This is definitely the last time I’m using a Built by Wendy (Wendy Mullin) pattern. There are two major problems with this design. I simply can’t tie a decent looking bow at the neck. I might have made the tie too wide, but I’m almost positive I followed the directions for the seam allowance. Even if it were a narrower band, I don’t think the neck is tight enough for the bow to sit at the right place. The second problem is the Popeye sleeves. I’ve always been pretty happy with my forearms – particularly because they’re smaller than my biceps. Although creative, I don’t think the gathered elbow puff is really helping anyone.
One more problem exists, and this one is totally my fault. I managed to make two left sleeves. I did this by sewing one correctly and the other with the wrong sides together. In some circumstances this wouldn’t matter, but these sleeves have a placket at the back of the wrist (or in my case the back of the left and the front of the right). That’s just the kind of thing that tells me I’m done sewing for the day.
I was recently browsing at the library and came across one of the new, trendy sewing books that offers a lot of T-shirt based projects and other things that are easy to make and hard to find use for. Instead of referring to the right side and the wrong side it used the terms business side and party side. If I had known how much this would irritate me later I would have hung around long enough to see which of those sides are to be sewn together. Relating sewing instructions offers no time for cutesy distractions that will lead to even more failures than the act of sewing does already. So, back to the question. Which side is which? Initially I thought the business side must be the outside and the party side the inside because you have to present a business-like appearance to the world while the party side rubs against your naked body all day. My friend Sharon thought the opposite, and I think she’s got the more logical solution to this. She said the business side would be the inside because that’s where all the work is –the seams and construction. The party side is the decorative outside. Her opinion makes so much sense, in fact, that I might have better luck putting the pieces together next time.
This is the Built by Wendy pattern. You can see that she shows the bow untied because she must have also realized that it looks really dorky when tied. I don't think this is a satisfactory solution though. The blouse on the right may also look familiar to my consistent readers. It is the the pattern I used for the gray blouse under Evening Wear.
2 comments:
Sorry I haven't check out your blog for a bit. I am 1) so impressed with your choice of patterns and all the clothes (successful and not as much) and 2) commentary is pure you, funny and so smart. Really two left arms? You look a little out of joint in the picture. Oh and I can't remember my password right now, so this is Moose.
Hi Moose,
Glad to have you back in the comment room - and thanks for identifying yourself. I haven't sent you any clothes yet because I haven't made enough progress to get rid of much of anything. In fact, my sister called me last night to tell me I shouldn't get rid of my clothes. She must lack faith in my potential. Based on the evidence I'm providing, I can't blame her, but I'm not wavering.
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