Arrrgh ! Why did I ever think I could sew...?

Current Notes: And I don't tie bows very well, either. 

Proud of me today. I successfully beat back the urge/ want to bid on a lot of LDP dresses. They closed fairly cheaply, but even $15. is kind of a big deal right now. Plus, I just bought a doll yesterday ! And isn’t my goal to create more, buy less ? Darn right it is. So I let it go, and I’ll probably let the DP&M dresses go, too. I’ve only made one dress for Belle, I want to sew some more, and work on the half-started project I have sitting here. So. I’m proud of me for not spending today !

And I did get to sew. Worked on the cloak for Belle I started Wednesday. On the third try, I pretty much gave up and put a casing in the top and ran a ribbon through it. That worked. Not what I wanted, but I may be able to use that to figure out where I keep bucking it.

First attempt, sewing it as directed, didn’t work at all. It pulled in weird places and was too big in others. The darts came out too far in the back, not close enough to the shoulders to fit at all, so the darts stuck up at odd angles, like Belle was concealing sharp-edged wings.

Second attempt went with nearly the same shape, but I rounded off the darts, eliminating them entirely. Decided to gather the top edge for shape and fit. Fit was still off, and hung slightly lopsided. If I pinched a half-inch in at the back, it fit about well, but then it had pulling lines at the collarbone. It was as if it was both too big and too small. But I found that I can hem a gathered line – usually that’s where I put the bodice, so I’ve never hemmed the top of a gathered skirt before !

Third and final (for today) was cut parallel on both sides (original pattern is slightly longer on one side, for fastenings), and I folded down a half inch for the casing. Fit is about right, drapes well and hangs evenly, but I can’t add a hood or collar to something that has an adjustable fit every time. Doubles as an apron, though.

I think the next try will add a dart to the back, at the collar only. See if that’ll cinch up the back a bit without subtracting too much from the front. And, hey, all these efforts keep me off eBay and out of Target !