Well, here’s a novel concept: Actually sewing something.
That’s right, after weeks of me rambling on and on about books and fabric and my mom, rants on the undeserving, butcherings of a beautiful Japanese art form, I’m back home with Dan, my cat, and my dear, sweet Husqvarna. Last night I put all of my lovely new fabric on the shelf (oh dear, the stash needs some reorganizing and possibly some purging) and then promptly took out a big remnant that I’ve had sitting around for a while.
I love this fabric. I got it at Vogue in Chicago and it was one of those fabrics that just jumped out at me as I walked by the tables- the kind of warm coffee-and-chocolate brown tones that I love with a subtle but interesting diagonal not-quite-herringbone pattern that make it perfect for the kind of office-appropriate slacks, slim skirts, and sheath dresses that I always gravitate towards making. Sure, it was one of those rolls on which the fiber content was described as “assorted,” but it has a lovely, substantial drape and is nice and soft and smooth. I’m going to assume there’s some rayon in there.
And as per your feedback, I decided to bump up the knockoff of the Anthropologie Verite dress on my priority queue. Remember this one?
I drafted up a muslin using the bodice of my Delancey Dress as a block, which (duh) made for a pretty good fit on the first try. Just a bit of a pinch under the arms at each side seam, and then off to the fashion fabric. I’m calling it the Parity Dress for now. Here’s where I am with it thus far:
It occurs to me now that I should really take photos in progress, as that might be more useful than these sort of halfway-done still shots. But sometimes my sewing process is so weird and wrong and ad hoc that that would do more harm than good. For example, because I still haven’t figured out a good dress form solution, I started out by holding up a muslin of half of the bodice of my Delancey Dress to my body over my bra with one hand and then standing in front of a mirror and sketching the under bust style lines directly on it with a Sharpie with my other hand. Surely no one needs to see photos of that! (Yes, I know. Either get a dress form or learn to pin into own flesh. I’m working on it.)
Well, fingers crossed for a good end result, as I love that Anthropologie dress and it’s exactly the sort of thing that would NEVER even come close to fitting my short and shapeless body if I bought it from a store. Who knows? If it works out well, there might even be another free pattern in it for you. More soon!
31 comments
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January 6, 2010 at 9:30 am
mollymolly
looks great so far! I would certainly download that pattern if you posted it (wink wink nudge nudge)
January 6, 2010 at 9:40 am
Katie
Oooh! That’s going to be fabulous! The bodice looks great so far. I have to say, that even with a dress from, I have often been found before a mirror – Sharpie in hand…
January 6, 2010 at 9:47 am
Nancy K
Very nice start.
January 6, 2010 at 9:51 am
amber
That is off to a really great start. And dare I say, I like your fabric much more than the original dress.
January 6, 2010 at 9:52 am
skip
I really like my homemade packing tape dress form. Yeah, it’s not Real (TM), and it’s not squishy, but it reeeeeeaaaally helps. Direx here: http://www.threadsmagazine.com/item/3659/clone-yourself-a-fitting-assistant
January 6, 2010 at 11:09 am
selfishseamstress
Thanks! I did make a packing tape one once, but I didn’t like that I couldn’t pin into it. And it was sort of an ugly and scary thing to have lying around a small apartment :) But maybe I should consider making another one until I find a more permanent solution- it *would* be a step up from trying to draw on myself :)
January 6, 2010 at 9:55 am
Sunni Standing
Need I say, I’m simply delighted to see how this ends up. It’s already looking fabulous. And that fabric looks perfect for the project. You are off to a brilliant start this year, I must say.
January 6, 2010 at 9:56 am
Elizabeth
I agree with Amber that your fabric much nicer than the inspiration dress’ fabric. Oh and I am so jealous of your skillz. Can’t wait to grow up just like you. ;) It looks great and I can’t wait to see it!
January 6, 2010 at 9:58 am
Danielle
Very nice! And I love your process – it’s very much like mine. Someone sent me a note saying that her sewing is “all gusto and no skill”. It really made me laugh. I think there is definitely skill involved, but the gusto-to-skill ratio is something to explore.
I wonder: have you looked into buying the “Uniquely You” dressform?
http://www.allbrands.com/products/abp03900-1325.html?ovchn=SPRI&ovcpn=Froogle&ovcrn=Froogle&ovtac=CMP
http://sewliberated.typepad.com/sew_liberated/2009/10/design-fridays-the-me-dummy.html
I was thinking of getting one, but I’d like to know your thoughts…
January 6, 2010 at 11:11 am
selfishseamstress
I haven’t actually used one but many of the women in the sewing classes I took in Chicago used them and were very happy with them. I’ve been holding out because I’m not sure I can handle the setup process, and also because for some reason I have the idea in my head that they don’t work well for very petite figures. But I’m not sure if I heard that somewhere or am just confused. I’d love to hear from a fellow tiny person who has used one!
January 6, 2010 at 10:08 am
Susan - Knitters Delight
I think you’ve already accomplished the hardest part of the dress, the bodice. Can’t wait to see this finished and modeled.
P.S. I’m with mollymolly *nudge, nudge* on posting this pattern. *BIG grin for emphasis*. lol
January 6, 2010 at 10:11 am
Rachel
Oh my goodness!!! I am working on that same knockoff. I am using a simplicity pattern as my base to get started. I have already made my muslin and am now about to make the actual dress. I can’t wait to see yours completed.
January 6, 2010 at 10:31 am
kristine@beangirldesign.com
I thought there was nothing unusual in standing in front of a full-length mirror half-clothed, covered with various bits of fabric, contorting like a Cirque du Soleil reject and marking furiously with a Sharpie. I guess maybe my husband was right after all to look at me like I’d completely lost my mind. At the time I gave him the evil eye and told him “This is TOTALLY normal.”
January 6, 2010 at 10:33 am
beangirl
uh. that was me who posted that, btw. sometimes I can’t remember who I am. also TOTALLY NORMAL. no. really.
January 6, 2010 at 10:45 am
selfishseamstress
Tell your husband he’s a lucky one that all he does is have to watch you do that weird stuff. Dan gets subjected to the next level, in which I say things like, “Sweetie, can you come hold this part up right here over my belly button, and this part right here just below my armpit while I draw this line?”
January 6, 2010 at 11:16 am
Kerry
I bought a dress form from Yamata DressMaker Dress Form last year. It was the only one I could find that came in a petite size and it even goes down to sizes smaller than me. I love mine and it works well – although it did just get knocked over in a mishap involving the sewing machine cabinet being left with the fold over table/lid open and a 16lb Maine Coon cat who thought it would be a good idea to jump onto the unsupported surface…in the middle of the night. The end result was the collapsible tripod base legs are now permanently collapsed (some heavy duty epoxy glued it back together) and everything works again.
January 6, 2010 at 11:16 am
Kerry
Here’s a link: $99 was what I paid.
http://www.craftster.org/Craft-Supplies/Sewing-and-Quilting-Supplies/Dressforms/Family-Brand-Dress-Form-by-Yamata–DressMaker-Gold–12-Adjustment-Dials—P/171877/
January 6, 2010 at 11:17 am
Cisa Barry
I have a dressform and still routinely put on (or hold on) a muslin and draw all over it with the closest writing utensils, dry-erase markers included
January 6, 2010 at 11:35 am
Julie
I’m a big fan of the pinning fabric to my bra and marking it. I don’t own a dressform and have no plans to buy one soon. I also don’t hesitate to recruit my husband for pinning, measuring, marking, etc. When I get excited about some fabric, I make him touch it and I prompt him for compliments. It’s a wonder I’m still married. His dressmaking skills are improving though!
January 6, 2010 at 11:57 am
sarabclever
Love it! Don’t go disappearing to the bottom of a drawer!
January 6, 2010 at 1:13 pm
Deborah
I’ve been looking into Uniquely You, and was thiiiis close to being convinced when I wound up pregnant (again). Was totally going to suggest it to you, but it never occurred to me that they might not translate to petite sizes–I guess it’s the waist length that concerns you? Being insanely short-waisted myself, that wasn’t really on my radar. Loving the dress-to-date, however, and fully on board with all the pro-Sharpie comments: I’m a draw-and-stitch girl myself!
January 6, 2010 at 1:50 pm
Trudy Callan
You’re doing an awesome job so far!
http://www.sewingwithtrudy.blogspot.com
January 6, 2010 at 5:17 pm
Elizabeth
Please post the final results, keep mocking yourself and others (it keeps me eternally entertained), and make that pattern. Please, please!
January 6, 2010 at 7:49 pm
Mary_lou86
Ah! I’m so happy to see you sewing again and am practically drooling at the very thought of you posting another pattern! I have a dress form, but for some reason I rarely use it… I think I prefer to fit things to myself. Perhaps it would be more helpful if I tried draping and drafting. Lovely work anyway :)
January 6, 2010 at 8:00 pm
Curry
Looks fantastic so far! Can’t wait to see it finished.
January 6, 2010 at 8:26 pm
Crystal
First, I’m so excited that you are making this dress, because I loved the picture when you first posted it. Second, I am even more excited at the mere mention of a possible pattern!
January 7, 2010 at 1:33 am
Vicki
Looking good!
January 7, 2010 at 5:27 am
senaSews
Wow, i really like that dress. Would look nice with a turtleneck underneath or a cardigan to go with. Also fun to hear that i’m not the only one whith acrobatic exercises when trying to fit clothes :-)
January 7, 2010 at 10:23 am
Parity Dress: Minor progress « The Selfish Seamstress
[…] work-in-progress | Tags: anthropologie, parity dress Made some minor progress last night on my knockoff of the Anthropologie Verite dress. Adjusted some of the fit on the bodice and drafted a skirt for it. The fit is pretty good […]
January 9, 2010 at 7:25 am
Meredith P
You can also tape stuff to yourself, if, for some reason, you don’t like pins or staples.
I like Connie Crawford’s version of the tape double. You can pin in to it, and you can cover it, also making it more pinnable.
http://www.fashionpatterns.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=5&products_id=64
Allbrands.com has a size chart on Uniquely You. I think altering the cover would take care of the petite issues, assuming they’re designed small enough in general. Google Uniquely You.
January 13, 2010 at 9:28 am
Parity dress is done! « The Selfish Seamstress
[…] Parity Dress, my knockoff of the Anthropologie Verite dress is finished! Actually that’s a lie because I need to do […]