Listen, I know it's October, and you're thinking about plaid. And corduroy. And probably velveteen. Lord knows I am. But Andrea sent me this lovely eyelet dress back when the weather was warm, and it promptly got lost in the bottomless pit that is my email inbox (Merlin Mann? I neeeeed your help!). That's not her fault, and besides, I wanted to show you how one little mistake can actually lead you to something better than what you set out to do. I'll let Andrea tell it:
I was seeing a lot of eyelet around this summer, and who doesn't love a shirtdress, right? So I put this one together, of course neglecting to modify the pattern for my bust because I'm antsy. Anyway, it was too small in the bust to close enough to overlap for proper buttonholes, so I did ribbon loops before I put the front edge facing in .. Then added ornamental buttons over the loops for an excessive button look that I think is kind of interesting and makes the meeting-at-center closure seem less, well, accidental? Then hook and eye closures to keep it closed at center. Thanks for looking at it …
A lot of people I talk to about sewing seem to think that if you didn't follow the pattern exactly, you failed. If it doesn't look like the illustration on the envelope (despite the fact that those figures are deliberately not in proportion, to make the clothes look better), you failed. I say, if you have a dress you like, it doesn't matter if you made it exactly to spec or not. You won! You have a dress! Wear it with pride!
It took me YEARS to stop saying "Oh, I messed up this tiny bit on the hem here …" to people who complimented something I made. (I still backslide and do it from time to time.) You know what? No one but you will notice. Also, it discourages people from trying to sew, if you start pointing out flaws that they didn't even see. "If she says SHE screwed up, what chance do I have?" they think. So don't do that! Say "I *decided* to change the buttons/add a zipper/applique on this flower" but don't add "because I made the buttonholes wrong/made it too small/accidentally cut into the fabric". It's not necessary. You made a dress! You won! Yay!
A Dress A Day 
In my world, there are no “mistakes” only “design opportunities”. Andrea – Great job on taking something that didn’t work according to the plan and making an interesting and functional closure!
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The only time I feel a failure at sewing is if I can’t figure out a way to save something. Sometimes, no matter what you do (especially if you don’t have a dress form that’s your size, or you are going through some crazy hormone stuff, or you just don’t have a friend to help but you are “in the mood”), you put the thing on and…oh, crap. That’s when all the creativity stuff has to click in. After all the work and dreaming, a little more effort to make something work is time well invested and hey, you never know what you’ll end up with.
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The effect is adorable and in regards to always pointing where one “messed up” does anyone ever say, when complimented on a store bought item, “oh thanks, but look here where this industrially produced dress has a flaw in the hemline/side seam/fill in the blank?”
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That’s absolutely charming. Wonderful save, Andrea! And it probably looks better than the original design.I have a hard time accepting compliments on my sewing, too. It’s difficult to just say “thank you” with a smile and then SHUT UP!–Lydia
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I have to learn to say thank you….lol….instead of critiquing it….Thanks for the post!
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you know, that’s actually a great philosophy for life.
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That’s great advice!I made my very first two dresses over this summer, and each time I wore them, and would get a compliment, I’d respond with something to the effect of “Thanks. I made it myself. That’s why it looks like one breast is dramatically perched up higher. I’m not actually built like a Picasso…” Yes, I think in general that women have difficulty accepting compliments. My older (and much wiser) friend always says to just say “thank you” and leave it there. Don’t try to explain to the person who was nice enough to compliment you, why they shouldn’t have done it.
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We have a rule in our family – you can make one – ONE – comment about not likeing something you’ve done/made, and then you have to shut up and let people enjoy themselves. Two muscians, a seamstress and a cook in the group and we found we were ruining others enjoyment by going on and on about what we had “done wrong”. It’s a good rule!
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Who knows how many sewing accidents have resulted in great design. As they say on Project Runway, “Make it work.”
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Beautiful dress! I love buttons as a design element. And since you have to wear a slip under eyelet anyway (or something), it doesn’t matter that the fronts don’t overlap. I for one have a hard time following patterns exactly – there’s always some little detail I want to change – which is one reason why I like things like the “Sew U” book; she presumes you are going to want to do that, and encourages it! As far as “mistakes” go, I think it was reading knitting icon Elizabeth Zimmermann that I first heard that a mistake, repeated, is a design.(Sidenote: I love 43Folders and the diyplanner stuff! I tried to make my own and realized that I didn’t have to make EVERYTHING myself, and went back to my trusty 7″x7″ Quo Vadis planner with 4″x6″ index cards tucked inside. Perfect! If only I could stop checking my email, and finish ONE craft project before I started 3 others…)
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what a good reminder! thanks. I have to remind myself of that when people compliment my outfit and I want to show them the stains and tell them how inexpensive it was.
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Great dress!!! Love the buttons on the front.I always wonder when someone asks me “did you make that” is it because they know I sew or does it look that bad!! I guess I need to learn the “thank you and shut up” rule.
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It is a fabo dress. I have the same experience with people asking me “did you make that” not only for sewing but also for knitting. I have even had mothers drag their children over to show them, with usually the comments, “See, honey, that’s what people used to do” or some such. For most people, being able to make clothing for yourself is right up their with achieving cold fusion on your kitchen table – so when I’m asked, “Did you make that,” I always answer – “You bet – and it’s easier than you think. You should think about doing it too!” An awful lot of people would love to sew their own clothing, but now, home ec as we knew it does not exist; it’s hard to find a 4H group in certain areas that sponsor sewing, and its hard to find a fabric store that teaches much other than quilting classes. So, it’s up to us, folks!!
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I love the look, Andrea. I looked at it and thought, wow. What a great detail piece. I think that even more reading the reasons behind it.I have always done this in my sewing. It comes from making models for arch. school. No one knows if it isn’t 100% correct. Plus then I know that it is 100% mine.
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Andrea, It’s beautifully done, and looks beautiful on you!I learned a long time ago (a looong time ago, so long, I don’t remember from whom; probably my Mom, since she was careful about that sort of thing) that it’s important to receive compliments gracefully, and if you can’t think of anything clever, a great big smile accompanied by a sincere, “Thank you!!” is all that’s really required. She taught me that when people compliment you, you really really don’t want to point out the problems they missed, because, well, it implies that they lack judgment, and they wind up feeling stupid for complimenting you, and that’s not a good way to make people feel. Plus, especially if it’s a Significant Other in your life, it can really cut down on the compliments you get, and who wants that?In a place such as this, though, I will cheerfully admit to making all kinds of mistakes as I go along, as that’s often the best way to learn. I want people to realize that they shouldn’t be thinking, “If she says SHE screwed up, what chance do I have?” Instead, they need to know that it’s just a normal part of the growing process of any sewing project. As long as you’re sewing, you’ll make mistakes. The thing to remember is that it’s a mistake, not a tragedy; most of the time, it’s fixable, and it really does often make the garment better as a result. Of course, what it does to your temper and your nerves is another matter entirely! It falls under the category of Being Clever; and I can’t tell you how much I hate it when I have to Be Clever, with regard to a project. And there’s always something; the pattern calls for six yards of 60″ wide wool, without nap, and you have five yards of 60″ wide wool, with nap; there’s not enough material for one of the sleeves; the material ravels as soon as you cut into it; you burn a hole in the bodice of the wedding dress two days before the wedding … there’s always something, and it’s almost always salvageable.Except, of course, sometimes the only thing wrong with it is that it’s just Not Right – per htwollin. That’s when it goes into the back of the closet, waiting for inspiration to strike and salvage it. In the meantime, you make something more rewarding and cooperative to make yourself feel better.In my opinion, one of the most liberating ways to approach a pattern is to have a lot of paper, a pencil, and a ruler. You’re allowed to change things. You really are. No, really. You can make it be what you want it to be.And as far as having a garment not look like the pictures, I have a big old What The Heck regarding that: on many of my early 1950s patterns, no matter how waspy-waisted the wispy creature on the cover looks, the proportions on the back chart usually list a six-inch difference between the bust and waist, and a nine-inch difference between the waist and hips. That’s not that waspy! Those are the same proportions on the 1930s patterns! Even the later ’50s patterns, they might extend to a ten-inch bust-waist-hip difference. So what the heck is up with that? And where did the waspiness come in? Those are the proportions that are supposed to fit over the 1950s foundation garments!
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LaBelladonna Any chance we could see a picture or two of your shoulder seam adjustments? I have just gotten some new dyeable shirts that are going to need something like that, and I’m thinking it could improve a lot of my tees too. I’d be happy to post them for people to see over at my (new) blog. And talk you through preparing them for the web, if you haven’t done that, or do it myself if you wanted to send them to me. Leave me a comment over at Clothesline Compositions, or email me if you think you might want to do this.
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My dad used to say, as we sat ripping out a seam, “As you sew, so shall you rip”. All too true. Made my mom hot.Our rule was , one error, (like sewing in a sleeve inside out) ok, everyone makes mistakes, fix it. The second error though, (doing it wrong again), we’re getting tired, time to quit for now. Saves a lot of frustration.Of course, that’s about doing things just plain wrong, not the creative solution to problems shown here.
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Looks gorgeous – congrats!! I’ve had so many problems inserting dodgy under arm seam triangles to accomodate my middriff/waist measurement into 1950s shapes. god love arms that hide suspicious zip and extra fabric insertion!
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A gorgeous dress that suits you so well, Andrea! I like the way that you wear it with confidence, and the buttons look fantastic. What a great job. 🙂
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??? What the holy heck? I left a post here hours ago – and it seems to have vanished into the ether – along with the two posts I sent to MinaW on her website!!To reiterate: MinaW, I’m not entirely certain what shoulder seam alterations you’re referring to; I’ve posted so much on Erin’s blog, it’s a little hard for me to keep track! If it’s a short bust point or short-waisted alteration, those are alterations Erin makes for herself; I’m long both through the FRONT part of the midriff, and long through the bust point; however, if you have any fit questions youd like me to try to help with, let me know; Ill be happy to give it a shot. Ask away!MsAgnostic, if you go back to the Mizrahi post, I left you information about reaching a human at PayPal.(OK. I left at least one version of this response on the Squirrel Brocade entry, which will confuse the heck out of newcomers, especially since I havent figured out how to delete my own entry, unless Erin cares to do the honours.)
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minaw, I love the “as you sew so shall you rip” comment.
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Great Job Andrea! It’s a lemonade dress…it gave you lemons, but you made lemonade.I made that same dress in May, and it was the first time I had done a collar like that. It came out a little wonky, but everytime I wear it I get a compliment (mine is striped). It’s one of my favorite “Tuesday” dresses. Thanks Erin, for showing us Andrea’s beautiful work.mere
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LaBelladonna Thanks for trying to reply even if we don’t know where the comments went. The alterations I’m referring to were some of the ones you mentioned in the comments to “Prim,Proper, Pained, Oct 2”.Specifically where you were giving your techniques for getting the shoulder seam of purchased garments to fit. Either with tucks or gathers. I want to try the tucks on some new dyeable shirts, and wondered whether you did them where a shoulder dart would be, or at the cap of the shoulder, the way some patterns for handwoven fabrics do. And as stitched-down darts, or open, as some of the current patterns are showing on shoulder darts.Also, on t-shirts, after overdyeing them, I was thinking of just sewing some stretched elastic along the shoulder seam, to do quick gathers, and wondered if you’d tried that.I’d like to mention another vintage technique with elastic that makes a really great fitted tee the vertical strip 3-4 inches long between the breasts. I have an old tee I made in that style out of stretch terry, and it still fits and is very comfortable to wear. You stretch the elastic before sewing it on, and it gathers up the shirt. It makes the neckline more V too. This style is back in fashion again. The trick is getting the elastic on exactly vertical and not off-center. Don’t know what size range this would be good for but I’m several sizes larger than I used to be, and the same tee still fits.
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LaBelladona The glitch with comments on my blog should now be fixed; I had the settings wrong. Your comment has appeared.
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Andrea I think the dress is really cute. Who cares if you followed the pattern. I betcha it looks nicer now then it would have.
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Minaw: I laughed long and loud over “As you sew, so shall you rip.” Must tell my mom that.And I like the one mistake rule. My problem is always that after I’ve made one mistake, I want to redeem myself by doing the rest in one flawless sweep. So I stay up too late and get too tired. Hence the second demoralizing error.
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In my world, there are no “mistakes” only “design opportunities”. I agree with this 100%. Sewing is as much about the creative process and the technical process. If we weren’t creative, all our clothes could come off the rack without a care. (not that off the rack clothes aren’t great in their own form, but if you want something that screams “this is me world” you won’t always find it on a rack)
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thanks for the encouragement! I am stalling on my first offical dress for much the same reasons.
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MinaW, I did get to see my earlier reference about shoulder seams. Generally what I do depends on what the garment wants/needs: if it’s an alteration to take up the length of the shoulder seam (because the shoulder seam is too long and droops down onto the arm, anywhere from a couple of inches to halfway down the arm, ugh), I make the alteration in the shoulder seam itself, where a shoulder dart would normally be. What do you mean by a “stitched-down dart” or an “open dart” at the shoulder? (It’s not always easy to get the language to correlate.) Do you mean a standard dart (stitched down) as opposed to what might also be considered a tuck (open dart)? Generally for this type of alteration, it would be whatever is the least fuss. For something soft like a knit, I would gather the shoulder, rather than tuck or dart it. For the easiest/simplest, I would run a line of gathers on each side of the shoulder seam, from the shoulder point to the neck edge, and pull it up until I liked the way it looked. I’d probably just zigzag over carpet thread to gather the fabric, and stitch each side down once I was happy with the gathered length (a row of stitching along the gathers to keep them permanently in place). There’s no reason why you couldn’t do it with stretched elastic – I like clear elastic for that kind of fiddling. If I’m working with knits, I’ll use clear elastic as a shoulder stay, and I rescued an overstretched knit neckline by zigzaging stretched clear elastic onto the neckline. It sucked everything back where it belonged. I would generally use a more tailored technique (tucks or darts) with a woven fabric, rather than a knit fabric. It may not always appear as if I do, but my policy is to take the easy way whenever possible. (That would be “The easy way to get a nitpicky fit that satisfies me, even if it takes me five hours to alter a linen dress I bought for $16.99.”) It’s the sort of attitude that would have me fold the T-shirt in half vertically to find the vertical center front, and to draw a line with a washable marker and stitch my elastic right over the line. (Of course, I’d have to fiddle along the line itself to get the right placement for the elastic between my breasts.) Tucks at the cap of the shoulder sound as if they would address/alter the length of the sleeve only, as opposed to affecting the length of the shoulder seam.Have you perchance been buying dyables from DharmaTrading?
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I did the exact same thing when I made my whirlaway dress earlier this year. I didn’t make the overdress part big enough to button (lazy about measuring flat patterns, so I sewed buttons on the other side as decoration and made elastic loops for buttonholes. Great minds? `-)I agree that there are very few sewing mistakes that can’t be fixed with some creativity. And that accepting a compliment gracefully is a skill well worth learning.
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