Mood:
irritatedNow Playing: XM 80s - "Rebel Yell", Billy Idol
Well, it's something I've tried - and failed at, miserably - several times before. But this time, it wasn't so bad. Maybe 'not quite so miserable' is more apt...
One of my favorite vintage Barbie dresses is 'Modern Art' - a simple knee-length cotton dress, slightly off the shoulder with an overlay of organza and a rolled organza collar. Long time ago, I bought the Aileen's Petite Fashions version of it, #135. About a month after buying it, I tried it, setting the first of a chain of failures off.
The directions aren't the greatest, to start with. It never mentions when to sew the shoulder seams - far as I could tell, you *never* do ! It also doesn't say when to turn the organza/cotton bodice right side out, or mentions that the armhole seam and back seams will be visible. Even on the 'finished item' image, the collar isn't as low as it should be.
Yet, for some reason, I decided to try it again today. After all, it's been at least two years, and it could be that I got frustrated back then and read what wasn't really there - or misunderstood. Two years is long enough to garner some new skills and calm down. And I still really like that dress...
I had most of the same problems then as now, but it did look better. I used cotton and tulle instead of cotton and organza, and I used thread that glared in its non-matching brightness. So the 'finished' bodice looks like crap, but it's closer to the original than I've ever been. I still think it's badly written, for a pattern, and not really that close to the vintage version, but unless I wanna go after it m'self, I can't whine too much. I'll probably try again tomorrow, with some other fabrics, so I can show ya what I mean.
It's just so frustrating to *buy* a pattern - and then find out it's screwed up ! In my overstated opinion, if I'm gonna shell out hard-earned, the author should have his/her crap together. Makes me glad I don't buy patterns from any source anymore. Seems like I'd often be better off making 'em myself, all the frustration and wasted time and materials could at least be headed towards a goal.
