Sewing Simplicity 1011

Okay, you've probably seen this pattern, Tilly is using it on her blog.  I saw it, coveted it, and realized I could get it via ebay and I did.  It was $9.99, I believe.  I bought this fabric in Albuquerque last Xmas, and only bought 4 yds, which should be plenty for most dresses with short sleeves...However, not if you make it with directional printed fabric (there's a definite top & bottom for this print).  This was not that big of a deal for most of it, but my brains almost melted trying to figure out how to get the little girls on the collar to be right-side up.  Some things I'm very good at visualizing...others not so much. I thought I was being smart when I cut one of the bodice pieces upside down, but that turned out to be wrong wrong wrong.  I spent about 45 minutes trying to figure out how to get a 2nd piece out of the tiny bit of fabric I had left over--and how to get it so that the pattern would be right side up and gave up...thinking, it will make sense tomorrow.  Well, it didn't so MD had to help me.  He looks at everything differently and solves problems the opposite way that I do.  Which is just what I needed.  I got a nice right side up piece of fabric &, though I did have to piece it; it won't show because it's on the inside of the bodice at that point...

Bella loves to help

This is a great example of a pattern where they take the sewer's expertise for granted.  The instructions are rather spotty, I think, especially about the collar facing & the sleeves.  I managed to figure most of it out, but I've got quite a bit of experience (even though I don't consider myself an expert).  So be forewarned!  If you are going to be using these old patterns (which are much more intricate and  assume a lot of expertise on the part of the seamstress), make sure you have an expert around to help you.  I have had okay luck at Jo-Ann with asking questions; some people know what they're talking about, others are just there to run the cash register...

Here's a picture of the collar that gave me quite a shock.  After all the upside down/right side up business I had a minor freakout when I saw this!  Her face is missing.  I about died.  I was all ready to start hunting for more fabric online (or head over to Jo-Ann), and then I realized, "Whew!  It's on the back side of the collar.  Double-whew!!"

So, just to show you what the bodice looks like now.  It needs four buttons (which won't work because there's a side zipper).  I've got the skirt ready to be sewn on, then the zipper.  I'm definitely getting close.  With any luck I'll get to it later today.  After the gym, after skyping a friend  in Paris, after figuring out what to take for lunch this next week...

Oh, I've been wanting to add music...so let's start with Bella Linda by the Grassroots which is a cover of Balla Linda by Lucio Battisti.  Which makes me think of my great selection of "learn Italian by singing Italian pop songs" mix.  More on that later...