Alabama Chanin's Wrap Dress
Having downloaded the pattern, I'm trying out this Alabama Chanin wrap dress. The instructions are over-optimistically sketchy, I think, especially for that bust dart. It can be hard to get the corner point to lie nice and smooth. But we shall see.
I'm on my second go-round, since my printer actually gave me a slightly shrunken version of the pattern. My usual size was a little dainty. Currently trying again.
7 comments:
I am interested to hear your report! One thing I've loved about the AC tank and camisole dresses is the lack of shaping devices...just easy to sew and yet they still look good. I love the jersey-wrap concept though!
Good luck with that - that angle could be trouble. :D
Lisateresa
I don't know if this is what went awry with your printer/the pattern, but there's frequently the option to "shrink pdf to fit" - which adds printer-appropriate margins all around the PDF page (which usually already contains those margins) and shrinks the whole thing. (I was most annoyed when a copy shop did this to the return address labels for wedding invitations - it rendered almost all the labels on the page unusable, since they were bordered and the shrinking meant that the printing was substantially offset from the labels on the paper.)
Anyway, it might be worth hunting around printer settings/options when you go to print patterns and seeing if, on any of the pages/tabs of options, there's something that looks like that and unchecking the aggravating little thing...
When I took sewing in high school we were taught to sew the dart from the side, under the arm, and run the machine right off the end letting it make about a half inch of chain stitched thread tail. Then knot the thread and leave the tail of thread. First press the dart up and then press it downward with a pressing cloth. It always turned out perfectly. I hope this makes sense. Back when I learned this in 1974 all garments had darts and they fit so much better.
I can't wait to see what you make. I have fabric waiting for my first "Chainin" project, but I'm afraid to cut it. LOL
I love the look of this dress, though that sample looks fairly voluminous. I can't wait to see how it looks on you. What sleeve length are you doing?
I am actually working on that same dress. I sent the file to Staples and had them print it out because I always have issues with my printer. I agree the instructions are not as clear as most of her other patterns.
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