Clothes for Mama!

I usually don't make many clothes for myself.  Mainly because my kids grow out of theirs so fast and it kills me to have to pay for clothing for them!  I just don't have a lot of time.  But because their growth spurts have been minimal as of late, their wardrobes are quite stocked!  Recently, I have also lost some weight and/or inches so some of my clothing is on the baggier side!  Go me! 

We start with the Jamie Dress!  I am about a year late to the Jamie Dress party!  I bought it after seeing some great examples on various blogs. 

Although most reviews are favorable, quite a few ladies commented on the changes they made which were the same over and over again.  So I decided to make a muslin to see what changes, if any, I needed.

Pattern:  Jamie Dress by Sis Boom
Size- XL.  I made an XL based on my bust measurement but it was pretty big, so i sized down to a large on the next one.

This one is true to the pattern, except for one change.  I continued the waistband from the front around to the back.  Who knows why the pattern maker only had the waistband on the front?  It really does boggle my mind! 

Back

See how much excess there is!

I guess I didn't do to great of a job drafting the waistband for the back!  Maybe that's why they left it off?

Once I had the kinks worked out, I made another in a great fabric!  It is from the Lisette line at JoAnn's.  I took gathers out of the bodice and the skirt!  I also shortened the elastic in the top casing that gathers the top edge of the bodice. 

Much better job drafting the back waistband this time!  It lined up!

I also made a top from this fun, ruffly knit fabric from JoAnn's off the Project Runway line. 

Pattern:  2/2011 Ottobre, #1
Size 42

A close up of the neckline binding.  It's looks pretty wonky, mainly because it is.  The ruffles were tough to topstitch over!

Another top!  This top is extra saucy!  Mainly because the front V is not tacked together any where and one bad move ends in disastrous wardrobe malfunctions.  I bent over to pick something up when hubby was taking pics and literally, the shirt parted and the girls fell out.  Huzzah!  The V needs to be tacked together, but otherwise, love the shirt!  Made out of some sparkly jersey from Girl Charlee.

Pattern:  Butterick 5497

Size- Can't remember?

I think I am going to make the other version next!  I actually really like the shirt and it's a great length for me. 
Here is the back view.  I love the little peekaboo triangle at the top.  Can you see the rouching in the sleeves?  I thought I would like this about the top but they have you create a casing from the seam allowance and it's really bulky.  It's a nice detail but I just wish it was executed differently.  So I think next time I will either gather or use lastin to make the gathers. 

Finally, I made a sundress from a Big 3 pattern.  I am always leery of Big 3 patterns just because the sizing is always sooo off.  You can really tell in this muslin how off the fit of the bodice is.  I had to shorten the straps by 3 inches and they still don't fit correctly.  The top is too low and I may run into another wardrobe malfunction like above!  The waist is too long.  Yes, you read that right!  I am the most long waisted person I know and I found a pattern that needs the bodice shortened.  I can't believe it myself!  This never happens!  But above the waistband on the back there is a floppy part of material that just sort of sits on the waistband like it's a little shelf.  Not what I need above my rear end. 

This pattern would need so much work to get it to fit right I am not even sure if I will remake it.  I would need to:
shorten the straps
shorten the bodice by about an inch or so
raise the top edge of the bodice
make a taller waistband- although that is just personal preference
and see those "smiles" in the area of the bust, that means I need a full bust adjustment to give the girls more room! 

Pattern: Simplicity 2443