Maybe “ultimate sadness” is a little dramatic. Perhaps.
But this is a pretty bad craft fail.
Back in the winter when Elizabeth and I were taking that pattern drafting course I got on this kick where I wanted to make all these knit, Units style pieces for Grace. And for the most part I really like how they turned out.
But then I got too confident…and ended up with this dress.
Kooky, shapeless, sad.
It was supposed to be a simple dress with dolman like sleeves…but then I decided to use some of this AWESOME, vintage, rainbow knit that I’ve been hoarding for over a year now.
And then I got this brilliant idea to do the little chevron point down the front.
(I’ll spare you the details of me crawling around the floor at 10 at night on the classroom floor in a caffeine induced stupor arguing with Elizabeth on how to make that happen.)
So after mad hacking…and my absolute refusal to make a real pattern this is what I ended up with.
AGHHHH!!!!! I ruined all that sweet fabric on this…ON THIS!!!!
It’s a tragedy. All that vintage goodness cut down in it’s prime.
Shame on me.
It’s a total disaster.
Dang it. I hate to waste anything vintage.
Maybe Grace can use it for a night gown.
What do you think? Any ideas on how to salvage this fabric?
liZ
A simple elastic waisted skirt?
A simple elastic waisted skirt?
I don’t think it is that bad at all. If you want it more fitted, how about adding some shirring under the bodice?
I think it’s cute!
call me crazy, but i love it:)
I don’t think it’s all that bad!! If it were me, I’d like it more with any or all of the following adjustments: Sleeveless, slightly more fitted, cut off the bottom and turn it into a skirt, then add a solid red skirt to the top to make a different dress, add some sort of waist band or bow/sash? You can save it! Probably you just need to give it a time-out for a little while and come back to it when you’re less mad about how it didn’t come out like the picture in your mind. 🙂
Are you kidding? That girl can pull it off! I think it’s adorable on her!
She looks adorable and if you tie a scarf around her waist as a sash she’ll be rocking it, especially if it picks up one of the colours of the rainbow.
I think if you added some elastic in the sleeves, and a ribbon around her waist it would be a perfectly adorable little dress, especially with some tights and boots during the fall! I love the fabric. And honestly, I like the chevron, I just agree that the dress needs some shape.
the dress isn’t that bad… I think if you add some detailing to it it would be a cute playdress – maybe shorten the sleeves a bit or shirr them?
I think you’re too hard on yourself! It *looks* great, but then we can’t see it in real life. I do love it though!
It’s not that bad…it makes a perfect beach cover up. I actually think it is kind of cute.
I would maybe make the sleeves shorter as they are sort of in between right now, but this would be great with some cute little leggings, but I am into baggy on top right now!
Well, it is a good start for sure. I LOVE the rainbow chevron–great job. I would honestly make it into an empire waisted dress though. Either by making your own solid colored bodice, or buy a T-shirt and hack it off. Then you could dress it up with ribbon, flowers, etc. Use some of the rainbow to edge the collar and cuffs.
I kinda like it honestly. I’d shorten the sleeves so they were more of a cap or flutter sleeve, add some elastic or shirring at the waist if you want it more fitted and roll with it 🙂
Gather the sleeves into cuffs and put some shirring into it and define the waist with a ribbon, and you’ve rescued it from the failed bin. I’ve rescued worse than this with a couple changes, and hope isn’t lost yet!
This comment has been removed by the author.
I agree with the others, the sleeves would be a little better if you could shorten them and maybe put a gather in them so they’re a bit more girly. And I think it does need to be a little more fitted and less baggy, but with the chevron thing going on, I don’t know if a sash is the best idea. It would make your stripes all wonky. I couldn’t tell what the side seams look like, but do the chevrons continue around? I’m wondering if you could just take in the side seams around the waist, make it more curvy so it’s fitted at the waist then flares out into an a-line? All in all though, I don’t think it’s a fail, just not a success-the-way-I-wanted-it. 🙂 And I think we would all love to see what you end up doing with it! 🙂
I had the same thought of either doing something to the sleeves to tighten them up and then gathering at the bodice or cutting it and making a fun skirt…
I think it’s really close. And man, is that great fabric! I think a belt would give it great shape. I really think that’s all it needs! Can I have the scraps!?! 😉
I think it needs a little red leather belt – something like what the Sew Convert did in this:
http://grosgrainfabulous.blogspot.com/2011/04/free-pattern-month-day-1-sew-convert.html
Would be perfect! It is not a total disaster, just missing something! Love the fabric!!!
I think storiedyarns had a great idea! Or, cut the sleeves off for a more pillowcase look, and a ribbon or sash at the waist. I agree that with some boots and maybe a sweater it would rock!
I think it’s totally cute, too! But I do think the chevron would be lost a bit with any kind of adjustment that pulls in the waist or at empire. If it were my yummy dress to play with, I would try some red bias tape on the neckline – maybe pull in the side seams a little, but keep the A-line for sure, and consider adding a colorblock of red on the bottom, too, like say, maybe 4-5 inches to catch the red trim around the neckline. I like the floaty sleeves – you could hold up the trim to the edge of the sleeves, too, but I think it might be too heavy for their floatiness. If you were going to change the sleeves to a different shape, I’d put trim on them, too. But, also, what someone else said, put it away for a little bit until your disappointment wanes, then come back to it.
You could chop it in half and add an elastic waiste band to the bottom to make it a skirt. You could use use the top, which I’m assuming would be a little on the short side, to wear over a longer tank top. It looks cute with skinny jeans. Those kind of cropped tops are all the rage with my daughter and her friends. Of course, your duaghter is younger than my nine year old, so maybe that look would be a bit mature for her? Just some suggestions 🙂
Oh stop! It’s cute! You could always make a casing on the inside of the dress and sinch the waist with some elastic and put some elastic In the sleeves. I have a similar top/dress in my tutorials section on my blog if my description is too crazy to visualize. (sorry my iPod isn’t letting me paste a link)
I hate it when you see something in your head and it comes out all wrong once it’s done! If you’re anything like me, telling you it’s cute isn’t going to make you feel better. I thought either turning it into a skirt with a cute wide elastic band or trying some shirring/thin elastic in the waist and sleeve hems may be options? Either way, I have to say that I LOVE that fabric and was so disappointed when you said it was vintage! My daughter loves rainbows and I try to buy any rainbow print I see! Good luck with you’re project to save your fabulous rainbow print!
I think it looks cute and comfy. If you don’t like the fit, I think it can be easily mended by adding some shirring in the back, or taking in the side seams to make it look less baggy. I like the sleeves, maybe just sligtly shorter.
I agree with the many who have said to shorten the sleeves and cinch the waist with some elastic shirring. If that doesn’t work I think it would make an adorable skirt! I can’t wait to see what you end up doing!
i think its cool and above all comfortable….but if it bothers YOU so much i agree with what Stef above said…the chevrons will be lost is you add something at the waist, so best with a block colour at the bottom and perhaps end of the sleeves after a slight adjustment…dont be toooooo hard on yourself..plus a pretty girl can carry anything right…
I really like it!! I say add a hippie headband and call it good.
I think you made a darling, comfy nightgown. No fail here, Win!!
I actually really like it. I oohed and ahhed over the first photo and kept scrolling down to find the ultimate sad dress you were referring to. Then it hit me that it was the one in the first photo.
If you do want it more fitted, then shirring the top would really change it.
It’s nice how it is though (:
Liz, it’s not bad at all! Four things struck me, looking at the dress (apart from how gorgeous the rainbow print was and how well you did the chevrons – high five!):
1 Maybe define the neckline a bit. Add trim, ric rac or even a fake keyhole placket.
2 The sleeves are great. The length is great. Repeat the neckline trim on the sleeve hems.
3 Repeat the neckline trim on the hem of the dress so it ties the neck, hem and sleeves together.
4 Or turn it into a tunic! Take in the sides, make a side slit up the hem on each side, add that keyhole placket and wear over jeans and with boots for fall. You can leave the sleeves as is or take them in very slightly.
Oh my goodness- I think this is adorable! It looks so comfy and cute on her!
I say keep it!
~Michelle
It’s not so bad Liz!! I understand though when something doesn’t work out the way you think it should – especially when you have no fabric left!!
Ok – you have a zillion suggestions here but I’ll add mine anyway. 😉 What if you turn it into a little sundress? Make the top a closer fitted bodice with straps, and add an elastic waistband? Then it could be a cute little dress or tunic!
I think it’s cute! The only thing I could think of, was to make it shorter and slimmer for more of a shirt than a dress… Either way, I think it’s cute!
This comment has been removed by the author.
Maybe this vintage pattern will inspire you:http://www.etsy.com/listing/103058623/1960s-simplicity-girls-patterns-7463
don’t see what’s so bad about it – looks really nice and comfortable to me. Tone
If you decide to go with one or more of these fabulous suggestions, you gotta share the results with us , pleeeeese!
I sort of like it. You could add a couple of inches of elastic on the sides under the arms to put it in and give it a little more shape.
I agree with the other responses- I think it is cute and it would look great over some leggings. But it is hard when you don’t get what you imagined. If you think the dress need more “definition” I would cut off some of the bottom and add a solid color block in either the blue or the red from the chevrons. I would match that with a the same color as a neck band in a v-neck that would contrast nicely with the chevrons that point up
Um, I think the obvious solution is to send it to me!!
Call me crazy, but before I read the post, I was thinking, “dang, she always comes up with the cutest stuff!” I LOVE this dress. Throw a belt on it and add some leggings and boots and you’ve got yourself a trendy little dress for fall!
uhm. i think it’s adorable. i like the shirring idea. 🙂
maybe shorten it into a top if you REALLY hate it and wear it with some solid leggings? She could have a rainbow selection and it would always look different…
I think you’re too hard on yourself – or else I have no style. 🙂 I think it’s adorable … I love a loose dress like that on a little girl. And the rainbow chevron is too cute.
I think it’s adorable! Simple and totally 60’s. And it looks so comfy! If it were my size I’d put a bright red sash around my waist and call it good. On a little one, though, I don’t think it lacks anything!
I know it has already been said several times but add a couple of rows of shirring in the waist and it will totally transform it from tent shape to dress shape 🙂 I hope we get to see the result when you decide what to do!
What about sadness!!! It catched my eye! I LOVE IT! Just because if thes simplicity! And that awesome full colors!!!!
If you leave it a year longer it also will be a great tunica! Skinny jeans under it… WAUW!!!!
Wow, I wish this would be my idea of a “sewing disaster,” but alas, it more looks like the best I could ever do.
I love this dress! I thought this was going to be the end product after fixing the thing that gave you “ultimate sadness”. I think it’s awesome that it should fit for a couple of years and grow with your girl. She’ll be able to wear it with tights or jeans and it will still look awesome! Plus, every “fail” brings another opportunity to be creative! I really don’t think it was a waste of this gorgeous (unfortunatley vintage and therefore not readily available anymore)fabric. Good on you for giving a try too!
How about this? Take the dress apart at the seams and cut the fabric lengthwise on each side of the center chevron seam — between the center seam and the side seam. Then reverse the direction of the pieces and stitch up again to create another chevron on each side of the center one.
Of course, the pieces will no longer be quite the right shape for a dress. Use the newly pieced fabric to cut a dress in a different shape, using some of the great suggestions in the previous comments. I like these: shorter sleeve, slimmer body; solid empire bodice (maybe with long sleeves); a tunic; or a skirt.
Also, rick-rack trim sounds cute, but if it makes too many zig-zags, a narrow, solid-color braid or grosgrain ribbon sewn 1/8 inch from the edges of the sleeves and hems to pick up a color in the rainbow would look great.