The fine line between success and failure.

The other day I was in the mood to sew up something quick, after all those weeks spent on the coat.  I had some mid-brown cotton/lycra jersey I'd bought a few months ago to make New Look 6071, so I decided to get that out.

Now, I've made this dress twice before, and while I wasn't 100% happy with either of those makes, they weren't failures either.  I wish I'd taken the time though to read through my previous post, because the very first thing I did was to cut the body out without adding on the extra 2" in length that I did last time.  Of course, I hadn't bothered to alter my pattern last time, thinking that I'd remember.  Heh.

What I didn't like about the first two dresses is that they were both made from very thin, drapey jersey.  I thought I'd fix that by buying this heavier, more stable jersey.  I fixed it a little too well.  So, in addition to being too short, the dress also doesn't have enough drape - and the bindings around the armhole are really too thick.  Somewhere out there is a fabric that's a happy medium, but I'm not sure I have the fortitude to go out and find it.  I may have to break up with this pattern.

And how do you like it with that sweater?  I think they go well together.  But I bought this fabric specifically to go with another sweater I can't figure out how to wear - and of course, the color is all wrong.  Sigh.  Computer monitor, why you got to do me like that?

I made this dress in anticipation of going out with some friends for kebab this weekend - I was thinking of it as a more feminine version of stretchy pants.  But I have to wear a super heavy-duty girdle with this one, so I think I'm going to have to find a plan B.

What do you guys think of New Look patterns?  This is the only one I've used (and I only own one other, which I'm now afraid to use).  I was a little incensed because the instructions contained a glaring mistake that should have been caught by a tech editor, and which made the construction much more confusing than it needed to be.

The case for a girdle. Or, New Look 6071.

So you know that while I had my hair styled and makeup on yesterday, I took photos not just of the Cambie, but of all the other stuff I've finished in the last few weeks!  It's going to be a real FO spam-a-thon around here for a few days!

Here are two dresses I had very high hopes for.  Sadly, those hopes were deflated.  They're not terrible, they just don't look as fabulous as I wanted them to.

A couple weeks ago, Andrea posted about a dress she'd made over the summer. She looks so fantastic in hers.  I wanted to look fantastic too!  So the very next day I went out and bought the pattern, and the day after that I made the dress.

I don't look as fabulous as Andrea.  I know this for certain now, because I tried twice.

My first go with the pattern was with the same stretchy grey knit I used for my yoga skirt a few weeks back.  It's really not heavy enough for a dress I think, but hey - it was around and it was cheap, so why not just test the fit?  I chose the smallest size, size 8, knowing that this fabric tends to stretch.

I also had some fabric in red, which I discovered was basically the same thing.  I'd thought it was a little heavier until I actually cut it out and started working with it.  I'm starting to think it might not be such a good idea to continue buying these unmarked fabrics off the remnants table at Vogue . . .

When I started taking pictures yesterday, I put on the red dress first.  The fabric is so thin that this dress shows everything.  After I got all those pictures taken and put on the grey dress, I decided it might not be a bad idea to pop on a girdle at the same time.  And you know?  It made a big difference!  So here I've got a side-by-side picture for you of the back:

Ewww!  Lumpy!

I sort of can't believe I even just posted that picture.  But it's all in the name of helping out the next person who makes this pattern.  Let's move on to some relatively more flattering pictures of the front.

I'm glad to finally have something that goes with this cardi.  I've had it for years.

One of the big problems with both these dresses is that while the fabric is quite stretchy, it doesn't have great recovery.  And like I said, it's very thin, so it shows everything.  I feel slightly more comfortable with a cardi over it.

Trying to look like a glamorous model, like Rachel.  And trying to suck it all in.  This was before lunch, folks!  Be assured that if and when I wear this out of the house, I will be donning the girdle!  I do think the color is great.

OK, now that we've got the red dress out of the way, let's move on to the grey. 

I'm also glad to have something that goes with this cardi.  I've had it for years too!

Avec et sans cardi.  The pattern has two versions - the sleeveless dress I made, and a three quarter-sleeved tunic-length top.  Like Andrea, I lengthened the dress by two inches - and I'm only 5'4" folks!

Pouty face.  And ponder-y face.

Here's my other problem with the dress.  I think that having this mass of fabric under my bust only serves to accentuate how little bust there is.  Sadly, this is with a padded push-up.

I will say that this was my first time working with a New Look pattern - I really wasn't even aware of this line until Andrea posted about it.  The instructions were pretty clear, and you certainly can't beat the price ($3.99US).  The construction of this dress was fun too - you make a buttonhole in the right bodice and pass the left bodice through it to get that cross.

I would like to try this one more time, with a heavier fabric containing a goodly portion of lycra.  It would be nice if I could find such a fabric in chocolate brown.  Because I've got plenty more cardis I hardly ever wear.