Saturday, August 29, 2015

"That Fabric Hurts My Eyes."



I love a good striped fabric, and this narrow navy and white knit with tiny silvery mylar strands woven into it has been waiting in my stash for three years. I originally purchased it with View E of McCall's 6559 in mind, but then I saw McCall's 7121 and, in the words of Barney Stinson, "newer is always better!" It seemed like a good way to make a maxi dress that would make the most of the stripes, while using less fussy cutting than my original idea. Besides, I like the idea of making a Harley Quinn sundress at some point...

It's a little looser at the waist than I'm used to for this kind of dress, and that neckline is weird, but I don't care enough to troubleshoot it. 
There's a teeny bit of swayback going on that I should probably fix in my next version. 

I constructed the dress almost entirely using my serger, with the exception of the hem and the neck and armholes, where the instructions simply said to fold over and stitch. This worked okay, but still slightly sloppy, on the neckline...but looked just pathetically Becky Home-Ecky on the armholes. Maybe it's that my jersey had less stretch to it than necessary for that finish, but I'm inclined to say that anytime you're asked to fold over a smaller circumference and then stitch to a larger circumference, you're going to end up with some amount of weird pulling and messy stitching. I'm kind of sad that I "wasted" this fabric on a dress I don't absolutely love, but I've still got enough fabric left for one of my dolman sleeve tops, and I know I love those.

Hyeeernghhh that armhole stitching. Ugh. And the mess at the V-neck. 
Quick, distract them with chevrons! Okay, never mind, even those aren't perfect. 
At least my knit hems have come a long way, though! Ever since StephC posted about hemming knits with fusible webbing to stabilize them, I've used that method to avoid wavy bumpy bunchy hems like the one on the left. 

Summary:
Pattern: McCall's 7121
Fabric: Mystery blend (suspected rayon/poly, with some silvery mylar strands in there) jersey knit from Michael Levine Loft, at least three years old. Because of how dense the stripes are, they play all sorts of tricks with the camera (and the naked eye...enough that when I was cutting out the pattern pieces, Mr. Cation said that the fabric hurt his eyes).
Notions: Steam-A-Seam for the hem
Hours: 3...the part that took the longest was cutting (no handy stripe guide like the Tiramisu pattern) and the neckline/armhole. I hate that the instructions just have you fold it over to hem, which doesn't work for the curves of the armholes, and it looks unprofessional.
Total cost: $2
Will you make it again? It's a good pattern for showing off stripes, but I won't make it again unless I have a fabric with bigger stripes. It's just too much trouble trying to line up these tiny 1/8" stripes! I'm also keen on giving that Harley Quinn dress on the pattern envelope a try!
Final thoughts: I was excited about this pattern when I got it, but went through a period of frustration and I'm-sure-this-is-going-to-be-terrible when I was trying to put it together. I should really stop following the directions on a pattern when I know I'm not going to like the finished look! I should've just done my regular binding, but it had been so long since I did this kind of finish that I thought I'd give it a try because yes, it is faster, and maybe I was exaggerating in my head how awful it was? No, no I wasn't. Although the finished dress is fine and I'll certainly wear it, I'll feel more comfortable with a cardigan on to hide the awful armhole stitching! Still, it's a nice enough overall effect.


Speaking of the cardigan, it's the one that comes with McCall's 7135, a Khaliah Ali jumpsuit pattern (and the original reason why I bought it). It's the first time I've ever sewn a shawl collar, and it was a lot easier than I expected, although invisibly hand-stitching down the collar seams like more work than warranted for an "easy" knit pattern. The cardigan definitely runs big in the arm and armscye, but since it's a very basic navy blue, I'm sure I'll wear it a lot anyway.

You can see here how thin this fabric is, as the stripes of the dress are faintly visible. 

Summary:
Pattern: McCall's 7135
Fabric: Rayon tissue knit, leftover from this dress
Notions: None
Hours: 1.5, with most of the time spent trying to fiddle the slippery fabric into place at the collar while stitching it down
Total cost: $1
Will you make it again? I'd like to try it again with a modified sleeve and a thicker, more stable knit...maybe a sweater knit?
Final thoughts: A cardigan in a tissue knit seems silly, but it works perfectly for school, where my lab classroom doesn't have functional air conditioning but my lecture classroom does, so I can layer and transition appropriately. I just wish the sleeves were tight enough to roll up, since having SHB = always having to roll up my sleeves to deal with messes.

I'm pretty sure I could fit two of my spindly arms into the sleeve, it's so Saggy Baggy Elephant!


Mediocre projects like these make me feel a little off my game with sewing. Maybe it's that I took such a long break from it because of SHB, or that mommy brain means I'm not as sharp as I was, but I really feel like I need a project that I can sink my teeth into. Only problem is, I'm usually too mentally tired to think about anything that difficult or long-term, so then I just spend my sewing time on silly little knit projects that turn out serviceable but not at all exciting (okay, the cat sweatshirt was exciting, but not technically difficult at all!). In some ways, it's not dissimilar to those articles about people living in poverty experiencing decision fatigue, but way less serious, of course.

Does anyone else ever go through this? i.e. real life (in my case, still adjusting to being a mother while working, which I know millions of people do all the time, so maybe I'm just a wuss who can't get it together) is so tiring that they just do second-rate things that aren't what they really want to be doing with their little spare time? How do you deal with it? Other working moms, how do you find time to have a life? Where do you get the mental reserves to sew Chanel jackets and tailor blazers and fit historical gowns and research new costumes? Actually no, scratch that last one -- I am so good at research -- because it's taking the research and actually putting it to use that's the difficult part for me!

From (the sadly long dead) Fyeah Seamstress Tiger tumblr. 


51 comments:

  1. The first year working with a babe us exhausting. Never mind with two kids. I did a lot of no-brain projects in those first few years. Then, after they get a bit older and getting better at sleeping in the night you will find yourself with less mommy brain and more time (especially in the evening). I am a teacher as well and those first few years were hard, but it will get better! Do what you can and don't fuss over what you cannot. Family and a tiny bit of mommy time are first priorities!

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    1. Thankfully, SHB started (finally!) sleeping through the night a couple months ago, so I've been able to get a lot more done now that I'm somewhat better rested...it's hard not to feel like I have to use all the free time for prep/grading instead of for myself, though. Definitely a tricky balance, but I'm glad to hear some wisdom from a fellow teacher!

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  2. O and that means you are NOT a wuss!

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  3. I like the outfit and think there is nothing mediocre about ding some easy and relaxing sewing once in a while. After adjustment, you WILL get back to sewing more complicated stuff, so don't sweat it...

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    1. Thanks for the reminder! Sometimes you just need permission to be mediocre for a little while...

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  4. Definitely not a wuss! When babies/kids are small they do take so much energy, and as a full-time working mum at that time, I wish I'd cut myself some slack! There's a time and a place for easy, no-brainer projects and that's totally ok - like Barbara said, as SHB gets bigger you will find yourself having more time and energy for more involved sewing. Having said that, being fulfilled in yourself is really (really!) important too, and if you're feeling the need for your sewing to stretch you more then it's definitely worth paying attention to that. How about deciding to tackle something for 15 or 30 mins each 'session' when SHB is asleep? With a strict time limit on it so you know your energy for it only has to last that long and no more. I didn't try it myself, but then when I look back at things I made whike mine were small, I realise the extent to which baby brain is a real thing... either way,I hooe you find a good balance! And fwiw, I love both these makes even if you feel a bit meh about them 😊

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    1. Err those things at the end are supposed to be this :-)

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    2. I think as I look back at these pictures again, it's not that I'm meh about the makes per se, but more meh about them in comparison to the more elaborate things I used to make. Thanks for the practical tips!

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  5. I love this combination. The dress and jacket both look great. No one will ever notice that there are any tiny imperfections. Stop being so hard on yourself!

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    1. Thanks for the encouragement, Andrea! I have to keep reminding myself that most people aren't sewists!

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  6. Lovely dress and cardi, and I needed a second look to notice any stripe matching issues. I have a few kids and they are the biggest drains of time, energy and creativity. I really need work pants, ones with pockets, a fly zip and a bit of elastic in the black waistband, in a nice quality natural fibre woven.

    The effort involved in adjusting a pattern and making a trial version is just too great. I miss the days when it was possible to start work on something and not have to put it away. Instead I have a few serviceable pairs of pull on pants in stretch bengaline, because they are quick to cut out and sew up!

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    1. Yes, you understand! That mental energy for making muslins is a difficult bargain when you don't have a wearable garment out of it. And having to clean up the sewing area every night is a pain, when I used to be able to just shut the door.

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  7. My SHB is 17 months old, and I've been exclusively quilting, because I can spend 90 seconds sewing two triangles together and feel like I'm making progress. I just keep reminding myself that it will be better in a few years. (Also I enjoy the story of my mom getting into my sister's crib to finish a cross-stitch project, because we toddlers wouldn't leave her alone!)

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    1. Quilting is a great idea! What do you do with the finished quilt tops, though? That's what gets me, because I feel like the quilting process is so involved. Then again, that might be because I'm self-taught and don't know the "proper" way to do it, so maybe it's not as arduous as I think it is?

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  8. Your dress is absolutely beautiful. First thing that struck me was the way you got all the stripes matching. Don't be so hard on yourself, I didn't notice any flaws. Just a very striking dress,

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    1. I think it definitely helps that it's so visually distracting, nobody will be looking for errors, and the narrow stripes actually help with that busyness. Thank you for your kind words!

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  9. You are doing way more than I ever could have managed with a toddler! It will get better when the little one takes up less of your mental energies (i.e. when he can do most things for himself). And if you're still nursing, producing milk can take a lot out of a woman, so cut yourself some slack. There is a light at the end of the mommy brain tunnel :)

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    1. Ooh, I never heard the nursing brain thing! I definitely feel more tired on the days when he's fussy (and therefore wants to nurse more)...

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  10. I think it's gorgeous, I don't know what you're talking about :) But yea, I can't imagine sewing with a brand new little one; I have a hard enough time without one! :)

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    1. Lol! I felt that way before SHB too, but I knew the feeling would pass eventually. SHB is pretty permanent, though ;)

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  11. Hi Ms. Cation, Thanks for continuing to post and be honest about what's going on with you. I love to see what's going on with you and Mr. Cation and the SHB. My SHB is now almost 17 (!!!) and if I remember right, that information will not EVEN seem RELEVANT to you at this point. In my old life, I sewed nearly all my clothes, but then going back to school ate up some, and a new career ate up some, and then ... the SHB. I sewed exactly two dresses for my daughter when she was a toddler, so you are way ahead of me there. I also sewed a Victorian dress Halloween costume for her, which of course entailed an emergency trip down south to the Bernina repair shop because of my long-unused machine. Now we have our own small practice (work, that is) but not sure that it any less demanding. Anyway, so much enjoying sewing for myself now, can't stand to buy any more clothes. Somehow being allowed to take the time to make something as perfect as I want is quite soothing (no one says "are these hours billable? do I need this much design and detail?" when I'm only satisfying myself). It's very personal, I find, what level of care/detail/planning-versus-finished-garment is soothing and helpful. I do find, now, that if I can get a tiny bit of the planning, going-through-boxes-for-fabric, assembling-stuff part done in some of the evenings after work (read, after SHB is in bed?) then it's a bit less daunting on the weekend. Of course my weekends are slightly more my own due to age of my SHB. And I have to drag my machine and ironing board out and put them in the kitchen (until SHB goes to college!). If I remember right, you have a sewing room or sewing area where you can leave things out, right? Maybe just give yourself a tiny goal - and just do that part instead of trying to finish a garment. I thought that the cardigan looked great, by the way, and you look great; no need to think that two arms could go in one sleeve! The cardigan is a great idea to go with the striped dress and then you don't have to worry about the finish on the armscye, right? You are doing just great and I think that you should focus on the part that makes you feel good when you stop for the night, and forget about the rest.

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    1. Thank you for taking the time to share your experience! I had to laugh at the billable hours. Yes, getting to decide for myself how perfectionist to be is definitely a luxury.

      I used to have a designated sewing room, but then it got turned into SHB's room. I definitely have to clean up the sewing mess every night since SHB is still sticking everything into his mouth. I like the idea of doing the planning on the weekdays, though, so that I can really dig in on the weekends. Thankfully, my husband is really good about taking over SHB duty on the weekends so I can sew.

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  12. Dude. I'm a stay at home mom, and my first born just turned 3. I am STILL trying to to find the time to work back in fulfilling creative projects, let alone keep our place from caving in from dirty everything and other normal human endeavours of basic survival, and I don't even have the work dynamic to figure in! I think parenthood is all about speed wobbles until the hills smooth out again...which will be slightly different for every family. The secret seems to be that no one feels like they have it together, there is a lot of fake it til' you make it. But I am banking on that eureka! moment to hit again someday when I draw/sew/make etc... I can feel it's getting closer... too bad we are about to throw a #2 baby into the mix, lol. :) “Go back?” he thought. “No good at all! Go sideways? Impossible! Go forward? Only thing to do! On we go!”- Bilbo

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    1. Hahaha that makes me feel so much better! I definitely feel like a faker some (scratch that, most) days. Bilbo is so wise, isn't he?

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  13. I think both pieces look nice! Especially the dress, it'll be great no matter what the season is. And I hope you can figure out the balance--I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to get anything done with Mr. Doesn't Want To Nap When Not Being Held, now that I'm getting back into some of my teaching. And since it's just music lessons, that's not nearly as many hours as you're doing! Hang in there!

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    1. Oh man, I feel you! SHB didn't nap on his own until he was seven months old, so I just did a LOT of babywearing...hang in there too!

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  14. I like your dress and so understand when turning under edges and topstitching goes wonky. I think the dress looks look on you and adding a jacket gives it a more business look if you are not going for casual.

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    1. So glad you get the whole turning under thing on armscyes! I was beginning to wonder if I was just really, really bad at it.

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  15. All those things you said. I had my SHBs back to back and I swear I haven't had a full night's sleep in 3 years. My sewing projects are beyond basic. If I didn't have a serger I'd be completely adrift. But oh I do need the creative release. So I sew crappy rayon jersey knits into basic shapes and I buy/stash pretty silk prints for that time in the future when maybe I'll have the time, energy and inclination to do more.

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    1. Oh good, I'm not the only one! I have so many "I'll sew that when SHB goes to school" projects, and I didn't even think about the whole timeline being pushed back if we have another one :P

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  16. I like the dress and cardigan. How about thinking of it this way - you got two well fitted pieces for way less than you would have paid at retail for two not so great fitting pieces. The thing about sewing with younguns in the house is that it allows you to satisfy that creative craving even if you no longer have time for those heavy duty all-involved sews. Definitely a win in my book!

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    1. True, I would never get this out of RTW. Thanks for providing some perspective!

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  17. I think it looks awesome.
    I really like how it pops with the belt.

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  18. About spending time doing things you don't really love because little energy, I get that. I don't have to juggle a job as well, but I do have 3 (4th due anytime this week!) kids aged 4 and under, and my freetime is limited. I find having a "project list" of all my ideas that I want to do, and coming to it for inspiration, helps. Often ideas come to me in bursts, faster than I can actually produce, so making a list with short descriptions (and linking it to research that I have done) helps me pick up where I left off months (or years...eek) later.

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    1. I have no idea if this is an issue for you at all, but I found so much of my sewing time & mental energy was being wasted by disorganization.
      I am the least organized person, but I've found so much mental energy is used up by pulling out tissue patterns (I hate tissue paper), or trying to find where I put my notions or my fabric, etc. So in a burst of nesting syndrome I went through my stash (in rubbermaid tubs) and jotted down a brief description of each thing (pink sheet--cotton, polyester dark brown 3 yrds, etc) in a list and taped it to the outside of the tub. Then I took another tub, and stuffed all my notions (roughly by what they were---elastic, buttons,zippers) into gallon bags and put them in it. All my thread cones went into a drawer, and my scissors &stitch ripper &measuring tape etc went into a little plastic container (like a pencil case) that I kept right by my sewing machine. That took a lot of the emotional energy out of finding stuff, and saved a lot of time searching for stuff.
      And about patterns---I've found it takes so much mental energy for me to cut out patterns and put the pieces down, and that somewhere in my soul I loathe tissue paper. So now, if I want to try out a pattern, I open it in the morning, while the kids are eating snacks, and trace it (using a wet ink pen, dotting through hte paper) onto construction paper (that I just tape pieces together to get a big piece). I keep the the construction paper pattern pieces in manila hanging folder things that I put in a plastic file box (from walmart, $6). Its so much easier for me to pull patterns out and cut them out at night, if its nice sturdy construction paper (and easier to alter too) that wrestle with huge pieces of tissue paper.
      But that is me.
      I guess, basically try to find which parts of the sewing process sap your emotional energy the most, and see how you can do things differently, or something....
      Good luck :)

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    2. I think what kills me is the time it takes to get into a really involved technique, e.g. zipper flies, tricky fitting, etc. I can really identify with everything you're saying, though, especially the emotional energy being wasted on looking for things! I may need to go through and do a really big organization, but the real question is finding the time. Maybe when my in-laws are in town. Still, I really like your methodology and think it could really help me streamline the sewing process.

      Walnut adores sitting on tissue paper, so I think he would be angry if I gave it up. Then again, he's angry when I shoo him off, so it might be a lose-lose situation.

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  19. I definitely found this. I'm not a mum, but I was sick for about two years, a while back, with brain fog and fatigue. It was so so frustrating. I so badly wanted a more satisfying project but any time I'd try, I'd mess something up, feel bad about it, and not have time or brain space to fix it. So I'd abandon it and do a knit project, half the time they'd turn out not quite right either, but at least wearable.

    For me, it got better when *I* got better - I imagine (and hope!) that it will get better as SHB gets older. I also found that organising helped, like Hannah says, and finding ways to isolate whatever it is that it your sticking point, and deal with that. Having things ready to go meant I wasn't spending my limited brain juice on finding things, or sorting things. Separating things like planning, cutting, and sewing all helped. Even now I still often cut one evening, do darts and stay stitching another, and then chop sewing up into manageable chunks - it helps me stay focused enough to not get sloppy. I also found I had times when sewing was just not possible, and times when I could squeeze it in. It helped to not beat myself up for not having the capacity to sew, but I also had to try not to rush things. If I started a dress and then put it down, and then it was another month before i got to it... well, that was fine. Oh and LEAVE NOTES. You think you'll remember where you are up to but you definitely won't.... well, I won't anyway!

    I really REALLY want that Harley quinn dress... I bet finding a good red would be hard, though.

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    1. Brain fog is definitely what it feels like. It's like the mental equivalent of squinting all the time, thinking if I could just move that darn fog out of the way I could figure it out!

      I've been looking for a Harley Quinn red for the last month and still nothing!

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  20. OOoooohhhh yes. And it's still an issue, with kids now 9 and 11. It's a YEARS long exercise in patience. I've found that my sewing skill is still growing, so that's pleasing ... but I just have to adjust my mind to much lower output than I wish for. I think building slowly is the key (since it's going to be slow, might as well ensure you are building too!!!) So I have felt best when I discovered a pattern that worked for me and then refined it (3-4 versions). The beginning versions are good and the later versions are really rewarding.

    The corollary is that there's a lot of mind-game here - how do you pick that right pattern in the first place? I have had to be super-discerning and strict, sounds like what you realized with your dress as well. Just no time for things that don't feel right.

    And then ... allow for mistakes. There are bound to be some right? I know how it feels to just be so FRUSTRATED. But, it's not fun to spend time in that space. So plan for some wadders and the inevitable longer-length-of-time-than-you-want to get to something good again.

    Last thing - make the fabric be worth it. With such limited time to sew, I don't like to sew things in crappy fabric. And, I'm buying less fabric. So may as well pay a little more.

    Good luck!!!

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    1. Excellent, practical advice! I definitely get really frustrated with mistakes and tend to mentally throw my hands up and give the whole night up for lost. And yes, when I sew with crappy fabric the results tend to make me wonder why I wasted time on it. Might be time for a good, realistic stash purge...

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  21. My comment is going to be a bit repetitious cause everyone had good advice on here, but: cut yourself some slack!!! You have a SHB in your life now and it's a lot of work! Of course you're tired!

    I think the dress looks nice! I was so dang impressed with your stripe matching. I would have gone cross eyed looking at that...

    So, my advice is similar: break your bigger projects down into smaller more manageable chunks. (This is the research/planning part you like so much!) I don't think I noticed the mommy brain as much because I was so scatter brained to begin with. ^^; My way to compensate for my inability to remember anything is to have lists upon lists with lists of lists.

    At the start of each project, I spend a bunch of time researching and breaking it down into an itemized list of things to do. Then each night, when I only have 2-3 hours to sew tops (and it's usually less than that after dinner and working out and laundry and Dota2 =D), I pick one item off my list to tackle and when I finish it, I get the satisfaction of checking it off. (Of course the downside is if it isn't on my list, I forget to do it, and that has totally happened before. =D)

    I also had to really adjust my expectations on my output. I went from 5-7 costumes a year to 1 (2 if I'm feeling ambitious) costumes a year. Because of that, I try to chose the thing I want the most and work on that as a long term project, and occasionally, I take a break to do a small project so I have a finish.

    Hang in there! It will get better!

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    1. Yeah, it's so hard when you have costume ADHD and want to make ALL the things! I have a serious case of newer-is-always-better, so I do research and purchase fabric, then get distracted by some new idea.

      I really like your lists upon lists, and think it might work really well for me. Especially when it comes to costumes, where there aren't already set instructions to follow, I can see how writing an order of operations would help save mental energy later.

      I am still so impressed by the costumes you manage to sew with two little ones!

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  22. I'm just finishing up a dress with this same pattern - the fit is really odd - especially the elastic casing. It seems like it should either be looser and go with the blousing, or be tighter and fit. I ended up taking it in a bit. I haven't decided what to do out the armholes and things, but I agree fold over is ...strange.

    despite the wacky pattern, I think your dress turned out lovely and not at all home-ecy

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    1. Phew, I'm not the only one! Yeah, I feel like it couldn't decide whether it wanted to be tight or not, so it just looks confused.

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    3. I think McCalls just bunted hard on this one. (my sport terminology was corrected....)

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  23. LOVE the pattern and what you did with it. I love the fit, too--a piece you can dress up and wear with heels, or take to the beach. And oh yes, I totally identify with the little kid fatigue aspect of wishing I could see. It's been a couple of decades, but I do remember it. There will come a time, when your SHB is 6 or 7 and totally engrossed in his drawing project, or bulding with Legos, and it will be great for him to look over and see Mommy totally engrossed in her drawing or building project. Maybe you will show him how to model some armor out of foam, or work with glue and paint on his own costume! Your example will be a powerful reminder to him that creativity is an important part of our daily lives!
    Thanks for your post!

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  24. So glad to be back at your blog enjoying your posts! This is so random, but you got the bird knit fabric at FIDM didn't you? I also bought it but it totally bled in the wash. Did yours?

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    1. Nope, no bleeding! I've washed it many times, too, always on cold.

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