Seamingly perfect!

This past weekend I decided to try out a tutorial from burdastyle. I tried a tutorial once before from another sewing blog and it all went horribly wrong so I’ve been shy/ticked off ever since.

But this one seemed so idiot proof, I was sure I would at least come close!
And boy did I ever!

From Sew What

This is the first time I didn’t actually bother taking pictures of every step because I followed the instructions EXACTLY and my pictures would simply be duplicates of the ones in the above linked tutorial.

I’m super pleased with how it turned out and the curved waist band has partially solved my ‘mutant proportions’ problem. I say partially because, as the pictures show, the skirt sits nice and flat ever so slightly lower than my others, just a touch below the belly button. This is where I measured and so that’s all very well.
However, when your umm…derriere… is a fair bit larger than your waist, a fitted skirt tends to sidle upwards, as if escaping from the gigantic proportions it is meant for to the fairer, less demanding plains of your teeny mid section. I imagine it to me some sort of cartoon worm like movement. Yes.

While I consider this project finished, I might just be possessed with the obsessive impulse to add darts once again to the already curved waist to make it sit tight. Either that, or I will simply throw a belt or sash on and live with it. It sits. It just won’t stay.

Darts or tucks are the simplest way to shape a garment and since I have been in possession of my peculiar body all my life, I have had to use them for just about as long. I’m one of those ridiculous people that do not gain weight, aside from the bare minimum you gain as your body grows from childhood to adulthood. My proportions have been somewhat the same since, I want to say age 17 or so, and my mumsie taught me how to alter things early so I wouldn’t shy away from buying things that didn’t fit just so. I think the ulterior motive there was to make sure I didn’t run around naked and embarrass her, but we’ll just assume it was altruistic.

For most garments, I put it on and very scientifically pinch the fabric between my thumb and forefinger to see how much I need to take in. Usually I do this on both sides of my waist or at equal intervals on the back or front and either pin or safety pin it while I’m still in it.

It must be mentioned that dart placement is important and it varies from garment to garment. For most of my skirts and pants I find two darts at the back, corresponding with my hip bones, work best. You don’t have to be perfect while pinching though, for now.

From Sew What

I then measure how much I pinched and round up or down depending on how large the garment is for me to begin with. If I can afford to round up, I do, if not I round down.

For example’s sake lets say I need the waist to be taken in 2 inches. Each dart will be an inch wide at the top and taper down to a point from there. Once again depending on the garment, I either only nip the waist band, or then go further down into the skirt or pant as well.

I mark the point at which I want the dart to originate and then using it as centre, I mark half inch on either side to make a one inch dart. I usually draw one line from the centre point and another from one, slanted from the side to meet the centre line. Where they meet depends on how long you want your dart.

From Sew What

Then you simply fold along your straight centre line and press to reduce bulk a little. Sew along the slanted line and press your darts outwards.

I usually hand baste the dart first to make sure it’s the right length and if it’s going to work properly before finalising with a machine stitch. It’s better to go through your trials and errors with hand basting before you commit. Or maybe I’m just afraid of commitment. Either way, undoing hand basting is easier than having to pick apart a row of machine stitching!

From Sew What

Thats all there is to it.
Wow. I’m an expert at making simple procedure sound like rocket surgery!