Completed: Simplicity 1803

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Well it's been a long two weeks working on this dress and I'm happy to say it's finally done! Simplicity 1803 oh how I have a love/hate relationship with you...

Overall I'm very pleased with how the dress turned out. Don't you just love the fabric?!? My favorite part of the dress is definitely the neckline and I love the back also. I measured for a size 12 but after making a muslin I discovered this dress has a lot of ease so I ended up cutting a 10 and I think it fits almost perfect. My fabric was pretty sheer so I interlined the bodice and lined the skirt. One of my not so favorite things about the dress is how the neckline gapes open a bit and there is no instructions directing you to topstitch it to keep it in place (unless I snoozed right over them). I don't really want to topstitch it either but I know no other way around it. In the pictures to follow I have pins in it to keep it from gaping open otherwise it looks like this...

There is a lot of gathering on the skirt!! My fabric worked out pretty well as far as laying goes but I could see where a heavier weight fabric may look a bit bulky and full because of all the gathers. I do like how the gathering looks, just don't like the actual process of putting the gathers in.

The only changes I made to this was the in the yoke. After reading reviews I followed one suggestion to cut the yoke neckline out a size smaller so it would sit lower, otherwise the neckline is pretty high. I also omitted the pockets and the belt since I just think those stringy belts are a pain to make.

I put in my first invisible zipper and though I had major problems with my first try I do think invisible zippers are easier than regular zippers. I don't own an invisible zipper foot so I bought a cheapo at Joann's. The Coats and Clark zipper I used said to install ONLY with a Coats and Clark invisible zipper foot because of the special teeth or some baloney so I did just that. I went through two of those cheap plastic foots. The first one broke on me and the second one hung in long enough for me to get my zipper installed. I ended up buying me a good metal foot on Amazon and I don't care what Coats and Clark say I will be using it on the next invisible zipper of theirs that I install. I did go through two zippers too but we won't get in to those gory details...:)

I love the retro vibe this dress gives off as well with the higher waistline. The first thing my husband said when I put it on was, "You look like one of those ladies off that show you watch all the time (Mad Men), the skirt sits up high like those dresses they wear." And I was like," Uhh I don't see the problem here!" I am going to make this dress again but I will be making the other bodice variation with the sleeves. So enough blabbering lets get on with the pictures. Be warned...my husband was not really in the mood to be taking pictures, he's been working a lot of overtime so he's tired and grouchy (as I would be if I have to get up at 1 am) and it was really windy out so prepare yourself for some hilarious and craptastic pictures ahead....enjoy!