Outfit for a wedding and a party (McCall's 4781, Simplicity New Look 6415)

This was an outfit for a wedding and a party. The idea was that I didn't want to freeze in a dress; I wanted to make something relatively warm -- like pants. The outfit is the outcome of cutting, ironing, sewing, ripping, re-sewing, 3 days straight with my Dad.

Pattern: Top, Jacket: McCall's 4781, Pants: Simplicity New Look 6415
View: McCall's 4781 F, Simplicity New Look 6415 D
Size: McCall's 4781 XS, Simplicity New Look 6415 8
Fabric: Jacket: red brocade, with 1/4" double fold bias tape; Top and Pants: black moleskin, with ribbon strap on top, twill tape in pants waistline.
Things I learned:

• We were extra careful with these fabrics: we used loops of Scotch tape to lightly tape the pattern pieces to the fabric in oder to avoid having to pin, and maybe snag the fabrics.
  
• In the raglan jacket, we had to trim the underarm seam allowance, and serge the underarm seam, otherwise it wouldn't lie flat; it would bunch up.
• We drafted a bell-shaped sleeve that looked a lot better than the original straight sleeve.
  
• Twill tape stabilizes the waistline well.
• Interfacing paid off. My new iron worked really well.
  
• We couldn't deal with the brocade without FrayCheck.
• Note to self: Think twice before buying brocade, especially synthetic brocade. It looks great, but it's very hard to sew, and it snags very easily when worn.
• Moleskin is relatively easy to work with and looks great!
  
• This pants pattern looks great, but next time I make it, I should add 1.5 cm to the back pieces' waistline, and lover the front pieces' waist by 1.5 cm.
  
• It pays off to be patient, and detail-oriented. The outcome was a very comfortable outfit. The inside seams look nice, too.

I think next time I make them (and very likely I will), I need to make the following modifications:

• Raise the back waist line by 1/2 to 1 in.
• Lower the front waist line by 1/2 to 1 in.
• Shorten at both thigh- and shin-level to keep proportions.
• Use a flexible ruler to define more accurate crotch curve.
• Press size seams better while sewing.

Trumpet skirt (Simplicity 5914)

I had another brown fabric, and was curious to make a trumpet skirt. I have some RTW trumpet skirts, and they look the second best on me beside A-lines.

Pattern: Simplicity 5914
View: B
Size: 10
Fabric: Brown woven suiting

Things I learned:

• I figured out that in the last Simplicity pattern, the one for the A-line skirt, I had to choose size 10 for a good fit, I went with size 10 for this one as well. Well, in this patterns, size 10 was a little too big. I shoud have done size 8.
• I could also have drafted a horizontal shortening line on the pattern to make the pattern a bit smaller. Now it looks nice with boots, but not with regular heels.
• The fact that it's not lined (I juset used facings), does not make is very warm for winter when i would normally wear boots, so the number of times I put this skirt on is sort of limited. When the wethaer is getting warner, but it's still okay to wear boots, in that window of about 2 days, I can wear it.
• The side zipper could be nicer too. (These skirts are still made in a way that I put in the zipper almost at the very end, instead of when the skirt is still fairly flat. Note to self: Put in the zipper in the early stages, when the skirt's other side seam has not been sewn yet.)

And again... A-line (brown) (Simplicity 5173)

The size 10 black A-line skirt may be a bit too big I thought. When I lose a bit of weight, it hangs a bit too loose. So I tried this one in size 8, lined.
Pattern: Simplicity 5173
View: C
Size: 8
Fabric: Brown woven suiting

Things I learned:

• I should have stuck with size 10. even thought this skirt looks lovely when I am a bit thinner, it starts to pull a bit at the waist when I put on a bit of weight. Also, given that this skirt is a tiny bit shorter than the other one (for lack of fabric), I really should have stuck with the size 10.
• I might be able to let it out at some point, but I'll have to see if I want to take it apart or not.

A-line again (black) (Simplicity 5173)

I got some fabric from my friend for my birthday a while back, and I figured out what I could make out of them that i would really like. Yes, another one of those great A-line skirts.
Pattern: Simplicity 5173
View: C
Size: 10
Fabric: Black woven suiting

Things I learned:

• This was the first time I tried to make a lined skirt. last time, I drafted a facing for the summer skirt instead of a lining, but since my friend was so nice as to send me matching lining, I had to give it a try. It worked very well.
  
• I understitched the lining to the waist seam to keep the lining in place.

Elastic waist turned faced (Simplicity 5597)

The fabric was on sale, so I thought I'd give this pattern a try. I liked the way the flounce is longer in the back and shorter in the front. I thought that gave the skirt a floaty, breezy, summer look. That is, until I tried on the skirt. The pattern called for a half elastic, half tie waist. It looked awful on me. I had to make some changes to it...

Pattern: Simplicity 5597 (Similar to faced 4882--I should have bought that one instead.)
View: B
Size: 10 (which was waay tooo big)
Fabric: Cotton print

Things I learned:

• I had known that an elastic waist didn't look particularly flattering on me, but this was awful. I should have known not to buy elastic waist patterns. They just don't look good on me. Note to self: Don't ever buy an elastic waist pattern.
• This skirt is too long for me. I could shorten the pattern next time.
  

• I immediately decided to change it to smooth front and elasticized back. This heloed in the sense that the skirt looked great from the front, but the elastic made the back look like a balloon.

  I wore it a few times, but then I decided that the elasticized waist just had to go. I took the waist and hip lines from a straight skirt pattern, drafted a facing, and redid the entire skirt with a side zipper. Even though it didn't turn out to be the best zipper ever that I had put in, it loooked a great deal better than the original variation on me. What a difference!
  
  Now the skirt fits nicely. It's not my favorite summer skirt, but it's definitely wearable.