Monday, April 28, 2014

Wiksten Tank Dress with elastic waistband and... POCKETS.


ughhhhhhhhhhhhhh


So after making a bunch of Wiksten Tanks (pics later), I bought some cool fabric thinking I'd make matching tank tops for my twin Jessica and me. My thought process behind choosing this fabric: we are pisces and her wardrobe is full of black, white, grey, and stripes. So I thought this might add a bit of colour. Um, a lot of colour.

UMMMMM, what was I thinking?!

Lucky for Jessica, I didn't have enough of the fish fabric to make two tank tops. So I decided to make myself a dress instead. With an elastic waistband (because the dress looks like a mumu on me otherwise) and pockets (because I hate carrying a purse. In fact, I don't really own one).

Hooray, my first ever dress!


Evan took this picture of me when we rode our bikes up to the bluffs. FUN!!!

Mods:

  • raised neckline by 3/4''
  • S in armholes, neck, but traced between XS and S for side seam
  • added pockets using this tutorial. (Next time adjust from 1/2" to 5/8" to match the 3/8" seam allowance. I don't know what I'm talking about here but I feel like I should remember this note for next time.)
  • added an elastic (made it up): cut out a bias casing from fabric, 3" wide, as long as the dress. Sewed it along waistline.


MISTAKES!!!!!


the dress of dead fish.

  • the fish are upside down!!!! What was I thinking?
  • the bias tape facing at the neckline and armholes doesn't lay flat. I think that next time for the first step I'll sew it at a 1/4'' seam allowance (instead of 3/8'') -- is this an error in the pattern? I don't know. Or use this tutorial from grainline for getting bias necklines to stay flat
  • the bunching of the fabric because of the elastic waist looks a bit awkward but I don't really care that much.


NEXT TIME:

  • Try cutting the top part and the skirt part separately. Would eliminate some of the bunching.
  • Don't cut fabric after midnight.

Bye!!!!!!!!!!!

adventures in sewing: ORIGINS!!!

Sometime in 2009, prompted by a section of The Artist's Way, I made a list of ten things I wanted to do at some point. I've since lost the list but I remember that two of the things were learning some form of martial arts and taking up sewing.

Fast forward to 2014. I enrolled in the Sewing Machine Essentials and Wiksten Tank classes at the workroom last month. As someone who doesn't spend that much time in the west end of Toronto (I live near the Beach), I found out about the workroom in a roundabout way. I'd made a fun hat using a Wiksten pattern that I'd purchased through Ravelry.

my snöflinga hat

Soon I found myself on the Wiksten Made website, where I came across the Wiksten Tank pattern. After a bunch of Googling and clicking I discovered Karyn's blogpost about all the tanks she'd made using the pattern -- and that Karyn ran the workroom.

~~ instant inspiration ~~

I signed up for classes and now I've pretty much quit knitting to sew stuff instead. My poor stash of yarn is languishing in a pile by the window like dried-up once-soggy ramen. I've sewed a bunch of things since.

The first thing I sewed (during the class) was a cushion cover. My cushion is poufy and ugly.

poufy pillow + a drawstring bag


Then I learned how to make zipper pouches on the Internet.

Peggy Pointer zipper pouch using this zipper pouch tutorial from Pink Polka Dot Creations

Underwear Tiger zipper pouch using same tutorial as above. I made the patch thingy out of felt.

Underwear Tiger zipper pouch using this Half-Circle Zippered Pouch tutorial from Lula Louise

Then I made a bunch of zipper pouches featuring a linocut print of my design -- meet Commander Catfield and Félicette, the first cat in space! These will be for sale at Story Planet.

STOP: Cats in space!

Cats in space!

Random zipper pouches/coin purses.

Commander Catfield.

Félicette.

 A post with all the Wiksten Tanks to come. I should probably warn you that I know nothing about buying fabrics and I think I have no taste. You've been warmed!