Macaron 2.0

 

 

So, here's my second Macaron dress... Not quite like my first one, in several ways... Let me tell you...

 

 

I thought it would be a breeze sewing up my second Macaron, since the pattern was already cut out and fitted. I already knew what issues there might be and I had my mind set on a gorgeous knit fabric from my stash. I could use black thread for it, which I already had. So, it looked like a smooth sail, but oh no...

Since the fabric was patterned and I wanted to use the fabric pattern  a ccertain way, I had to cut out the pattern pieces the "wrong" way. This made the dress extremely stretchy lengthwise and for the first fitting, the waistband was on top of the hips. Not a very pretty sight. So I had to shorten the bodice about an inch and it doesn't look pretty on the inside, but OK on the outside.

The next issue was the fit around the upperbody, much too loose for was I had envisioned. So I had to take it in about an inch on each side, due to the stretchy/heavy fabric. I might to take it more, but I'll let the dress settle for now, wash it and then we'll see.

I also could have cut out the upperbody pieces as one front and one back piece instead of two bodice and two yoke pieces. That cute sweetheart neckline doesn't even show now...

A recommendation for anyone (especially me) who will make this dress is to attach the skirt pieces separately to the bodice before doing the side seams. It's just so much easier to make adjustments when the side seam goes all the way.

Did I make any other adjustments? Yes, I did. I lengthened the skirt by about 2 inches (not quite necessary since the dress stretched) and I omitted the zipper, since I don't need one to get in and out of the dress (streeeeetchy fabric).

I do like the dress, even with the fit issues and it was great to use the overlocker/serger for finishing the seams. It was very comfortable when I wore it for work today and I guess that's something to be happy about, even though it doesn't look like I had planned.

Bye for now,

Johanna

Crafts magazine inspiration and Macaron update

It's no secret that I like crafts magazine like Burda and the Swedish one, Sömnadsmagasin, but it can be difficult to find reviews of the patterns from those magazines. Well, while browsing the internet I found a fantastic site called Burda addicts, a sewing community. much like we sew retro, but formed round the Burda magazine patterns. It's in French though, but even if you don't know French you can always look at the photos!

BTW, I have made (almost finished) a second version of the Macaron dress, in knit fabric... I'm still contemplating my satisfaction with it, since it didn't turn out like the first version (Duh... Two very different types of fabric... Sometimes I'm not very smart... :)). Well, I will finish it, just some hemming left, and then I will post about it and you can make your own opinion about it...

Bye for now,

Johanna

Compliments

I started work last week and this week the students are back too. So I wanted to look nice off course, it feels good to wear nice clothes. For Thursday I decided on my polka dot Simplicity 2363 and yesterday (Friday) I wore my Macaron muslin.

I got a lot of compliments on both dresses and I felt very comfortable in them, so now I've decided on making more of both patterns! At first, I wasn't sure about the Macaron dress, but after wearing it for work a whole day, I will make another one. The polka dot dress I liked from the start, but after wearing it several times and liking it more and more, I must make another one.

So, let's go fabric hunting in my stash.... :)

Bye for now,

Johanna

Colette sew-along 2.0: Macaron muslin finished!

Yep, I finished the Macaron muslin today and I'm quite happy with it. There were some issues and I will write about them later on. But first some pics:

It's always interesting (terrifying?) to see yourself from the back. I see now that the back is a little loose. Well, I'll leave it like that, I don't like to tight clothes anyway.

Ok, as I said there were some issues with this dress for me...

1. It's a little on the short side.  I had to serge the bottom hem and fold it 1cm/3/8inch and then sew. And it's still a little shorter than I would have liked.

2. The sleeves are super cute, but I do have a big problem with sleeves of this type (fitted?). I do NOT like when I can't lift my arms without the whole dress lifting too. If/when I make the Macaron dress again, I think I will make some sort of kimono sleeve instead. (Kimono sleeves rock!)

3. As mentioned in my last post, I thought it was difficult to know which way to turn the midriff pieces. The front midriff piece still doesn't look right, it has like a different sheen to it... strange...

Some other things to note...

4. I didn't have an invisible zipper at hand, but found an ordinary one, long enough and blue(!) in my stash. I was not perfect, but close enough for a muslin.

5. I am so lazy... I used turquoise (teal) thread all over, even on the white fabric... I couldn't be bothered to change it... :-P

6. I used my serger to finish seams on the inside! Very practical! And fast.

To sum up: the Macaron dress is uncomplicated to put together with a great fit (for me) that makes you look good. I recommend this pattern a lot.


Bye for now,

Johanna

Macaron progress

Today I got some time to really sew, so now there's been some progress on my Macaron muslin. As I wrote in a previous post I chose to make the muslin out of the blue IKEA-fabric I have. For the yoke and sleeves I chose plain white fabric, the same type as the blue one.

When I traced the pattern pieces I made all the pieces for contrasting fabric size US14 and all the others size US16. Size 16 is what I used for my Ginger skirt, also from Colette patterns, so I thought it should be ok. And it was! I had my doubts when holding up the front skirt piece in front of me and it barely went from side to side, and I hadn't even put in the front pleats yet.... But somehow it turned out to be a great fit (when wearing shaping panties). So I guess I'll just finish the muslin and decide on the fabric for the "real thing". Exciting!

BTW, had some trouble with the midriff pieces, still not sure if I put them right or upside-down...

Not the best photo, but just something to see that it actually fits me (even without shaping panties)...

I'll be back with the finished muslin and fabric choice for the next one.

Bye for now,

Johanna

Workin' on my Macaron...

Today I finally had some time (and energy) to trace the Macaron pattern and to start cutting out the pattern pieces for the muslin. I cut  a US size 14/16 (16 at the waist/bottom part), I hope it will be enough.

The fabric I'm using for the muslin is the blue IKEA-fabric I used for my green/blue colourblock dress. For the yoke I'm thinking white or something patterned, I'll check my stash tomorrow, can't do it right now because it's right outside where the kids sleep.

I'm hoping it will be a wearable muslin, but for the "real thing", I'm thinking about using knit fabric, I was inspired by what Sarah said in Rhinestones and telephones said about her last version of the Macaron, that it was so comfortable. If there's something I want my clothes to be, it's comfortable!

Well, we'll see how that goes, I have to get through the muslin first.

Bye for now,

Johanna

Labels in place

Here are two examples of my new labels in place on the garments. I can't decide on just one position so I'm alternating between these two.

Vertical position

Vertical close-up

Horizontal posistion

Horizontal close-up

BTW, I just LOVE Project Runway. There are re-runs of the older shows every day at lunch, and it's inspiring. The latest season is shown on Tuesdays with double episodes everytime! Yay!

Bye for now,

Johanna

Labels and Macaron

In the mail today I got, not one, but TWO surprises! Well, not very surprising since I was totally aware of ordering them, but anyway, it made me real happy when they showed up today:

My labels!

and

My Macaron pattern from Colette patterns!

So, now I'm ready to face the Colette sew-along, I'll buy fabric next week (or decide in the weekend if I'll use something from my stash), and trace the pattern pieces this week.

The labels were great! I have sewn them on the kids T-shirts, two of my blouses and the graduation dress. I have to do the rest tomorrow and I'll snap a picture toworrow and show you. It looks totally professional! *proud*

Bye for now,

Johanna

Colette sew-along 2.0 - Macaron

Earlier this summer I decided to participate in the Colette sew-along 2.0. I also knew I would only make the ones I wanted to, not all of the patterns. The Macaron dress was voted to be the project for August and that's one of the patterns I want to make.

But.... I totally forgot about it, until I read about the sew-along on rhinestones and telephones. S**t! I hadn't even bought the pattern yet! So I quickly went to fagert.se to order it and hopefully I will have it tomorrow. Which will do me no good, since I'm going away for the weekend... I'll have to work on the muslin next week instead.

Well, after reading about a great Macaron dress in knit fabric, I think that's what I'll do. Feels good to have a plan, even though all my plans don't survive... I feel excited about this and hope that it will bring some energy into the project.

See you,

Johanna

Printing, taping, cutting...

I've been feeling a little under the weather lately (couldn't even enjoy my birthday on Tuesday properly), so I haven't exactly been up to sewing. But while reading some of the blogs on my blog list I found an interesting and inspiring FREE PDF-pattern. Through Portias blog Miss P I found another great blog, Dixie DIY, with a cute, free blouse/tunic pattern. So I decided to download it and print it out.

When I ordered from Sewing patterns a while ago I also bought a PDF-pattern  for a cute bolero/jacket. I had already printed it so yesterday I had a printing, taping, cutting-session. Fortunately none of the two patterns were more than 20 pages. I would guess that a dress pattern would be almost unmanageable as a PDF-pattern...

The Dixie DIY pattern was easy enough to understand while the other one, can't remember the pattern company, has very fuzzy instructions. The pattern pieces aren't named or numbered, so I had to guess...  Well, now they're ready to use anyway. Always the most boring part of sewing, I think, to prepare the pattern pieces. I always trace the patterns, because you never know when you might need another size. My pattern collections will be a goldmine for someone in the future, becasue all my patterns are intact... :) Hopefully one of my children will be interested in sewing and want to have them.

Anyway, we'll see when I get to make those garments, I guess they have to be put in my mental to do-pile for the time being.

Bye for now,

Johanna