Fun with Stripes: Burda Asymmetric Sheath dress 04/2016 # 119B

Here's something I sewed a few weeks ago and I just can't warm up to it. Which I attribute entirely to the color. Or non-color, to be more accurate. As I have mentioned before, I just don't like to wear black very much. Or solid navy blue for that matter. Let's include brown in that category, and beige. Just not a fan of any of those colors. On the other hand if it is a bright color then I am happy. Actually that is the bottom line - I think I'm just one of those people who react to color a lot and particularly bright and saturated colors.

Which is a long way round of saying that while I really like this style and shape, and the actual fabric is quite nice, but the final result is just not giving me a thrill. Also it is really difficult to find vertically striped fabrics. Although when I found this at Stone Mountain the rational side of my brain told me "oh this will be really suitable for that pattern, and make a nice and interesting wardrobe basic".

Ok, enough yammering, here it is.  (note - drawing results on previous post's pattern giveaway at the end of this post)




I saw this pattern in the April issue and knew I wanted to sew it. But just needed to find the vertically striped fabric. I think I have seen other versions on line, particularly this version  which is in a color way that I love. Her stripes are all going the different way than mine, I think she used a horizontally striped fabric and rotated the pattern pieces. In any case I wanted to sew it like the pattern was designed, also I have something where I cut a knit with disregard for the direction of stretch and will never do that again! By the way, I don't buy the Burda magazines, I just purchase the PDF's of patterns I want, which is maybe one or two every few months.

When I look at these photos on my computer the stripes make the images look really messed up - hopefully they are showing up properly here.

Front and back on the dress form. I don't think the stripes are supposed to line up in the front at all. To tell the truth I studied the example on the Burda website for a good 10 minutes, then when I traced out all the pattern pieces I carefully added marks so I could make some of the stripes across the bodice seams connect - but really to no avail. I concluded that it was not possible and even not necessary.

  

See what I mean, check out that seam under the bust. I figured it should match (i.e. stripes intersect) at the center front and then it would also do so elsewhere - but of course it doesn't because it is a slightly curved seam, and not a 90˚ angle, in fact all the edges are curved and slice at different angles to each other. So don't bother with any matching. I could have sewed this a lot faster if I had skipped this effort.  Although the center back is a different - better - story. In that the is two sides that are mirror images so it does match there which I think looks nice.



For what looks like a simply shaped sheath dress I did a fair amount of fitting. I moved that small strap in just a quarter inch where it hits the neckline, just to make it easier to wear. I took it up at the shoulders a bit, standard adjustment for me as I am short. Added a little bit of length to the top bodice piece. Graded out in the hips, after starting with a Burda 38 bodice. Since it is a knit I made it on the slim side, although there is probably about 2 inches of ease in the waist.



Sewing details, I think in the instructions - which I did look at - tell you to put fusible interfacing on the seam edges. Which seemed like a bit of work but I just cut a bunch of the strips and then added the fusible to every edge. I think this makes a huge difference in helping to keep the dress in its shape  All those asymmetric seams press nicely and hold the curve as designed. I think it might stretch out or just not lay flat without the fusible. One of my sewing mottoes is "always more interfacing" so this project was no exception.








I thought about doing a full knit lining but decided it didn't need it, the fabric is nicely opaque and it didn't really need it. The facings provided by the pattern actually worked really well. I use some solid black knit fabric for the facing, and did interface the edges of the facings.







I like the back neckline, but not so crazy about how the stripe worked out along the center seam in the skirt portion. It's hard to tell, even in the close ups but the stripes are white and blue. Not that the tiny bit of blue adds much. I did post a dress form pic of this dress on Instagram a while ago and it got a lot positive comments, so I will be interesting to see the reaction here.

Do you ever have a pair of shoes that you like when you look down at your feet but when you see them in pictures or catch a glimpse in the mirror they look strange? These black wedge sandals always get a try-on but actually get worn kind of rarely. Too many straps maybe? You can see in a couple of these photos I have on a different pair of even older black sandals. Which perhaps look better? See it pays to just keep stuff until it comes back in style, ha ha.



Sewing for fall seems upon us - and my response to that is yuck! Fall fashions, fall sewing, change of seasons - no thank you! Look at all those fallen apples in my yard, yellow leaves, dry grass. I tolerate fall/winter and plan for spring.

How about an action shot? It is a shame that this giant apple tree is so productive, because the apples are terrible. One day a couple of weeks ago I picked up at least 100 apples and that was just the beginning stage of the apple onslaught. The squirrels and the birds like them and the shade is nice, Plus the blossoms in the spring are gorgeous. So apple tree reprieve.

Next up - some striped t-shirts, another silk top which is actually a transitional fall piece, and I have just completed the pattern work (flat pattern adjustment and then a quick test muslin) for a wool dress and an interesting jacket.

Happy early fall sewing, 
Beth

For my previous post - the drawing for two patterns from my stash, will these readers please email me with your mailing addresses.
Robin - for the leather top pattern
PoldaPop - for the Vogue ballgown dress pattern   

There is an email button up at the top of the blog under my profile.