SewLibra:
New Look 6261 is a basic sheath dress pattern. I want a looser summer dress with a side zip for summer. I really do not like back zippers.
SewLibra:
I'm using this pretty navy and yellow Telio Picasso rayon poplin. The name is "Print Floral Navy".
SewLibra:
Twice Amazon sent me this busy fabric instead of what I actually ordered. They said to keep it. I finally got what I ordered which was nowhere near the look of this busy print! It's almost gone finally. LOL.
SewLibra:
I cut size 14 neck/armscye, graded to 18 waist to hem. This should fit my measuremens to the hip, then will drape gently toward the hem. On my muslin I clipped, folded down, and pressed the armscyes instead of sewing facings.
SewLibra:
I have no complaints about the front of my muslin. The bust is comfortable. I have only Wonder Clips holding together the right side seam, as that's where the zipper will go. I didn't want to sew in the zipper on a muslin. My muslins are bare minimum!
SewLibra:
My side seams are straight and the armscyes look good! I thought they were going to be too high but once I folded down the 5/8" seam allowance they were fine.
SewLibra:
But uh-oh, the back waist has some pretty bad wrinkles. I'm 5'3" with a short waist and usually need a sway back adjustment which I will have to do, plus it's hanging up on the hips. I need more room there.
SewLibra:
I had initially cut a size 16 at the hip, so I added a strip of paper to enlarge it to size 18 on both front and back. That will help. Plus I have front and back vertical waist darts to play with.
SewLibra:
Since I am eliminating the back seam to use a side zip instead, I couldn't use the wedge swayback adjustment. Instead I used the pivot and slide, but only used enough paper to go partway down the armscye. No need to trace the whole dress!
SewLibra:
After the pivot and slide (from Nancy Zieman's Pattern Fitting with Confidence book) I cut out the new neckline on my extra paper, not the real pattern tracing.
SewLibra:
I placed the new neck and shoulder lines over the pattern and drew them onto the pattern. I'm checking here to make sure there is still the intended 3/4". I tried an inch but it skewed the shoulder line way too much.
SewLibra:
Here I simply trimmed off the excess paper from the pivot and slide swayback adjustment. Basically it pulls the back up from the top, eliminating the lower back wrinkles. Does not change armscyes or side seams.
SewLibra:
I had quite a bit taken off so my back facing no longer fit my new neckline. No biggie, I just traced out a new one.
SewLibra:
I had machine basted my muslin so I took it apart, laid the modified pattern over half of it, and cut the new shoulder and neckline. The shoulder part sticking out at the left is partially the paper is curling up plus it got a bit stretched out of shape.
SewLibra:
Better! I still have a wrinkle on the right side, but it's being held together with clips. Plus, this is the size 16 hip and what I'll be using is 18. I can sew a smaller SA if necessary and play with the darts too. Ready for the real fabric now!
SewLibra:
On the back piece I drew the 5/8" SA as a fold line, since I will not be using a back zipper. This way, in the future, I have a choice of a back seam or not. For this dress I'll only have to try to match the print on the side seams, not the back too.
SewLibra:
I read the back neck gapes, but for me it was just a little. The original pattern tapers out at the neck 3/8" (3/4" total), for more upper back ease. I can't cut on the fold on an angle so it will be eliminated and also will take care of the gaping.
SewLibra:
Here are all the pieces I need. Back, front, armhole facing, front facing and back facing. I didn't trace the armhole facing since I can fold the edges under for my size 14 armholes. The original pattern is still intact...just in case. LOL.
SewLibra:
I sewed the bust darts first. I could only match the print from the hem up to where the hip curve starts. I started by labeling my front and back fabric and pattern pieces with "Left SS" and "Right SS". SS=side seam.
SewLibra:
On the front piece I pinned back the 5/8" SA on the left side seam where the flowers are. I placed the front's fabric right side to right side of the rest of my uncut fabric.
SewLibra:
I moved the pinned front up and down until the print matched, then drew a chalk line against the folded seam allowance, making sure I would have at least 5/8" on the left side of the chalk for the back SA.
SewLibra:
On my back pattern piece, I folded the 5/8" seam allowance as far as I could, up to the hip curve. I made a chalk mark where the hem sits so it would sit properly for matching.
SewLibra:
Here I have my back piece lined up as far as I can, keeping the grainline straight and making sure there is room to unfold the seam allowance.
SewLibra:
I'm cutting out the back left side, the one I just matched. I changed the back pattern piece to be cut on the fold, but since there is a print I'm trying to match, I am cutting single layer.
SewLibra:
I flipped the front to the other side, making sure I stayed on grain and the center front is positioned exactly in the middle before cutting.
SewLibra:
Now I have both front and back cut, and the left side matches. Here I'm seeing if the right side (zipper side for me) will match. I overlapped 5/8" (not shown) to see how it would look. Pretty good considering the fabric is soft and floppy!
SewLibra:
Here I have the seam allowances pressed and pinned. I figure my arms will cover the parts where the hip, waist and bust curves are. Frankly, I don't think anyone would notice if I did or did not match this print! I needed the practice. LOL.
SewLibra:
I used black Pellon Easy-Knit EK-130 interfacing for the neck facing. It's not needed for the sleeve facings. I like this for both knits and wovens because it's soft and flexible, and gives gentle support.
SewLibra:
Instead of staystitching, I used Design Plus straight fusible stay tape around the front neckline. I positioned not on the stitching line, but so that the edge would be right at the fold of when the facing is turned. Makes a sharp neckline!
