Thursday 23 May 2013

Summer SWAP 4, 5 and 6

While pondering 30s fashion, I've been sewing up more jersey-stuff... (the dresses has already been featured, in the MMM on holiday-post).


1) V-necked top. This fabric was a nightmare! It didn't seem to have selvedges, more like cut edges. The printed pattern was parallell to the edges, but the grainline was maybe 20 degrees off. Laying out the pieces took ages, and I still think most pieces are slightly off grain. Pieces of this top will undoubtedly twist during washing. It has very little lengthwise stretch, so the underbustseam is higher than on the floral top from last week.


The whole point however was to test the pattern in a V-neck version. The neckband is not sewed on perfectly, but I do like the style. Not sure this top will survive long in my wardrobe, but it was good to test the V-neck pattern alteration =)


2) I had planned to make a dress in the horrible, off-grain fabric, but after discovering all the problems outlined above, I figured it'd be a waste of time. So I rushed out and got a turqoise viscouse jersey on sale at Ohlssons...


The floral dress was nice, but apart from me messing up the elastic in the waistseam, the entire waistline was too high. Very strange, since the pattern is drafted from my chevron dress that sits great at the waist. Then I got to thinking: the shoulder seams on that one has a tendency to wander backwards. Maybe the surpluce in the front bodice (the one I reduced for this later pattern) was divided between front and back to make the whole bodice longer?


Anyway, I added length a little bit here and there on the dress bodice pattern, altered the sleeves to be loose and half-long, slimmed down the skirt top to reduce the gathered effect, and changed the gathers in bodice and skirt into small pleats, more visible here:


However, this was still just a testrun for...


3) V-necked dress in the lovely jersey I bought at Stockholm sewing expo last fall. This fabric is wonderful! It has drape, a heavy fall, excellent recovery, is not thick and yet it has a bit of body so it doesn't fall all over the place. It cost a dear coin (twice the cost of the turcoise above), but I have a feeling it will last more than twice as long and see a lot of wear.


For me, this is a summer evening dress, or a winter dance dress. It'll be perfect for bluesdancing!

And that concludes the fast and easy part of my summer SWAP =)
Love, Erika

6 comments:

Anthea said...

That floral jersey sounds horrible!
The turquoise dress is lovely. Great color!

And the darkblue jersey dress looks like a great wardrobe staple!

Well done!

Malin V said...

Så mycket fint du har sytt Erika! Superhärlig turkos klänning. Jättesnygg mot ditt röda hår.

Hoppas ni hade det bra i Spanien. Vi har sjukt mycket att göra här hemma så vi har inte tagit oss iväg till Umeå =( Saknar dig! Kram

Foster said...

Both dresses are absolutely gorgeous!

Anna Christina said...

I love knit dresses because they are just as comfortable as a nightgown. The slight differences in style are fantastic. You look lovely in both, but turquoise is definitely an amazing color on you.

Witchcrafted Life said...

Love the vibrant, cheerful turquoise hue you opted for. It's all but singing with the spirit of summer.

Fantastic creations one and all - you look wonderful!

♥ Jessica

Erika said...

Anthea; Thank you! The first fabric was... just a waste of time, really. I'm considering throwing out the rest of it. I'm very happy with the dresses, though!

Malin; Tack så jättemycket! Var lite tveksam först för den turkosa färgen, men när jag väl börjat använda den blev den snabbt en favorit =)
Saknar dig med! Och resten av familjen! När det lugnat ner sig (eller ni lyckas brotta lös en helg) vore det så roligt om ni kom på besök. Livet har ju dock en tendens att rulla ruskigt fort...
Kramar!

Foster; Thank you so much!

Anna Christina; I couldn't agree more, they are super-comfy! =) Found myself reaching for the one after the other during the trip. Many more planned... Thank you for kind comment!

Jessica; thank you, dear! At first I was worried the colour would take over, but I feel very at home in it. It might be that last time I wore this colour I was pale blond (my natural hair), and faded away. Hair colour really makes a difference as to what colours one can wear! It's amazing that one, at my age ; ), can still "discover" new colours. =)