shades.
  3. DIY: whenever my dad could do something himself, he did. From building our treehouse to changing the oil in all our cars, from putting in new carpets or tiles to repaving our backyard, it was all about making a learning experience out of a task. So I frankensteined my own pattern for this dress instead of buying a shirtdress pattern. I think it worked?
  4. Conquering my fears: I'm petrified of setting in sleeves, multiple buttonholes that all have to line up, and matching prints. This dress involved all of the above. I didn't do a perfect job on any of them, but I'll say I did a pretty good job. A solid B+ effort. And this is because my dad is all about doing things that make you face your fears, whether it be just taking off the training wheels and going (I was petrified of falling off my bike onto my face), talking to strangers (have I mentioned before that I'm painfully shy? Teaching helped a bit with that, but my first decade of life was spent dreading the after-church social hour when I would have to make small talk with all the aunties and uncles), or driving on the freeway (I had a whole roundabout way that I would take to get to Costco without ever getting on the freeway, until my dad made me drive to the East Bay four times in one week before I started my first teaching job...yup, I didn't conquer my fear of driving over 35 mph until after college). Anyway, now I feel much better about sleeves, buttonholes, and prints, but I think I'll need to practice a bit more before I feel confident.   
  5. As a bonus: a vaguely geometric/mathematical-looking print. See, my dad, a scientist, also doesn't believe in majors outside of the STEM subjects. If I got less than an A in math in school, that was a cause for concern, but a C+ on an English paper? Meh. Summers growing up were spent doing math workbooks specially sent from Hong Kong (teaching algebra to a fourth grader? sure, that's a good idea!), and culminated in taking the SAT in 7th grade. So this thrifted bedsheet, with a print reminiscent of tesselating cubes, was pretty much perfect. Also, I'm pretty sure it's from the 70s, which is when my dad was living it up as a young adult.
[picture]
I used a combination of my trusty McCall's 5845 and Simplicity 7331, a 70s shirt pattern, as a basis for the bodice. I used the dart placement and size of the former and the shape of the collar, sleeves, and button-front facing from the latter. I did add a little ease to the bust and waist of my McCall's block in order to be able to raise my arms, but I'm not sure how much ease or pulling is normal. I tried windmilling my arms just to see, but that hikes up the whole dress. However, that's pretty par for the course even in my RTW dresses, so I don't know. My only real issues with my frankensteined pattern were that the sleeves turned out way too wide and long, so I had to roll them up to prevent Frump-ville, and I couldn't figure out how to make the notched collar. The instructions and diagram were pretty confusing, despite this being advertised as a "How to Sew" pattern. For the skirt portion, I used the A-line piece that came with the Simplicity pattern. In order to make it button in front, I added a couple inches of facing allowance in the center front of the skirt pieces.

Arms down.
And arms up...attempting to test the mobility of the sleeves/bodice ease.

After figuring out the free-motion sewing of my darts/lowered feed dog issue, the Kenmore behaved admirably, even managing to pound out ten lovely, lovely buttonholes. Seriously, I was afraid to do buttoned anything with my Brother, since its buttonholer was so mercurial, but now I'm kind of hooked on buttons! I want to put buttons in everything now; I'd even go so far as to say that it's less of a headache than inserting a zipper. I'm sure part of my button love is at least partly due to how perfect and softly luminescent my buttons are, though.
Close-up of my buttons, buttonholes, insides, and hem. Gosh, I love seam binding.





Back view...so pleased with how I lined up the blue bits!
Summary:
Fabric: Thrifted poly-cotton blend twin flat sheet...I was so excited when I found this one!
Notions: Ten 3/4" buttons, seam binding for the insides and the hem.
Techniques used: Buttonhole foot and Sunni's guide for preventing gaping in a button-down shirt...although frankly I don't have many worries on that front, despite not being a guy.
Hours: Ummmm...a lot. Let's just leave it at that. From figuring out the pattern, to procrastinating to avoid setting in the sleeves, to the many practice buttonholes, I'm scared to count. Okay fine, it's probably close to twenty.
Will you make this again? Yes! I really want to make another shirtdress; this is so comfortable and feels casual but put together and yet not too girly, even if it does make me look like I'm in the service industry, according to my dad. I'd love to make one in gray chambray with yellow buttons.
Total cost: $5. The buttons were 2/3 of the cost of the fabric. Doesn't that sound like the beginning of a math problem? "If Walnut the cat paid $5 for new dress materials, and ten buttons cost 2/3 as much as the fabric, how much is one button?"
Final thoughts: Okay, I know this is not really an epiphany for most people, but I'm going to say it anyway because I think you all should know how dense I can be sometimes: when a dress has ease built into it, it's more comfortable than a skin-tight bodice. In the past I've always fitted my dress bodices within an inch of their lives, and ended up, dare I say, overfitting them. While I love that look, it's not as comfortable as this looser bodice. And you know what? It doesn't look as sloppy and old-ladyish as I was afraid it might be! So yeah. There's my facepalm moment of the week. Anyway, I really like this dress, partly because it was a challenge to figure out and I'm pleased that I conquered it in the end, but mostly because it's comfortable and the print reminds me of an M.C. Escher piece of art. I know that's a stretch, but still!

Running to and jumping on the windowsill and trying to balance on the narrow ledge while keeping a normal expression, all before the self-timer went off, was quite a challenge.

Okay, just standing here is much easier. And all those little rows of blue cube-y things make me so happy!

Incidentally, if you're wondering what my mom said about my dress, her pronouncement was that it was pretty good, but the bust darts were too high. Darn, to think that I thought I could get away without someone noticing.

50 comments:

  1. I love all your sewing stuff and this one is made even more special because of your dad story. And it looks really nice on you!

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    1. Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed reading my little stories about my dad!

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  2. Eh, bust darts, pffffft. ;-) I think the dress looks great on you, and that you should definitely make another! :-) What a cool way to honor your dad, even if he didn't quite "get it".

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    1. I am definitely making another one, but I just need to find the right fabric! I'm pretty sure my dad won't get that one either ;)

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  3. I love your explanation of all the reasons this is dad-inspired! it also reminds me of an Escher :)

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    1. Oh good! I'm glad I'm not just hallucinating the Escher connection.

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  4. I love all the thought you put into this project so that it perfectly reflects your love and admiration for your dad! And it's cute too!

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  5. your dad tales are awesome. and walnut the cat as a math problem? come on.

    you rocked it on that dress. i would give you WAY more than a b+, but then again, i took the SATS (quite miserably) in the normal fashion. my judgement is not to be trusted.

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    1. Oh Oona, I would trust your judgment! I'm pretty sure if they put all math problems in terms of cats, everyone would do better in math :)

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  6. I think it looks great! Very retro cool. =) And I really like the geometric print!

    Maybe you just need to add underarm gussets to your sleeves to give you the less restricting movement you want. (The football shaped kind can be built into your sleeve pattern so you don't have an obvious piece between the sleeve and bodice.)

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    1. Thanks, Brooke! I'm a little confused about this built-in gusset, though. I've never done any kind of gusset before and the idea of football on my pattern is too much for me!

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    2. lol - I'll add it to my list of things to blog about. Gussets are more common in theatre sewing (dancers need them all the time for ease of movement) and I have a theatre text book that shows the magic of the "built in gusset". I've actually used it on a couple lace wedding dresses.

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  7. Beautiful!
    -Sandra

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  8. I love reading about your mum's history and how you relate that sewing is now a luxury now compared to when it used to be a necessity.

    I love your shirt dress and I think your dad is just being a Chinese Dad? Old style Chinese parents r actually proud of us but just don't want to say so as not to spoil us! Hehe

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    1. Hah, I know my dad is just being typical for his culture and generation; it's mostly amusing because I know he's not trying to be mean. Thanks for understanding where he's coming from!

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  9. What nice snippets of story about your Dad. Your shirt dress fits well, looks practical and smart, and the print line up and buttons are lovely details.

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  10. Well, far be it for me to not be a dutiful child but I must say, I think the bust darts are just fine, and I think this looks lovely, I don't feel the need to ask you for room service at all! Just a really nice dress.

    In my house, it was understood that math was what-the-hell-ever but if you can't figure out English or History you might as well just take to the streets, you aren't welcome there. Our attitude was, you're a human, study the humanities!

    strugglesewsastraightseam.wordpress.com

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    1. Leah, if you ever came out to the West Coast to visit, I would be happy to bring you a sandwich and coffee :) And how funny that your house was exactly the opposite when it comes to the humanities! To this day, my understanding of history is all self-taught after graduating from school, since its importance wasn't emphasized when I was growing up.

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  11. Lovely dress! Your dresses always look so well made and beautifully finished! I understand what your saying about becoming more accepting of ease in patterns. I have been an over-fitter for so long and I have just started to overcome it and understand the error in my ways.

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    1. Thank you! I actually started thinking more about ease and fitting thanks to reading your blog!

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  12. It looks flawlessly perfect to me, just gorgeous! Even with the more-than-usual ease, you still manage to make it look fitted and elegant. Amazing find on the thrifted sheet too! x

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    1. I'm glad it still looks fine with the ease! And I've been searching high and low for an equally awesome sheet for you...no luck yet, though! :(

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  13. Thats a very cool dress! I really like the print. Sheets are great for those. I'm always drawn to ridiculous florals which will only ever work for summer 50's dresses, and I don't *always* feel like wearing something so fluffy and cutesy.

    I cant see any fit issues there either - it looks perfect :-D

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    1. Thanks, Esz! I have so many floral sheets in my stash it's ridiculous. I totally know what you mean about how fluffy/cutesy aren't quite as appropriate for say, a 40s era wartime rationing dress.

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  14. i love it! that print is great - no wonder you were happy to find it!

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    1. Thanks! The print really makes this special...the dress lines are pretty normal in themselves.

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  15. I love it! Your parents sound like Mennonite parents...easy on the praise or your child will become proud! It is done in love! But, I think I said to you before, we all make the mistakes (like the darts) but the average person, who can't even "turn on" a sewing machine would never notice. Only an experienced seamstress would. Besides I've had wonky darts in RTW because the elf the top was patterned after wasn't built like me!

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    1. I never thought of parents other than Asian immigrants being like that, so thanks for expanding my world! I agree that most people wouldn't notice the darts, but I did and was kind of hoping nobody else would...leave it to my mom to! But then, she's a seamstress herself so it was almost inevitable.

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  16. I love it! From the tribute to your dad right down to the Escher-like print (and I love that it's not an in-your-face color scheme, too), it's fabulous. I'm putting more pennies in my dress form jar right now so I'll be able to make clothes for myself!

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    1. Thank you! I also like that the colors are more subdued...I have enough ostentatiously girly dresses as it is. I will say, though, that you don't need a dress form to sew! It makes it easier, but I did plenty of sewing without one.

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  17. I love this shirtdress, Cindy! Way to tackle something new! I think it fits you well and is super cute with the belt! Awesome work! High five for conquering your fears! In addition to loving all of your sewing creations, I really appreciate your writing! This post about your dad was so funny and real. You have a true talent for storytelling!

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    1. Thanks for appreciating my stories, Shayna! Especially since you have to listen to them all the time! And it is also your encouragement that helps me conquer my fears!

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  18. Chuckled nonstop while reading your "dad list" in this post--pretty much everything on it could apply to mine, too. The dress looks great!

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    1. Thanks! How nice to have another dad sympathizer!

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  19. Love that your shirtdress has such a flattering cut! I keep avoiding making my own, because off-the-rack versions always end up looking like I raided my husband's closet.

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    1. Hah! I was afraid of the same thing, especially with the added ease...

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  20. Really lovely job, and such a touching story - all the thought you put into a tribute for your dad HAD to have touched his heart ^__^

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    1. Thank you! I'll be honest, I didn't tell him about it...

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  21. Well, *I* think it's cute. Did you explain to your Dad why it's all for him? ;)

    Your fears sound a lot like mine, especially the driving. I didn't realize until I moved away from my hometown how much my driving anxieties were tied to place, though---even though my new city is four times the size, I could drive the freeway here with scarcely a flutter! Of course, now I go home and can't fathom what I was so worked up about, except the annoying smalltown drivers who don't know how to merge ;)... Good job facing them! My rule of thumb for fitted wovens is if I can put my hands on my hips without the whole thing hiking up. Having the sleeve cut higher under the armpit, and the angle the sleeve makes to the body (which is partly the sleeve-cap height) affect it more than bodice ease, as far as I can tell. :)

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  22. Wonderful dress. I, too, am afraid of multiple button holes! Nice tribute to your dad and you don't look like a nurse or a maid! You look beautiful.

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  23. That print does remind me of MC Escher! What a sweet tribute to your dad! I love the fit on you. With buttonholes you do need plenty of ease . Not nursey at all! I conquered a sewing fear this week too: invisible zippers.

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  24. This dress turned out beautifully! I love the subtle print paired with the blue buttons and brown belt, and the cut is pretty fantastic. I was afraid of buttonholes at first, but I've come to realize that they really are so much easier than zippers! This is a great tribute to your Dad!

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  25. I really like this dress! It looks like something you could wear every day (I have a shirtdress that I pretty much live in all summer long), and I love your tribute to your dad.

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  26. I LOVE this dress!!! Sooo cute. :) And you don't look like you're a nurse, by the way!

    ~Gillian
    youngyankeelady.blogspot.com

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  27. Ughh, I know what you mean about buttons. I am working on a 1925 hand crank sewing machine and simply switched to hook and eye. I know I am going to have to do something though. I am afeared, afeared I tell ya. LOL

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  28. I started my day visiting your page. You're a gorgeous person, I surely will drop by now and then. Greetings from Germany!

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