Betty Lee and Me

Now for the fun part - behold, the dress! The crepe-backed satin that I loved the look of was actually a total nightmare to sew with.  I though the crepe would add a stability to the garment and, while it did, it made the fabric surprisingly voluminous and it was actually hard to get the darts ironed just right. The wrap overlay is also two pieces of fabric and not just one, adding to the volume even more.  I was a bit worried about sewing the darts correctly but it was actually the simplest part of the whole dress - lots of folding, ironing, and then sewing one straight stitch.  The belt adds a nice detail to the dress and I definitely plan to replace the buckle with something a little more 1950s.  I'm also on the hunt for a covered belt kit so if anyone knows where to get one, please let me know! I'm most happy with the fit of this dress.  I have another fancy, pencil skirt dress that looks fantastic when I'm standing ... but when I'm sitting I'm a...

As I've started sewing more complicated patterns I constantly wish for more thorough reviews of fit and technique but, aside from quick notes on Instagram most people don't do that!  I then I realized I don't do that either ... oops.  But no more!  I'll be using this blog to do reviews of the patterns I make, the techniques I use to make it fit juuuuust right and, of course, lots of photos of the finished piece. First up, Butterick B5880, originally printed in 1951.  I've had this pattern in my stash for awhile, and even bought the royal blue crepe-backed satin six months ago, but it's not an everyday dress so it was easy to put to the back of the line.  Enter the M cCalls Royal Wedding sew-along contest .  The prize: a gorgeous Singer sewing machine (Hi McCalls - pick me!). Step one is figuring out all the fit adjustments for this pattern.  Based on the measurements, I should be fine to sew a 14 in the bust and waist but will need to add...