Thursday, November 4, 2010

my creative space- pattern rage

I
I found a pattern for dolls clothes at my local op-shop for one dollar. I couldn't resist and have sewn two little dresses and a pair of overalls, but not before throwing a bit of a tantrum and making several parts up as a went along.
The overalls were okay, but attaching the collar to the dress? Oh My!


The pattern says; with right sides up, pin collar sections to neck edge, matching notches, placing circles at centre seams.. Baste. Stitch.

Okay so far so good, done that.

Then it goes on; Turn collar seam allowance toward bodice (um..what the?)


On outside, stitch on bodice close to neck seam thru (sic) the seam allowance. Okay WHAT THE HEL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?

The picture gives no clue. I have no idea. I ended up ripping seam and starting again, this time putting wrong side up, so I could flip the collar and sew again on the right side. But it is slightly messy and obviously-not-quite-right.

Does anyone know what I'm missing? And do you get pattern rage too? I'd love to hear about it, it would make me less likely to shred the offending section into little-eeny-tiny pieces..

9 comments:

Carolyn said...

I get very frustrated when I can't follow a pattern! It looks like you've done a lovely job anyway!

BOB & MABEL said...

I can't even begin to understand. When reading patterns my brain shuts down. I struggle to comprehend the words and even the pictures. I usually nut it out myself!

Tess said...

Hi Pepper, gotta love old-school patterns!

As far as I understand it:
- sew collar to bodice with all pieces facing right-side up. This leaves the raw edges showing around the neckline.
- turn the fabric over (right-side down). fold the raw edges in, the width of the seam allowance (recommend ironing them down). The seam you have just sewn should be the fold-line.
- Then sew them down within the previous seam allowance, which will look like topstitching around the neckline and keeps the collar on outside and raw edges inside both sitting flat. I'd do this really close to the edge.

Hope that helps. If I've misinterpreted, please let me know!
Good luck :)
tess

Tess said...

Yes I did misinterpret -- the last seam will NOT look like topstitching -- you stitch it under the collar, on the bodice! That would look much neater...

Megan said...

i think all patterns give me pattern rage. which is why i really try to avoid them. written instructions are just not really my thing - i need to see it done to understand. i made an apron last year using a pattern and had to attach bias binding for the first time ever in my life. very confusing. very frustrating. lots of time spent on youtube!

Screamstress said...

Are they telling you to sticth the facing to the bodice, close to the seam and underneath the collar - to keep the facing in place? But what a ridiculous technique to use on a DOLL's dress! The dresses look beautiful, and I love the overalls, very Huck Finn :)

The Creative Beast said...

I think I have figured out what was to be done...

The instructions seem to have asked that you sew the collar (right side up, facing out) on top of dress bodice at the neckline, THEN you fold over the seam you have made into the inside of the dress (bodice) to stitch it down with top stitching...

It looks as though you have stitched the collar with right side facing IN the dress - you then turned it over to have the right side facing out and top stitched it down...

I think if you were to sew ii following the original directions, then you will be turning the tiny bit of raw seam that shows in the center into the inside of the neckline and stitching it down so it will be a clean finish.

I'm not sure if that was clear, so feel free to contact me and maybe i can make up a quick photo tutorial to show what I think those instructions were to be =-)

BTW: Those doll dresses are SO sweet!!

Lillabilly said...

Gracious! I am going to teach myself how to sew soon, so I have all this and more to look forward to! I have been warned! Also, your doll's clothes turned out just gorgeously, pattern rage or no.

Em said...

it's like they speak in a foreign language.....I'd bet a pattern writer would be NO FUN at all at a dinner party!