Butterick 5600 - A Pattern Review

Pattern Description:
Semi-fitted misses' dress, straight, above mid-knee with front darts, back pleats self-faced yoke front and neckbands, side seam pockets outside casing with elastic, self ties and stitched hem.

Pattern Sizing:

6-22 I cut a size 16 through the neck and armholes with a 20 from the waist and hips.
Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?
I think so. Do you?

Were the instructions easy to follow?
Yes
What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
I like the shirt-dress style with the added ruffle
Fabric Used:

Cotton Seersucker. I've had the fabric in my stash for a while and was hestitant to use it for this dress because I only had 2 1/2 yards and it's 45" wide. The pattern calls for 3 1/8 yards. I thought that was a lot so took a chance. Glad I did.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:
I started by incorporating a deeper dart then added 1" to the bodice above the dart to lower it as well lengthen the bodice. I added 2" to the skirt and lowered the casing in the center front to accomodate my tilted waist. I'm just not into slips so decided to line the entire dress with a lightweight knit fabric.
I made more work for myself by deciding to line it only after I'd already sewn the back yoke.

I omitted the pockets because I didn't want to make my hips any larger than they already are.

I cut the yoke, waist casing and ties on the length-wise grain to add some interest. I originally used six buttons but the pattern calls for the buttons to be spaced way too far apart so I went back and added equally spaced buttons in between the original ones. I ended up using 11 buttons in all.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
This dress came out just as I envisioned it. For a while I thought it would look like a house dress.

I've wanted a seersucker dress for a long time. The knit lining made it super comfortable. I just love it. My husband says it looks like a maid's uniform! WTH.

Conclusion:
Did I say I love this dress??

I'd like to make another out of a khaki fabric with sleeves.

Can you see me now?

Ten hut! Sometimes a girl (okay old lady) just wants to have fun and fun this dress is. I just whipped it up today. It's McCall's 6319 view B. I purchased this fabric from JoAnn's a couple of weeks ago with the intention of making this dress. How often does that happen?

As in my last three dress, one of which hasn't been review yet, it's fully lined with a lightweight knit fabric from Walmart. I added a bust dart to the left side only, lengthened the bodice 1" and the skirt 2",  turned under 1"and hemmed it with a double needle. I cut a 2 1/2" strip of fabric for the elastic casing using 1/2" elastic instead of the 1/4" suggested.

I also added a narrow strip of fusible interfacing to the neckline but it is still larger than I'd like. The armholes are also lower than I'd like as I can see some armpit flab!

I'm still fabulous...in my mind anyway. The shoes are from 2005 and the belt recently from the clearance rack. Although I think the hair is too outrageous for my office job, I'm leaning toward wearing the dress to work. Whadda you think? Although the employee handbook says dress should be business casual, most of the ladies dress "goin' to da club lateh." At least I look like I might have to report for duty somewhere. LOL

Monday Musings 7/25/11

• Today I finally put the finishing touches on Butterick 5600. Yay I promise to have pictures in the next couple of days. I had to purchase additional buttons that's why no pictures now.
• I've already cut out my next project...another dress!
• Happy birthday to me. Although my birthday isn't until the 16th of next month I picked up my present today...a 2011 Buick LaCrosse.
• I loved my 2008 Cadillac CTS but there were no 2011's available with keyless entry. The keyless entry was a deal-breaker for me. I hate digging in my purse for my keys.
• I hate new car smell...it gives me a headache.
• I didn't get any sewing done yesterday because my brother and SIL came for a visit.
• My brother and husband get along so well and are so much alike.
• I called my brother by my husband's name about 50 times!
• I love my SIL to death.
• I want to go on a fabric shopping trip...like I need more fabric.
• I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE  Crackle nail polish and have been wearing it every day.

Monday Musings 7/18/2011

• Yippee! My nails are actually growing. I don't want dragonlady nails...just something I can polish
• I love this new Crackle nail polish.
• I've got to finish the dress I'm working on so that I can move on to another project.
• I need to make more panties...okay it's more a want than need!
• I've been buying way too much fabric lately.
• I was early for my doctor's appointment today...Yippee!
• I was 24 hrs early for my doctor's appointment today...Bummer!
• I only lost .2 lbs this week.
• At least I didn't gain.
• Still can't workout because of the bum knee.
• I need to try getting more sleep.
• I was falling asleep at the computer earlier.
• Thank goodness for coffee.
• Yesterday it was hotter than fish grease outside.
• They are projecting more of the same today.
• Guess where I'm going to be???
• Is there a reason people think you want to be bothered with their little rowdy children.
• Just because you can have a baby doesn't mean you should or need to.
• My husband is twisted!
• I'd better get sewing.

Today is National Sewing Day

Sewing machines used to be everyday appliances...not so much nowadays. The first sewing machine patent was obtained by Thomas Saint in 1790 and since then the sewing machine has undergone many changes. Join me in celebratting National Sewing Day by doing some sewing today!

Thursday Thoughts 7/13/2011

• The Vogue 1250 remake is such a fun dress to wear. I told my co-workers I borrowed it from Tarzan!
• Speaking of Vogue 1250 I made another version of it last weekend and it too was a miserable failure. Why? you ask...think sausage casing.
• I used the correct fabric but sewed it without alterations. Big mistake. I'm going to try it one more time this weekend. If it doesn't work, I'm done.
• I'm currently working on Butterick 5600. I'm using a blue and white stripe seersucker.
• I'm starting to have visions of a housedress. We'll see how that works out.
• My husband washed a load of his clothes complete with an entire pack of chewing gum in is pocket.
• I should have suspected something when I opened the washer and everything smelled minty fresh!
• Wouldn't you know I wanted to wash some fabric!
• I only lost .3 lbs last week. At least I didn't gain.
• I'm getting a new car for my birthday next month. Yippeee! We're already looking.
• I'm obsessed with sewing dresses right now. Last summer it was jackets.
• I cannot justify buying one more pair of shoes!
• I love teaching sewing classes.
• JoAnns sewing classes are too expensive.
• I absolutely love Hummus and can eat it every day.
• I need a vacation.
• I have a doctor's appointment Monday. My knee has been killing me.
• I didn't sew today although I had intentions.
• I had to go to work with chipped nail polish because I was out of remover. That won't happen again.

Vogue 1250 - The Redo

Remember this dress? I wasn't happy with it and decided to make McCall's 6319 out of it.
Pattern Description:
Fitted dress with tapered skirt has lined bodice and elasticized waist
Pattern Sizing:
8-22
Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?
I made View C and yes I think it looks like the pattern envelope, do you?

Were the instructions easy to follow?
Yes, the instructions were easy to follow...if only I'd followed them. Totally because of operator error I had to take the bodice apart twice. In doing so I stretched the fabric badly and had quite a bit of my bra showing at the underarm. It was not until I started to sew the skirt that I realized I had so much bra showing because I cut the top at 22 at the shoulder instead of a 16. I knew I wouldn't be happy with it so I took it apart a third time! Yikes! Way too much work for about $7 worth of fabric. Sometimes you just have to tough it out to show yourself you can do what you've set your mind to.
What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
I like that the pattern didn't use a lot of fabric
Fabric Used:
I'm not sure what the exact fabric content is but it is probably a Rayon a knit that is very drapey and lightweight
Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:
The fabric was much too flimsy for the Vogue dress and I didn't feel comfortable in it. The fabric was actually to flimsy for this one too so I wound up lining the entire dress. I had enough fabric left over to cut a new from. I used the front of V1250 skirt to cut the skirt back, cut the new back from the old back with a center back seam and cut the front from the previous upper front. I was really pressed for fabric.

I noticed that other Pattern Reviewers didn't but I felt the pattern was just screaming for a left side bust dart.
I also added 2" to the bodice with additional 1 1/2" to the skirt length.

I feel that the fabric necessitated extra stabilization measures

I added a full lining of a lightweight knit fabric I had in my stash. I didn't use the top lining piece but instead the actual front and back pattern pieces.

I used the idea from the Tracey Reese Vogue 1224 dress for the elastic casing.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
I do have fabric to make it again and might make a different view. It is very easy and a quick so, so yes I would recommend it to others.
Conclusion:
All of a sudden I'm obsessed with linings. This is the third dress I've lined this summer. More times than I've ever lined summer dresses before!

July 4th Sewcation

Hi all. I don't have any plans for the 4th other than to have a three-day Sewcation! Yay! I'm still working on the Vogue 1250 redo. Would be done had I bothered to follow the instructions :-(  I do hope to finish it later today. I went to JoAnns (no comments from you Carolyn) and picked up a couple of fabrics from the half off clearance rack and I feel a couple of dresses coming on.
While a lot of women seem to have issues going sleeveless and showing their arms, I'm not and have never been one of them. Hell, I got carded at the grocery store earlier. Anyway I am absolutely in love with dresses this summer--not skirts and tops or slacks, just dresses. I'm just going to run with it. I'm also loving belts. The wider the better.
Last week one of my co-workers commented on how nice I looked and said she had never noticed me ever wearing the same outfit twice! Huh! Okay I do have a lot to choose from but I try to rotate what I wear and try to never wear it the same way twice even if it only means changing up the shoes and jewelry. I will say that next to myself, she is the best dressed. There is a dresscode at my job but almost nobody follows it. I see so much cleavage, spandex, too tight everything, unironed, and flip flops that I could scream. You'd almost think I worked at a strip joint. I try to ignore it and lead by example but it doesn't seem to be working could be because the office manager is one of the main culprits! When I mentioned to one young lady that she shouldn't be using profanity, she had the nerve to be insulted. I could go on and on but I'm sure you get the idea. Wasn't I supposed to be talking about the 3-day Sewcation? I'm not sure where that came from but I do feel better now that I've gotten it off my chest.
So in the coming days there is a good chance you'll get to see Vogue

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Stay tuned.
Check out my husband trying to sew. It wasn't pretty