Friday, May 18, 2012

Wadders

I normally don't post my wadders anymore because I am just not that inspired by seeing other people's wadders. And really, getting inspired by other seamstresses is most of why I enjoy reading sewing blogs. However, I often get questions like the following, and thought I would share some of my mistakes:

Joyree commented on my recent knit twist top - "You are so good at getting the fit PERFECT! Does everything just fit you as it comes out of the envelope, or do you have to fix it? Very cute top."

Does everything fit me perfectly out of the envelope? No. Almost never. In fact, I have made so many wadders out of nice fabric that I now almost always make mock-ups out of crummy fabric to perfect the fit. Sometimes that doesn't work, though, and I never make a muslin out of a knit. Here are some wadders I have produced lately.

Butterick 5495

I love the look of this cute top and have seen some really lovely versions over at patternreview.com. In fact, I think this was one of those "best of 201?" patterns. Here is the one I made:

Please excuse the blurry photos - I couldn't use a flash for these mirror shots

I made this using a cheap polyester knit that wasn't as stretchy as most of my other knits. I bought it because I loved the color. As you can see, I tied a piece of fabric through the gathering holes to try it on for fit. It is super tight in the waist and the tie isn't even pulled as tight as the envelope example. I think a stretchier knit would work better for this pattern if you want it to be gathered as closely as the example. Also, there is way too much fabric gathered under my small bust resulting in a puddle of fabric right above the stomach. The maternity look isn't what I was going for. The next time I make this pattern I plan to remove an inch or two from the center front and add some to the side seams to make up for it. That will serve as a SBA and get rid of the excess gathering. I do really like this pattern and will be making it again, but it definitely needs some adjusting if you have a small bust.

Vogue 1250


This pattern has about a million reviews for it on PR. The rebel in me did not want to make it. I do not like to do what everyone else is doing. Also, I made this ugly top last year and since then have shied away from cowl necklines. But I decided to give it a chance for some reason:


The good news is I like the fit and think the neckline is definitely flattering. The bad news is my unfortunate fabric placement. See those two huge paisley motifs at both hips? They are making me look really wide. Not what I was going for either. Also, the back armholes stretched out dreadfully while I was trying to do the double folded hem finish. I need to find some sort of iron on stabilizer that will wash out when I'm done sewing it. I'll be making this one again in a different fabric. 

Vogue 1271


This is a designer dress new for spring that I loved and wanted to make for Easter. I made a muslin and had some problems with the side front pieces pooching out at the waist inset. I thought I had figured out how to correct the problem and also take a small bust adjustment (SBA), so I cut into my expensive silk dupioni without hesitation. Two weeks later with much time spent ignoring my family I had produced this:

It's way too tight. You can't tell by these pictures but the neckline is sitting really far down my shoulders making the tucked sleeves collapse. I made a 10 in the bodice and a 12 in the skirt but forgot to mark the darts for the 10 so they didn't match up. And FYI, silk dupioni is kind of like leather in that once it is stitched on the machine, the stitching holes are always there. I did not know that. There was no moving the darts over so they would be under the bust seams. I tried making my darts inverted which would have looked okay, but the whole dang thing is just too tight. *BIG GUSTY SIGH* Also, this is sort of an ugly color on me. I can wear taupe with more brown in it, but this color makes me look ill. I will not be making this dress again. It was wadded up and thrown in the trash with much ceremony. The pattern was fine, but after two weeks of frustration I'd had enough.

Trying to show you the collapsing sleeve and overall tightness of the dress

As you can see, I still experience my fair share of ill fitting garments. They suck, but they are a part of sewing your own clothing. 

I have completed a short sleeve summer jacket that you can see on my dressform in the back of the mirror pictures. We finally got some pictures taken of it yesterday but I don't really like the buttons I put on it. And I have a baby dress I made several weeks ago that I have yet to get pictures of. This blog has been sadly neglected this year and I am sorry for that. Anyone know where I can find some blogging mojo?

35 comments:

  1. Heck, woman! Even your wadders look better than some of my finished garments! ;)

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  2. Amanda, thank you for showing these!! It was great to see that you have challenges too. And as Ginnie said - even your wadders look better than some of my finished garments :-)!

    I neglected my blog for over a year and just updated it with several posts in 2 days. I'm bored at work!

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  3. someone needs to gather a Best Maternity Pattern post because that first Butterick would be super cute. If I get preggers again (not planning on it) I need to remember this pattern.

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  4. I say with utter sincerity that I hope that someday my FOs look as good as your wadders! I actually like to see others' wadders - it reassures me that I'm not hopeless (!), but it's also a great learning opportunity for me as I'm getting back into sewing.

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  5. Thank you for sharing your wadders. Everyone enjoys different aspects of blogs - for me, an authentic presentation - which shares successes and failures is far more interesting than always 'putting best foot forward'. For me, it's just way more interesting to be part of someone's sewing journey.

    As for sewing mojo, I think it's called having 3 kids and home schooling 2 of them. Realistically there is only so much time in a day, and only so much energy.

    I'm not sure what the answer to that conundrum is, but most mental health experts talk about the necessity of creating time for life outside of children.

    The "how" is the hard part.

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  6. I'm all for showing wadders. I think it's important to keep it real. Gosh we all have them!

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  7. Thank you!!!! Everything I see you sew on your blog looks so effortlessly beautiful and fits like a dream. It's nice to know that it's sometimes a struggle for the super talented as well!

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  8. I like seeing wadders, as I think there's just as much to learn from people's mistakes as their successes. My last wadder was also a PR pattern of the year style! I still cannot figure out why so many people had no issues with it but it was a disaster for me...

    When I'm losing my sewing mojo I completely remove myself from it for a day/few days/week and do things completely unrelated to sewing. Then after that I pick an easy, foolproof project (which for me is my Burda pencil skirt or a Jalie knit top). It helps get me in gear for the more complicated, time consuming stuff.

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  9. I read through your whole post and I couldn't see any wadders (they looked perfect to me). I think you are extremely talented and if my garments came out even remotely as close to yours I would be too thrilled.

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  10. I made the vogue 1250 also. A definite wadder for me. I have seen so many lovely versions online. i am a pear shape and it just was not flattering at all. Thanks for posting these, sometimes it is nice to know other people screw up too.

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  11. I think you need to size up.The size you are making now may be pre baby size.

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  12. I think your wadders look great. I am about to make V1250 out of that exact same knit fabric. I don't think your hips look wide at all. I will watch out for those armholes.

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  13. Nice outfits. Wish I had your figure!

    FYI - For photos, I use a tripod and delay timer on the camera to take my own pictures. I even prefer them to the ones my amateur photographer husband takes. I can do it my way and don't have to use a mirror. I encourage anyone who doesn't have one to get an inexpensive tripod and figure out how to use the delay timer that is present on most digital cameras.

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  14. It's your blog, post what you want! You have talked about wadders previously, so I know you have them (just like we all do!), and if you don't care to show them, I support your right to keep them off the blog.

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  15. great post, I enjoyed reading it

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  16. Hang in there! As someone once pointed out before, you take risks in your sewing and that is so admirable! You always push yourself to try something new, and there will always be challenges along the way when you do this, but also so much growth. I have been playing it safe this year, working on patterns I know will work for me. However, I am looking forward to summer when I will have more time to try out new patterns and designs. I love your blog. No matter how little or how much you post, it's always an inspiration.

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  17. I also read sewing blogs for inspiration, but there is vital information in wadders. That first project is a perfect case in point: I like that pattern, but would have ended up with the exact same problem. Now I know how to head it off at the pass, so thank you so much for posting it!

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  19. Thank you for showing your wadders - and like some others, I think they look pretty good! As someone getting back into sewing after a very long break, it is nice to know that I'm not the only one who sometimes is quite frustrated.

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  20. Thanks for showing. I should do the same sometime. As for that V1271, I made a different Kay Unger pattern (similar style) and the bodice was weird fitting, I never finished it. I think those patterns are not the best designed. Interesting about the V1250, I am about to make that as well. Looking forward to your next version.

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  21. Amanda, I have been reading your blog for a long time and definitely - you are an inspiration! This post inspires me even more because you revealed that pattern alterations and wadders are part of your world, too.

    I did not read all the comments, I imagine most of us are grateful to know you are not perfect, just close to perfect :)

    I do respectfully disagree with the previous commenter. Your ratio of successes compared to wadders is very high. You are so good at what you do - rather than giving you advice, I appreciate what you have explained in today's post. Your fitting and muslining methods seem pretty sound to me.

    Oh well, correct me if I am wrong. Whatever!

    Oh and one more thing, I have noticed that same thing myself with tan colors. I think and I have similar coloring, because taupe works great for me, but tan? Not so much. Taupe has cooler undertones and tan has warmer undertones.

    Keep up the great work, you are an inspiration!

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  22. oops, a few of us posted simultaneously, so just to clarify, I was not referring to Sunny Gal's comment.

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  23. Amanda, I am really sorry for patronizing you in any way in my previous comment ( which got deleted by accident, I do read your blog fondly and love what you do, I just didn't actually read the first paragraph properly, where you said the clothes almost never look like the cover…. unless the fitting is done. I do as well think your fitting generally work perfectly for you. Next time I will try reading without sewing at the same time LOL

    @ a little sewing, my comment did not in any way meant to be ungreatful. I am sure she knows where I was coming from and would agree with what I have said as a non-bias advice.

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  24. I enjoy seeing both successes and failures because that is a natural part of creating beautiful garments, even for those who are very good at it like yourself. Seeing others struggle with similar fitting and pattern issues encourages me to keep going when I am frustrated and want to give up. Thank you for your honesty and for showing us both what works really well and what doesn't

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  25. You have the best looking wadders I've ever seen, Amanda. Keep at it and find your blogging mojo, girl!

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  26. For the second dress- just сut out the lower part, and make a top from it, and it as not a wadder!

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  27. PS I very much appreciate wadders posts because they teach us and warn us and remind us to be more thoughtful while sewing! Thank you for the post!

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  28. I appreciate your wadders. I'm going to trial 1271 and I still struggle to get the fit right but I sometimes just give it a go to see what turns up.

    I do enjoy seeing your work because you do a great right up and you bring great fabric together with great styles.

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  29. I agree with some of the other commenters, even your wadders look good, lol!
    It's good to know that even some of the home sewers I really admire have flops too.

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  30. Seriously- your wadders are being sold daily as perfectly acceptable retail- your desire for fitting perfection is admirable and some of these points are really helpful. Thanks for this post!

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  31. Amanda,
    I am in awe of your sewing skills! I especially love that skirt you made with the black leather panels. You have a great eye for detail. This post reminds me to make a muslin, even when I don't want to, if I want good results. My next project will be Colette Patterns Clover pant. I already know I will need alterations. I'm going to get it perfect before I cut into the gorgeous fabric I have on hand. Thanks for all your sharing.

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  32. Thanks for sharing your woes. I just had a horrible sewing day yesterday and ended up working on 2 shirts and both were major wadders. I appreciate the honesty and seeing what others work through on projects.

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  33. aahhh I didn't even know what a wadder was until I read your post!! I had to look it up and really couldn't find a definition on it. LOL! Newbie here can't ya tell?!? I definitely have a few wadders of my own. However I had trouble trying to find anything wrong with yours!! :)

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  34. Thank you for sharing your wadders--never a fun thing to admit, but truly helpful to your readers! Though your wadders are suspiciously high quality...

    What a disappointment about the Easter dress. I am glad you had a ceremony for dumping it. I learned my lesson about trying to do fitted garments in dupioni--the darts shredded on the second or third wear. So maybe it's ok that it didn't work out because it would have been sad when it fell apart.

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  35. I love this post. I do like it when people post their mistakes- as long as they can find some humor - I'm good.
    I actually find it inspiring that even though half the stuff we sew is crap, we stitch on.
    The desire to learn more from our mistakes is incredible.

    I agree with Slapdash - your wadders are a much better quality than mine.

    Thank you for sharing.

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