Scrap challenge Part Two

I seem to have embarked on something of a scrap challenge lately, influenced by Ruthie over at RuthieSews, and her fabulous mix it tees.   A few weeks ago I went into the stash looking for one scrap to make one woven skirt ....  I wanted to test the self drafted skirt pattern in a firm woven and left overs seemed ideal as the skirt doesn't take much fabric.

I swear I was only in the cupboard for five minutes.... but multiple left overs clamoured for attention and suddenly I was not making a skirt but a dress.  Well, the dress pattern needed testing too.

This is left over tweed from a jacket. I was given the fabric by Ruthie, and the majority of the  piece was made into a Marfy jacket which I've worn so much that I wore it out and it went for rags earlier this year because it was too worn and battered to be donated.  The lining for this dress is also partially made from the left over grey satin lining from the same jacket.  I didn't quite have enough to get a full length lining out.... so I straightened off the bottom edge of the fabric length and overlocked a piece of animal print satin left over from lining a coat, onto the bottom of the grey to give more length.  I did this before I cut out the pattern pieces.  I couldn't squeeze the pieces on and still have the animal print start at the same level all the way around.  However, I have the plain grey where I need it to be; around the armholes, neck and zipper.  I've  sewn the dress and lining together at armholes and neck then turned the entire thing through the shoulders to get a clean finish. To do this you need to leave both back and side seams open and put the zipper in after it is turned through.  I know this because, encouraged by Chardonnay, I thought I'd put my zipper in before I turned it through.  Well, Chardonnay was wrong so I had to unpick one side of my invisible zipper and rip out the remainder of the back seam so I could turn it through.  The moral of the tale... do not invite Chardonnay into the sewing room.  :) 

As this version will  be worn over a sweater in winter as an overdress, I sewed the armholes and neckline with a three quarter inch seam just to ensure a bit of extra room for the sweater to be worn comfortably.  It is supposed to have a square neckline but it didn't come out quite as square as I had anticipated, though I'm still quite pleased with it. 

The pattern is my self drafted dress bodice lengthened with a straight skirt.  Overall, I'm very pleased with this and feel I've finally got a straight dress that is almost right.  I still need to tweak the back neck as I am getting annoying gaping, and different fabrics seem to affect the fit of the princess seams at the back armhole and between bust and waist at the front, requiring a bit of tweaking on the seams, but that can all be fixed with a spot of fit as you sew... so the pattern has been declared correct.  Hurrah.  I lost count of the muslins, but it must be near to six or eight!!! 

Now, to answer Becki's questions regarding the fabulous Marfy pleated torso jacket.  I once made a jacket that had button loops all the way down the front with large beads acting as the buttons.  I used bridal loops which come by the yard/metre and are just loops on a strip.  Though they only come in white or cream.  I dyed mine black to match the jacket, though it took a fair bit of trial and error to find a dye that would work on the polyester loops.  I had vaguely thought that I might try that if I went the button and loop route for my jacket, though how I will match the purple I'm not sure.  However, on page 179 of the same catalogue,  pattern 2925 is a remarkably similar jacket.  This one is closed with a zipper.  I think that what works for 2925 would work for 2745, and if loops and buttons don't appeal, I think a zipper could be used.  Even if it was only a super short one, that was inserted just between the two pleated areas.  This is my most likely plan.  I have long wanted to try one of those zippers with multi colour teeth, and I think there is one available in a colour that woudl work nicely with the planned purple fabric. 

Whilst writing this, I also started to wonder if you could also use that tape that has hooks and eyes on it.  Two bits of tape, one side has hooks, the other eyes, and I think you sew them into the seams on each side of the garment, and I guess key the top like a zipper so they all line up.  I suppose its for things like boned bodices in bridal gowns, but if the hardware was silver, it wouldn't necessarily matter if the tape was white in that case as it would be sewn into the seam.  Any small peekage could possibly be coloured in with permanent felt tips (I've not tried this but I did read a tip once that said it could be done, though probably only on cotton). 

All of which is just my initial thoughts.  I've not had chance to look at the pattern pieces yet so my suggestions may not work for the garment in reality. 

And as for part finished garments talking to you... well, of course they do.  Just as fabric tells you what it wants to be.  How else can you achieve the perfect marriage of fabric and pattern if you don't consult the very things that will be pivotal in making it happen?  :)