Notes on My Dress

I thought making this kind of sheath dress would be easy...I have a reference but I guess, following the reference bluntly is not always right...   My notes here might sounds silly or "basic" (^.^) but I just would like to share and record it for my self in my blog...   I make this pattern from scrap...So, there's no modification from ready-to-use pattern...I only use basic pattern that I made it based on my course...it's technical basic pattern with some formulas...I develop my dress pattern from that...combined with corsage measurement and a reference from local book for making corsage (which even though did not really help a lot (^.^)...I made one based on the book long time before...the corsage fell down (^o^)...but I'm still using it as reference just for my analysis...but not really make it based on that)...Also, I didn't only measure the bust, but also the upper and lower bust...the length from the neck to the bust peak, to the upper bust...it's also in my consideration to develop the pattern...So, that's why I got quite some learning notes...it's because I was like "assembling" a lot of references ...(@.@)   I also take a peek to other web like Betsy Johnson, Vogue Patterns, etc to get to know more about the sheath dress (I don't have one), how it should fall on a woman's body...the front height compared to the back height...that's all...but not steal the style...(^.^)   Here are some learning notes of mine: I've tried some dress like this that I made it myself...it was weird...I measured myself "plain"ly...I mean, I wear thin bra (not sponge bra)...but when I tried it with one of my sponge bras (to make my dress more shaped on the bust, i couldn't breath...So, the note number one is to make sure whether I'm going to wear bra or not with the dress...some dresses are built with corset technique, so the wearer doesn't have to wear bra...but to be honest...I'm personally not comfortable of not wearing bra...So, when I'm measuring myself, I'll make sure I'll be wearing my sponge bra not just a thin bra (or not wear at all! )... My reference book said to reduce 1 cm on each pattern side...so as a whole it would be reduced to 4 cm. I measured myself let's say 80 cm bust...but I forgot that when I measured myself, I was not only using sponge bra, but also shirt...I mean home T-Shirt...not like tight shirt...So, it would always be some extra cm...for this kind of dress, I think the fit is very important...You don't want your dress to fall down and at the same time, you want to able to breath, too (of course)...So, eventhough my reference book said to reduce to "clean" bust measurement but I think I must reduce it a little bit more again because it wasn't that clean when I measured myself......So, I should reduce it again about 1 cm or 2 cm as a whole...so, it won't be 80 cm bust but 78 cm...If I wear the dress without the sweater, it's little bit tiny loose...not too loose...but it's a little bit...I don't want a little bit!...I want fit!...what made me curious  was when I measure the dress bust...it was correct, as I planned...The question was answered when I wear it with sweater to do the pic-taking...I was surprised myself...it's just fit...At that time I just remember...ahhh, may be that's the case...when I measure it, I might be using a T-Shirt...I remember that at that crazy moment, when I tried to make my own pattern, T-Shirt was the most comfortable cloth!...I won't wear such a tight shirt in a crazy messy situation like that...Hmmm...So, the second learning: the measurement itself (again) must be fit!...Make sure you have calculated the wrinkle parts on the T-Shirt when you are measuring yourself (or others...) I remember, when I was searching a lot of pattern web sellers, this kind of dress (for simple style...not wedding gown or night gown or corsette )was quite rare...Finally I got one but still haven't arrived...anyhow, I need a reference...even in my Burda Magazine, I can't find one...I have the style in one of my magazine but I must order the pattern...and it wasn't available anymore...it was kind of 199x magazine...longgggggg time agooo...too bad...it was the most perfect dress I want (and need)   What available was this kind of dress BUT with STRINGS...I don't want string...well, if I use string, of course, the dress will be secured from falling down...that's not what I want...I want a simple dress without a string...a dress that can be my foundation for developing more dresses...   Now if I think again...ahhhh...that's why they put strings...it's because it must be hard to fit million customers who might try to make the dress...everyone's body is different...while this kind of dress is actually kind of "custom" dress...more over, using strings will be more safe for everyone...ahhh...that's whyyyyy...(again...my theory)...   But I'm glad that there are still some pattern company sell some simple corset or sheath dress pattern...I think, although it might need some adjustment for each wearer, it can be done...anyway, I read western sewing book as my main reference...modifying the ready-to-use pattern like this is quite common...   So, my next note will be:           3. If you are not sure about the how fit it will be on yourself...or you want to sell your dress without taking measurement of your customer (like selling on etsy/ebay) and still not sure or afraid if you got complaint, then use the strings (^.^)...   After having a rough time, finally, I was able to sew this dress within 3 hours...I was too afraid to cut the fabric...I think I just stared at it for 30 minutes and did something else to run away from it...There's no such a BIG mistake...I think there's not a mistake...it is a little bit  loose, but it's not like my previous sheath dress projects...May be if I want to make an adjustment, I would reduce the bust measurement about as I said 1-2 cm and that's a total of a bust measurement...I mean not each side (front left, right, etc)...but I'm satisfied with the finished project...If I don't want to make adjustment, it's still fine...   What I like most is, I was using darts this time...so, the dress can follow my curvy figure... I would like to not using darts but couldn't...it's unavoidable...   As I said, I thought developing a dress like this would be simple, but apparently, it wasn't that simple...There's always be the first time (^.^)...I hope my modification and further development won't be such a torture process anymore (^o^)  cherio, www.nichancraftroom.com