sewing for school: outfit #3 a.k.a. "The outfit that made me cry"

Friends, I finished another fall/winter outfit for Claire.

Honestly, I am not pleased.

For one thing, I made a size 6 thinking she could grow into it, but when I put it on her, it was huge! It looked shapeless and just too long. :(

So I hemmed it higher so the length is a little better.

But still. I was disappointed.

I think because I am mostly self-taught there are little fundamentals that I don't do properly, and it affects the whole product.

Like imperfect buttonholes, a collar that isn't totally straight and mismatched fabric (meaning the design at the side seams doesn't match up).

I had such grand visions for this dress, mostly because the fabric is a really special heavier weight linen-cotton blend that happened to be fairly expensive.

I thought this dress would do it justice to show off the cute Sleeping Beauty drawings, and I guess it sort of does that, but Claire doesn't like the way it feels (too scratchy).

We'll fix that by adding a tee and tights underneath (good thing it is for cooler weather!) and I think some pink boots will make it adorable.

I'm bummed though.

I want to keep sewing because I love it.

But I want to love what I sew too, and I usually end up slightly disappointed with the final project compared to the vision I had.

Like I always tell Claire (who gets easily frustrated), I have to keep trying- it is the only way my skills will improve, right?

I said in my title that this dress made me cry.

It totally did.

Noah and Alex (the girls were sleeping) came to see what was wrong, and both laughed when I cried "I ruined the dress!"

They don't get it... :)

You see, this dress has been worked on little by little for about three weeks- and I'm not kidding- on the very last step, the VERY LAST STEP, I made what might be an unfixable mistake.

I was carefully opening the last buttonhole and having some trouble due to the thickness of the fabric, and RIIIIIIIIIIIP! Right through the fabric in a slash!!!



see that huge rip? :(

GRRRRRRRRRR!!!!

This is where formal training would have come in handy, because I'm pretty sure there is a better way to open a buttonhole than using a seam ripper!

Live and learn! 

Next time I will use tiny scissors...

sleeve cuff (my favorite part!) and close-up of the design

ta-da! Rip and all. Maybe I can cover it up with buttons??

Also for Claire, some jammies.
Her birthday is next week and she both loves/needs new jammies, so I got to work in my little sweat shop (literally, my sewing area is the hottest place in the house!)

We've got some lightweight flannel pants and a matching tee which I embellished with some leftover pants fabric 

And another pair, with super-nice, super-soft flannel that is soooo luxurious. :)

Now I'm finishing up a birthday tutu and headband, soon to be followed by a dress for me!!

Super excited about that. :)