I’m not sure which way to go. Do I make this dress out of this fabric, or not? I’m almost ready to pack up my fabric and wait until something better comes into my life!
So here’s the dilemma …
I was given this lovely pattern by my sister. She used it to make her wedding dress. It is now a vintage pattern. It deserves some special attention.
I was sure I found the perfect “summery” fabric! This fabric is a Misty Stretch ITY Slub Jersey Knit, 96% polyester, 4% Lycra. It feels very light-weight…almost Tee shirt weight though.
I cut the fabric pieces out (there are not many – front, back and sleeves) and serged together the side seams for the dress. But it just didn’t feel right. So I tried on the sewn together pieces (over my clothes).
It is lovely fabric. It moves nicely in the breeze. I love the flower design.
But, as you can see in every photo, the side seams are especially puckered the closer you get to the hem line.
- Is the puckering due to my serger tension? I suppose I could try sewing it carefully on my sewing machine with the proper needle, stitch and tension.
- Or perhaps this polyester/lycra is not the right fabric for making this dress? The suggested fabrics are many, including crepe and synthetic jersey. Not that I ever follow suggestions. 😉
- Or maybe this fabric is stretching too much in the length due to its weight and is being held back by the side seams, causing the puckering? Perhaps sewing in the elastic waist band properly will hold the fabric up.
So what do you think? Should I keep on with this lovely fabric? Or should I stop before I am too far committed (and end up wasting it all)?
I do have other fabrics I can use for this vintage dress pattern – wovens and knits. I do have other patterns I can use with this flowery fabric too. Let me know your thoughts!
In the meantime, here is the last of my #mmmay15 posts. I had a lot of fun organizing and planning my makes this year. As a bonus this #mmmay15, I have filled some gaps in my wardrobe, and learned how to take photos of myself with my tripod! I think I do much better if I don’t try to smile at the camera. (There is no one to smile at!) Now I know why fashion models gaze off into the distance. So, Thank you So, Zo…What do you know? for organizing #mmmay15 every year!
I hope you are enjoying #mmmay15 too! Be sure to give me some input on my dress dilemma!
Happy Sewing!
39 Responses to “I’m “sitting on the fence” with this one… (and my #mmmay15 final post)”
I made a dress from the very same fabric. It has some pulling down along the side seams right at the bottom of the skirt. Although it does not seem like a heavy fabric, it’s structure makes it want to droop. I think the longer the garment, the more the droopy seams with this fabric. I didn’t use a serger and the seams don’t have puckers, but hanging, it’s droopy. Pretty, but droopy.
Ugh! That sounds ominous…
You and Thimberlina should definitely go shopping together 😉 I like the idea…
I know right, we could be devious together!!
I agree with the other comments to be very safe about it I would unpick it and use a ballpoint 70/10 needle in your sewing machine to redo the side seams. I also think because of the stretchy nature of this knit that Ali is right and you can probably take in the side seams too. Maybe just cut off the serging and resew both sides without unpicking!! That would be a fast fix;)
If you have extra fabric to play around with I can tell you that you may need to adjust the tension of your threads as well as maybe the pressor foot tension, definitely need to adjust the differential feed on stretchy fabric, adjust them just a tad bit to the gathered icon(maybe a tiny bit up from your N setting like a 1.25 or 1.5…. pushing the fabric together slightly so it doesn’t stretch) Also besides adjusting all the tensions I just mentioned I would definitely also change your needles to two ballpoints 70/10’s.
Good luck I love the fabric it is so pretty and worth playing around with 🙂
Beautiful clothes in your wardrobe. Great Me Made May Challenge 🙂
I might try unpicking the lower portion of the seams first, before cutting it off, as I am just that crazy! I do have lots more of this fabric, even more than scraps so I am going to have to practice with the tension. The needles are going to definitely be changed. Hopefully my serger co-operates or I’m going to start practicing with my sewing machine. I know it can do this job right with all its modern options! Thanks for the help and the compliments!
Love the fabric!! It is stunning, and so worth the extra effort it requires. I’ve had the pucker problem before and ended up using the stretch stitch on my sewing machine (it’s a combo straight stitch and zigzag mash up) with a ‘jersey’ needle and things improved. I’ve had limited success with my serger (also old)….it was always so hard to adjust! So, i sort of gave up on it and just use my machine now. I love your MM photos. That red cardigan is stunning.
Thank you for the tip! Nice to know I’m not the only one with the “dinosaur”! My sewing machine is much newer and has more choices. I think that cardigan is my favourite. I made another one before that but it didn’t have proper sleeve pieces so it was not as useful.