Project 15: Sewaholic Cambie dress

This heat is making me incredibly unproductive.  I just want to lay around and nap, only waking to eat something really unhealthy just because.  It's supposed to cool down to the 80s this week, which is awesome, because maybe it'll give me the kick needed to get some stuff done.

Alright, I started off a post with the weather, this is a great sign.

Yesterday I started sewing the Sewaholic Cambie dress, aka everyone's new favorite pattern.  I couldn't find a bad review of this pattern anywhere!  Of course that made me wonder if I'll be the only person in the world who has a problem with it.  Just like the Tova, it would be my luck.  Fortunately, that wasn't the case, and I'm pretty happy with it.  I'd like to know when I'll start realizing full dresses don't look great on my body, but whatever, y'all can deal with it. 

The cross-eyed wonder

Pattern Description

Two versions of a sweetheart-neckline dress: one with a straight skirt and one with a full skirt.  This is view B, the full skirt.

Pattern Sizing

Available in 0-16.  This is a straight size 10, no adjustments.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the envelope once you were done with it?

Yes!

Were the instructions easy to follow?

Very!  This was my first Sewaholic pattern so I wasn't sure what to expect, but I figured everyone loves Tasia's patterns for a reason, right?  Also, she had a great tutorial on her blog to explain how to insert the lining--that was really helpful!

This dress used almost an entire spool of thread.  I bought this yesterday because I didn't have any thread that matched.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?

I loved that the instructions were succinct and assumed you knew how to insert a zipper, etc., already--I don't need an explanation each time!  I loved the online resources available.  Also, this is my first sweetheart neckline and definitely won't be my last!

Fabric used

Royal blue dotted Swiss and light blue cotton batiste, both from Denver Fabrics

Pattern alterations or any changes you made

No alterations to the pattern, but I decided to make both dresses (lining and shell) in tandem.  I don't like having the extra pattern pieces floating around if it isn't necessary.

Would you sew it again?

Yes!  I want to go through my stash and see if I have enough fabric to make view A.

Conclusion

I now understand why everyone loves this pattern.

So the only problem I have is that I don't know where to wear this.  Is it work appropriate?  I feel like it'd be great for a wedding shower or baby shower, but I don't attend either of those...hmm.  And then part of me wants to just wear it while riding a bike or going on a picnic, which poses another problem--I don't own a bike and don't have anywhere to picnic.  Where do you think I should wear it?

Gingham Shirts

Let's just say, it's been a day already.  My zipper in my new (only worn once!) skirt broke, it took me over an hour to get to work, and, well, I just don't want to deal with it today.  I want to be at home, sewing, or shopping, or something.  I'm just not into it.

Is this a generational thing?  Maybe we all look back on the '40s and '50s with rose-colored glasses, but you never hear about old people saying they weren't "into" work.  They knew they had to work.  End of story.  Maybe I'm reading too far into things?

Anyway, I sewed a blouse yesterday.  I feel like it's been forever since I've sewn something!  I did make that Modern Marigold Pretty Shirt.  What a nightmare that was.  It's huge!  I look pregnant in it.  So I have to go to JoAnns this weekend and get some white grosgrain ribbon.  I don't normally like belts because I'm so short-waisted (and not wasp-waisted either), but sometimes, you gotta cinch it.  (Gap Girls for the win) (Not the correct link but I couldn't find the one I was looking for.  You get it!)

So I sewed this top with some dotted Swiss my momma gave me.  I have a ton of it.  I'm thinking of also making an Oliver + S Puppet Show tunic out of it, because I've been dying to make one and also because I have a ton of it.

God, could I take worse pictures?  This is a Simplicity Threads pattern, and it seems to have dropped off the pattern planet because it's not on the Simplicity website or Google.  Weird.  It's a pullover and there were separate bodice pieces for different cup sizes.  I love that!  All patterns should have that.  I don't know why the industry standard is a B but it shouldn't be.

Yes, that is me in my office bathroom.  I wanted to show off the J. Crew shirt I bought Saturday.  Gingham!  And it fits perfectly!  I had planned to wear it with the terrible skirt that broke, but instead I had to go with this white skirt, which is too tight but thankfully still zips up.  It's J. Crew, so who knows if I'll be able to afford another one, but I love it and plan on wearing it forever.

This is the skirt that broke.  As you can see, the zipper pull is clearly at the top, but the zipper is pulling apart.  Interesting.  My mom suggested zipping it up and down to get it back on track, which I had Nick do, but it pulled apart as soon as I moved.  And then we couldn't get it off.  It's been a stressful morning.  I've contacted Loft because I bought it with my Loft card last month, but is there anything I can do?  It's an invisible zipper and there's a skirt lining.  How much do seamstresses charge to fix this?

Oh, also, I have a giant zit on my face (right under my nose) and my hair is looking...crunchy.  I should've just stayed in bed.