Toile and Error

I love experimenting with patterns, mainly because I don't buy patterns very often [read at all] because I'd rather spend money on fabric. So I tend to give then a good chop and change every now and again!

This toile is yet another variation of my princess seam bodice from the great british sewing be book.

Alterations wise I added a inch and a half to the bottom of all the bodice pieces and raised the neckline. After years of showing huge amounts of flesh I've now realised that less is more in the sexy stakes!

Which mean the flesh is in the back [again I know it tend to do a lot of back bearing things but I think it might be my favourite part of my body. I'd rather expose my entire back than expose my midriff!]

The back is in a racer back style which I love. Simply put I copied my pattern pieces onto paper [I use this bodice so often that my pattern pieces are card so easy to draw around] And then scooped out the armhole until I had a racer back. Its not perfect but that what the toile was for!   

Although as you can clearly see this toile was a huge fail. I had wanted it to be a wearable toile but the pulling of the back bodice through the straps [Its a fully lined bodice] put too much strain on the seams and it frayed like a [insert naughty word here]. Which really hacked me off because it took an hour to turn them both through and I'd trimmed down most of the bulk.

Anyway it jacked up the whole of the neckline and whilst I considered finishing it with the skirt I'd cut out and stuff it would have been a waste of time and zip, because I just wouldn't have worn it! 

  I'm making mark two tonight and I'm hoping that same thing doesn't happen again, I'm going to use a dainty seam allowance and the fabric is a lot thinner so fingers crossed wont be a problem.

I'm pretty annoyed that I'm going to throw this one out through because my print placement was pretty nice and I'd eased the princess seams really well too [at least in my opinion] and I love the back!

At some point I'll do a series on altering your favourite bodice blocks in simple ways but for the moment I just don't seem to have any time! 

In other news I forced myself to do some more on my miette cardigan last night whilst the boys played video games and I'm hoping to get my first sleeve finished tonight.... hopefully. I don't hate it yet but I'm getting close. I am pleased I've stuck with it for so long though! I never thought I'd be the type to try and hand knit a cardigan!

To be honest my entire crafting games been off again this week and I'm blaming Mother Nature! Not helped by my grumpy son who likes to get up at half six and then be miserable for the whole day!

Much Love

Frankie

xxx