Friends, I would like to begin this post with something I like.
In the past week, I've done several "pick me up projects" - just to get my mind off of the AWFUL top I made for the Gatsby challenge.
I made this fabulous Sorbetto on Monday (because I just cannot get enough of that fabulous pattern). This Sorbetto was originally this skirt here. Which was a pillowcase before that. I definitely prefer it as this top. The skirt was getting all twisted and weird when I walked, so it was getting neglected in the closet. I decided to remake it once again, and now it's my first garment for FESA! It's fabulous for layering, and I have been wearing it all week.
Ok, let's talk about my Gatsby creations. When I first saw the challenge, I knew I was going more along the inspiration route since I don't possess any vintage patterns from that time period. My first stop in these situations is BurdaStyle, because the patterns are cheap, I can print them from home, and in the past, I've gotten great results.
I started with this pattern, the short sleeve blouse:
I thought the flutter sleeves, peplum, and buttons with loops fit the time period well, so I settled on this for the top. For the skirt, I fell in love with the front pleated skirt and knew it had to be mine. The yoke is similar to those seen in the 1920s and 1930s. Theoretically, these pieces were supposed to go together.
Well...they didn't end up going together very well.
The blouse was a HUGE disappointment. I probably spent 8-10 hours on this shirt, which seems a little excessive to me. The pattern called for silk, and I used a silk blend, so I don't think my fabric was the issue.
When I finished the blouse for the first time, and put it on, it was enormous. The sheer amount of blousiness in the front and the back made me look like a football player who hadn't taken their gear off. It fit in the waist where the peplum begins, but I am convinced I could have fit two ten pound pumpkins in the top portion.
In order to reduce the amount of fabric in the front and back, I created two bust darts in the front. At their thickest points, they take in four inches of fabric. To deal with some of the excess in the back, I took it in under the sleeves (again, four inches at the thickest point).
I added red buttons because this blouse was meant to go with the red pleated skirt and they were available in my stash.
The blouse gaps terribly at the top and I think I'll need to find a way to keep the left front stabilized when the buttons are buttoned.
You can tell by my face how pleased these ideas make me.
Now, for the part of the Gatsby challenge I like...
In addition to the front pleated skirt, I made a camisole from the Colette Cinnamon pattern out of some fabulous pinstripe fabric I had in my stash. This was another "pick me up" project to get my mind off of the yellow Gatsby top above.
The skirt is gorgeous wine colored satin. LOVE.
I love the skirt with a hearty passion. This satin had been in my stash for quite some time and I was reluctant to use it for this skirt, but I am so glad I did! Now if I could iron out some of the folds that ran down the middle of the fabric, I would be perfectly happy.
I had to use a zipper in the camisole, but I love the way it turned out. You cannot really tell from these pictures, but the stripes lined up pretty well! It's comfortable and works well under a jacket for work.
I may just spin in this skirt all the time. Or take a salsa dancing class. That would be FABULOUS.
While I love the skirt, camisole, and Sorbetto, these are all shadowed by the disappointment in the shirt. I was able to finish three other projects in half of the time it took for the shirt, and I don't know if I should attempt to save the shirt or not.
Friends, have you ever invested a large amount of time into a project, only to be disappointed in the results? Did you accept the results or try and fix the project further?
Friends, I hope you have had a fabulous weekend, and a great week coming up!!