Leaving on a jet plane...

...I love those old 60's songs and that one was going through my mind today as Hans jetted off to Los Angeles this morning. It's a job interview and he'll only be gone for a day but while he's gone I decided to cut out a dress.

Yes, a dress!

It's Simplicity 2951 and I intend to make the strapless version.

I have a pretty piece of green flowered drapey polyester that I brought home this weekend from my mom's house. There's really not much to the pattern but since I need to get an invisible zipper, and some muslin to line the skirt (I will not wear polyester without a lining!) I'm not going to start sewing it until tomorrow.

If this dress works out (and it would certainly be nice for once if it did!) I have some silk I bought in Paris a couple of years ago that I would like to use up.

My problem with dresses is that I seem to over-think and/or over-fit. That might be because I still can't get the hang of the Big 4 patterns and their stupid sizing and easing.

Let's not forget Simplicity 2694 that I made last March. It probably needed to be cut wider in the hip area.

So keeping that in mind I made Simplicity 3529 and ended up with a tent. I've taken the sides in by inches, and I've even added huge horizontal darts to the back and it's still huge, I could be pregnant with an elephant and no one would know! Look at the models; that dress actually has a silhouette, mine doesn't! I haven't taken a picture of it yet because I'm so stinking mad! I guess I'll take even more off the sides and if it's still not right, I'll just throw it out!

Here's the pattern for my elephant dress.

I do have a dress form but Sally Stitch, with her flat butt and sassy ways, doesn't cooperate as much as she should, and spends her days drinking my wine and teasing the cat.

Anyway, I read a post at Brian Sews (maybe one of his first) where he said he just made something again and again until he got it right. Some people probably wouldn't agree with this but I have a feeling that his method might work for me. I learn through repetition. Period.

Here's the fabric my mom gave me.

This is one half of the bodice top.

A close up.

Sorry, I still had my camera on high resolution when I took this picture.

It's The Countess von 'You Know Who' checking out our latest project. I can't do anything without her (nosiness) approval.

Tomorrow, I'll baste this sucker together first to check for fit.

'Fit' being a very appropriate word.

Because if it's not right, I'm going to have one.

A fit.

For sure!!!