Sew-Along; Final darts post, promise
2011-Jan-26, Wednesday 08:08 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
chebeI was happy with the style of the dress, I was satisfied with the sizing, but I was not happy with my darts.
I read around, looked high and low for information; all of which said it was undoubtedly my poor technique to blame. So I practised. Couple of places (1,2) said to go down in stitch size the last 1/2" or so, to run the last few stitches on the edge of the fabric, and leave a long enough tail to knot. People said to use a tailoring ham (I improvised with rolled-up socks). I heard about the rites of the cult of Pressing. Then Gertie had a few pointers. (I actually really like the one about snipping into the seam allowance.) She also had a similar dilemma a while back. I tried them all. This was the result.
Now with new, "improved" technique
Looks the same, doesn't it. Around now I had a fit of pique. I decided that there was simply too much fabric across the bust for this to work, thinking maybe I should try a size 10 bodice? Then I lamented the fact that this wasn't a panelled bodice, that the darts didn't just continue right up to the corners of the neckline, that would fix it. (Actually, stellar idea, might try that variation later on.) Then, I had a related idea, what if the darts do continue up, but not all the way to the neckline, just up to, or past the bust dart. Crazy, right?
Bodice with longer waist darts
Close-up of longer darts, without pressing
*expletive* It works, beautifully, giving a smooth, fitted bodice. True it looks a bit weird, but there are no longer arrows pointing directly at my apexes. Everyone has been telling me to lower the darts, but what I needed to do was extend them. Such a revelation!
One problem. Matching up the dots in my fabric is going to be impossible. If it was panelled it'd be doable. I might have to try that yet. Or find another fabric. Or settle for this dress being a lost cause and just go for it. Any which way, I've pressed my fabric and it's airing now. Cutting out begins soon. For better or worse.
I read around, looked high and low for information; all of which said it was undoubtedly my poor technique to blame. So I practised. Couple of places (1,2) said to go down in stitch size the last 1/2" or so, to run the last few stitches on the edge of the fabric, and leave a long enough tail to knot. People said to use a tailoring ham (I improvised with rolled-up socks). I heard about the rites of the cult of Pressing. Then Gertie had a few pointers. (I actually really like the one about snipping into the seam allowance.) She also had a similar dilemma a while back. I tried them all. This was the result.
Now with new, "improved" technique
Looks the same, doesn't it. Around now I had a fit of pique. I decided that there was simply too much fabric across the bust for this to work, thinking maybe I should try a size 10 bodice? Then I lamented the fact that this wasn't a panelled bodice, that the darts didn't just continue right up to the corners of the neckline, that would fix it. (Actually, stellar idea, might try that variation later on.) Then, I had a related idea, what if the darts do continue up, but not all the way to the neckline, just up to, or past the bust dart. Crazy, right?
Bodice with longer waist darts
Close-up of longer darts, without pressing
*expletive* It works, beautifully, giving a smooth, fitted bodice. True it looks a bit weird, but there are no longer arrows pointing directly at my apexes. Everyone has been telling me to lower the darts, but what I needed to do was extend them. Such a revelation!
One problem. Matching up the dots in my fabric is going to be impossible. If it was panelled it'd be doable. I might have to try that yet. Or find another fabric. Or settle for this dress being a lost cause and just go for it. Any which way, I've pressed my fabric and it's airing now. Cutting out begins soon. For better or worse.
