Lovely, I even like the drape of your Frankenstein sleeves. Good idea to line bodice. Your struggles are totally relatable. But, boy! What a terrific result.
You are sweet and funny. Thanks for your honest feedback on the pattern. I cut mine out in July ~ sewed the bodice ~ didn’t like~ and it’s been in a big ziplock bag with notes ~ for another time. I think I might tackle it with the mindset of doing whatever it takes to make it work. Thanks for your inspiration. I just came back to sewing after many many years and I love it. 💕🌸
Oh Anna, if I could only count the times I looked at that dress and thought about just chucking the whole thing - and yet knowing I couldn't because it was Minerva fabric. It kinda killed me. I turned around and made another Simplicity 8640, which I've made 5 times now, and felt much better. This McCall's dress is going in the closet and probably never coming out again. Something I cut out of the video (it was too long) was that I won't make this pattern again primarily because it was such a hassle!
Love your program!! It is so postive...even when you say something negative about a pattern. It is nice to hear about your problems & successes in a pattern....makes us realize we all have problems sewing clothes, but remaking can make a success. The dress looks great on you!
Thank you so much Ada! I think this dress is probably going to go in the closet and never get worn, or get passed along to one of my girls. Sometimes it's a win, sometimes not. This time was probably not. I do love the fabric, though!
The sleeves look really pretty with the piece you added. I love that you stitched the wrap portion down so that it will stay closed. That’s a great idea. Very pretty dress. Great, great job.
Jen! I love the finished dress ❤️ I know from the text messages that it was a little bit of a challenge during the process. But oh my goodness! So worth it! That color is amazing on you. And you did a cool sleeve hack, you basically turned it into a ladder in sleeve design. Which is really having a moment in the design world also. I never thought about just stitching that front wrap down in place, great idea. And I agree, the Minerva fabric is AMAZING! I am actually placing an order today
So true! I loved your changes, especially the sleeve. I had no idea I was doing a cool sleeve hack, story of my life! 😂😂😂 Why doesn't that ever work when I'm TRYING to be cool? Love that orange on you, especially because on camera it really does read as a poppy color. Beautiful!
The dress turned out beautiful and looks so good on you. This time next week we’ll be in Florida and I can’t wait. Trying to get a couple of tops cut out to sew while I’m down in Florida. I consider my self few steps away from beginner so I do baste. However ever I did discover a quicker way to hold my fabric together. I use magnets. Just have to make sure they don’t go directly over metal plate of sewing machine. They really work up much faster than basting and really do keep fabric together. They aren’t good for big things like large waist band but for sideseams & small lengths are great. I like my open toe foot. It helps me see those dart lines much better and other seams I’ve done to taper in things.
Dee, I am also recently retired, and would not have someone this dress if I had not done the collaboration with Carmen and Jen. I typically wear tees, leggings, jeans, you know pretty casual. But I do love this comfort of this dress.
Hi Jen, I appreciate this video review of this dress. I have made two muslins of the bodice to get the fit right. I have nice fabric I don’t want to ruin. Your review is helpful and I think the dress looks great on you. I think I will add ties to mine also. It is a challenge but I think it will be worth it. Thanks so much 😊
Wonderful Cynthia! I'm so happy to hear that you made muslins to get the fit right. I'm terrible at that and probably would have been smart to do the same. It's such a popular dress - well done you!
Thanks Jen, I’m switching to another pattern for my fabric. The front just isn’t fitting right in me. I may try again in the future with another type of fabric . The Hope dress from Style Arc is similar but no wrap. Hopefully it will work 🤗
Wow, definitely sounds like a saga with that dress. I'm impressed you stuck with it and made it work for you. I would have put it in the trash and chalked it up to a learning lesson. LOL. I love that coral color on you. The little tie that you added was a surprise when you turned around and I think it was a wise choice. I can see if you didn't have it that the dress would have appeared to swallow you up. You sure have a tan! I'm so jealous. I love the summer weather and we are definitely in the fall/winter mode here in Oklahoma. We had a severe ice storm last week and it damaged most of the trees because they still had leaves on them. The ice weighed the trees down so much they snapped. It will be months before our city can collect all of the debris. It's been one week and we still have people without electricity! This week we are going to be in the mid-70's, so I'm thankful for that. Have a good week!
Hey Kristi - the only reason - ONLY reason - I stuck with it was because the fabric was from Minerva and I had to finish it. Ice? Already? Man that was soon! I remember in Indianapolis years ago when people lost power for days because of an ice storm. We always said that it's not bad driving in the snow - it's the ice that'll getcha. Enjoy your warm weather this week. It's about the same here and cool enough at night for a jacket. A jacket? What's that? 🥶 Oh how my blood has thinned! 😂
I really like what you did to this pattern. It is so cute on you. It is much like an inspiration pic that I have tacked to my board!! Well done! #tenacity in the sewing room🥳
Hey Emily! Sharon tells me that what I did is actually a hack that's very on trend, called a "ladder sleeve." Made me laugh out loud! Uh, let's see. . . yeah! Yeah, I totally meant to do that! 😂😂😂
It turned out Great! I had all the challenges you spoke of when I made it. I added a length of ruffle onto the hemline of mine which turns out to be too much for me as a short person with a very busy watercolor/printed crepe. The wrap on mine still needs to be contained. I LIKE that you lined the bodice, but the neckline stitching onto the bias binding was something that was supposed to be done the way they recommended in order that the dress fit properly. I do wear mine, but I need to add a light black vest to calm down the wild patterned fabric I chose and to add a more vertical line for my figure...sigh.....
Jen love your dress on you. You were very right to cut it off.nway to much fabric in the first dress, you were swimming in it. And of course you love coral! It looks great with your hair and complexion. Stay safe and sending hugs
Hey Margie! I'm always so glad to hear from you. Good point - the maxi was just too much dress in the way it's cut. Honestly it's just not a very flattering style on any of us. I think all 3 of us just made the best of it! I do love that fabric, though -
Jenn, the fabric you used is lovely-love the colors. I think it looks nice on you. My only suggestion would be to cut the sleeves off to be shorter, creating a flutter sleeve. Those are popular right now. The fabric is summery and maybe the sleeves should be short. Just a thought. Thanks for sharing your experience. Always enjoy your videos.
Thanks Teresa! Actually I did try the shorter sleeve before I re-cut them, and it didn't work. I think that although it's a cute dress, it's just not me. I wish it was because I love the fabric!
I put elastic in waist seam and steam press the waist gathers to tame down the poufiness. I like my dresses hang closer to my body even though it is supposed to be relaxed fitting.
The fabric is very pretty and looks good on you. From your responses to other people, you really like the fabric and is has a wonderful weight and drape. How about re-working it into a sundress? It would be a shame to let it go... unless one of your daughters likes it. The younger crowd can pull off that style a bit easier than us more mature ladies. But if its tempting you, just a suggestion: Make it into a dress that works for You!
Thank you so much, Patti - I don't know why it hadn't occurred to me to just start over with the fabric that's in the dress and make something else. I think a skirt may be in order. Unless, as you say, one of the girls likes it. But great idea!
The end result looks really good on you, love the fabric and the colour is so good. I’m also admiring the blue dress in the background, which pattern is that? Looks fab and exactly the kind of dress I would love
That's my favorite dress pattern ever, Simplicity 8640. I also have a sew along for it: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-jt-CwNVwzuo.html
Lovely fabric Definitely like the dress and the shorter length is much better on you As a few others commented love your hair up you look 10 years younger no offense but you should definitely try shorter hair you look amazing in the dress could Also be the pink suits you very well Love your Friday sews love the honesty as well we all have struggles with some makes good to know that someone with your experience has struggles and bumps in the road Take care Looking forward to more
Great advice! So glad I listened since I’m a beginner. I’ll definitely try something else. Do you have any suggestions for a cute dress for a beginner? (Below the knee, midi, or maxi)
I'm so glad it was helpful! I don't have a recommendation for a simple dress because there are so many. My favorite is Simplicity 8640, and that's fairly simple. I have a sew-along for it here on the channel. But I would recommend Delilah @simplydelilah - on her channel she does a wide variety of simple dresses that are perfect for any beginner. Good luck!
When you made the front longer did you also have to make the back longer? I made this dress in a medium but I’m currently pregnant and my bust has grown a lot. It seems about 2 inches too short for my bust.
Thank you, you are too kind, are you kidding? It's going to be a skirt soon, I think. Might as well try and salvage it to something I'll actually wear - 😂😘❤️🌺
Jen I was sort of giggling in the beginning, but roaring by the end, because you are such a rebel! And you have a VIABLE /rationale/excuse for everything you do and don’t do according to the instructions. Don’t take that badly, I don’t need you to explain, I get it that you have to walk through the process and I probably would have done almost exactly the same changes you did. I’m actually more reckless than you are. I usually avoid styles like that for the maternity factor and if I do make it I have to have ties too. But then I don’t reach for the style, so I rarely make them even if they look good on other people. But now you may have unlocked one possible solution. You know how you always say that thing about lengthening the bodice on empire styles? Relative to the shoulder & apex, well it never sunk in until this dress. I need to try that because I always think my boobs will just fall under the midway seam which is scary, or like the seam just cuts across them almost as scary, but actually just look stupid. Haha I never attributed it to the length, I thought my boobs were too big. They aren’t really very big, just too big for tops like that. Ok, well thanks for another great review and video. You look gorgeous in that color!
Oh yes, definitely! Buck the system, dude! Fight the man! ✊. Rebels unite! I (and my daughter Mia) will vehemently argue "spirit of the law" versus "letter of the law" for days. Weeks. Months. Eternity! That lengthening of the empire waist thing didn't occur to me until recently either. It's made a huge difference, though. Those seams always cut my boobs right in half. This dress is going to someone else. After all these comments of "nice try, but nope" I'm realising that I've talked myself into this looking decent. I'll never wear it. So off to either a kid or Goodwill it will go! ❤️
The final product looks fairly good. IMO, that design looks good on small busted women. You made it work for you, but I think it would make a lot of women look dumpy who are not dumpy, myself included, which is why I have never bought that pattern. The maxi looked like an oversized nightgown. That was a bummer.
You are smart, Claudia - when I said I'd recommend the pattern I was talking about for those who would look good in that style. Clearly I don't! This was a good learning experience but no thanks - I'll probably just give it away. If the three of us are honest, I think we'd all say the same thing.
@@TodayinJensSewingRoom I commented to each of the other 2 women also. IMO, it looked good on Carmen. It's interesting to see the same pattern on 3 different people.
That pattern wouldn’t have appealed to me at all. Think you have to be careful with the boho designs, especially when you’re older. And I am!! Lol They can end up looking like an old fashioned nightdress. Not my cup of tea though. You’ve done very well though and the fabric is lovely xx
Hey Jackie - no kidding. We all 3 had our doubts and even though the finished products are ok, we all had to be talked into liking them. I think mine will probably go into the closet and never get worn. But dang, that fabric! It's still so pretty!
I congratulate you on your efforts, love the fabric and colors but way too much fabric on you, it makes you look heavy. I would take half the fullness out of the sleeves and the skirt and lose the ties. It looks 2 sizes too big.
So, so true! It does make me look huge. Actually I'm not going to do anything to it - I'm just going to put it in the closet and chock it up to experience. I'll probably give it away at some point. Sad because I really do love the fabric!
Of all the dresses that you make I truly love the way they look on you but this one just is not the style for you to me the dress Does not complement you. I don’t know if it’s the color or does it look to childishly on you.
Lovely, I even like the drape of your Frankenstein sleeves. Good idea to line bodice. Your struggles are totally relatable. But, boy! What a terrific result.
