| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| MagnoliaWhisper |
Posted - Jul 02 2011 : 9:33:08 PM
This pattern is no longer being sold on the website (blesseddesigns.net) but if you have it, or bought it, or plan on buying it (from another source) I wanted to let every one know that the Florinda Maternity Skirt that Blessed Designs produced has a mistake in the amount of fabric you need to make the calf length skirt with ruffle. It says you need 1 2/3 yards of fabric. I bought three totally different fabrics, a cotton gauze that is stretchy, a quilters cotton, and a polyester. I bought them all on the same day together. I bought 1 2/3 yard of each. UHG! Well I made the first skirt out of the stretchy gauze, I didn't notice cause I am VERY new to sewing that the fabric was 43 inches and NOT 45 inches. So of course I ran short and ended up back at the store for more. I thought it was because I got the 43 inch stuff and not the 45 inch. Well, just now I went to cut the quilters cotton..........short again! So I decided to measure ALL the pieces, no matter how you lay them out you can NOT get all the pieces on a 1 2/3 yards length of 45 inch wide fabric (possibly could with 60 inch cause you could fold the fabric both directions towards the middle instead of in half-which by the way you honestly need in reality at least a 46 to 47 inch wide fabric to get the complete ruffle in, you cut off about a inch or more depending on the fabric shrinkage trying to get the ruffle to fit onto 45 inch fabric. Any way, I added up all the pieces length and I come up with 1 yard, and 30 inches......(way more then 1 2/3 yards) and that's if you give NO space what so ever between pieces and expect them to fit together side by side as close as puzzle pieces. Giving a couple of inches leeway between pieces, and shrinkage lee way you might as well buy 2 yards and save your self a lot of money of having to go BACK to the store for a whole 1/2 yard more! Cause all the pieces won't fit! UHG! I'm going back next week when DH gets paid and as I measured it to get the cheapest amount I can do (least amount possible to finish skirt), and I will still have to buy a 17 inch piece of quilters cotton to complete this skirt. The polyester I bought will just have to go to another project cause I'm not going to buy that again too to finish it! I haven't started cutting it so I will save it till I have something that will fit it. And buy 2 yards of something else to make my black skirt. So just a little heads up. Oh and just one more BTW, yes I was reading the right yardage for the width. I think what happened was it also says the same amount for 60 inch fabric, I think it was a typo and they didn't put the right amount for 45 inch fabric and just repeated the same amount that is listed for 60 inch. If you had 60 inch fabric it would work just fine, as the two other piece are 15 inches each wide, you cut on fold so that would be 30 inches each, and then if you have a TRUE 60 inch fabric you could do where you fold both ends towards each other and finesse the cut where you could get them both cut side by side. Also could probably fanagle the ruffle a bit better on 60 inches giving you a bit more room to play with.
http://www.heathersprairie.blogspot.com |
| 5 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| MagnoliaWhisper |
Posted - Jul 04 2011 : 9:56:04 PM
Thanks Denise. It's still in business she is just not offering the pattern in paper form any more, she's redoing it and going to sell it as a PDF or what ever you call it, so you download it and print it yourself. Which I wish she would keep making this one in paper cause it's awesome. She may still be selling a few in paper on etsy though, but not from blesseddesigns.net I have contacted her she said she would look into it and so far I am the first to say anything and she's had the pattern out for a few years now with 6 testers. So I don't know. It may very well be that my fabric shrunk, because she wanted a pic of what I was talking about, since I already cut out both my cottons, I got out my piece of polyester and it seems to all fit, then I measured my polyester and it was about 67 inches instead of 60 ( I think I may of bought the end roll though of that to save money (anything less then a yard at the end of the roll they give you half price). Any way, I also haven't washed the polyester, I'm sure it won't shrink though. And yes I wash all my fabric at least 6 times before starting a project. I got that tip on Pattern Review and really like it. Cause they said sometimes fabric continues to shrink. My first thought was that sounds crazy, but then I thought about it and they are right, cause I am super short (only 4 foot 8 inches tall which is a whole 6 inches shorter then the average "petite" pant size is based on, they usually base petite pants on a 5'2 person. Any way I have washed pants before then taken them to be hemmed, only for a few washings later to find they are too short! So I didn't even think of that, but they are right, so now I wash all my fabric several times. Also with me nursing or preggers most the time, I figure it's extra safety precaution too, all those poisons they put on the fabric isn't good for me and babies!
Yeah, I'm making a lot of clothes. So far I like blesseddesigns.net Go take a look at hers right now, she is selling off her paper patterns and going to PDF, so there is like at least 3 nursing patterns she is offering for only 2 dollars each right now! The skirt though (no longer on her site, but do a google for the name I put above and you will find it, it's really really easy!), and I love this one maternity shirt she sells too. But, again she no longer has it on the site for paper form, I would have to go get the pattern to find the name of it but it's sooooooo cute. I think it's a shame she is no longer selling it in paper either.
The night gowns, dress, and shirt I am working on making though are all elizabeth lee designs (elizabethlee.com) In my opinion it would be great if she would update the pics on her site. Cause really her patterns are classics! But, because of the pictures she has up they look very dated. It's really all about the fabrics chosen though. Cause at first I didn't think I liked very many of them, then I joined a elizabeth lee design message group and seen what other people made with her patterns using updated fabrics and really you can see by theirs the patterns are classics they just look outdated cause of the pics she has up has dated fabrics being used. With dated hair dos on the models! hahaha
The only problem is........her husband died she has I believe 8 children, some still very young and she had to go to work outside the home, so so far I am getting no word from her and have tried to contact her for 2 years now. So personally I wouldn't try to order from her site, cause I don't know if it would do any good. However, there is a ton of her patterns out there to buy off ebay and etsy etc, just keep your eyes open for them, google them and such. But, still from her site you can see what you are looking for and liking and want.
I have so far made the slip pattern of hers, it was my very first thing I ever made on my own since I was in middle school 25 years ago, and it was really easy. I am using the same pattern to make a dress with. (a summery dress, I will wear with a sweater or jacket).
http://www.elizabethlee.com/patterns/nc301.htm
I am also right now making this night gown-
http://www.elizabethlee.com/patterns/nc104.htm
So far it's working up like a dream!
I'm going to do this shirt too (the sleeveless one) to go with a skirt I bought fabric for-
http://www.elizabethlee.com/patterns/nc205.htm
What I like about the ELD patterns is they are based on a D cup (but I highly suspect larger then a D cause I'm a I cup and most fit me great! the great majority of companies base their patterns on a B cup (I'm talking about Bust size here) and so I always have to readjust the bust which is for me being so new very hard, cause it's really redoing the whole top half of the pattern cause I'm so much larger then them it's a big drafting project!
Any way, the ELD patterns are very simple, and her site rates them from easy, to medium, to hard, etc. BTW, I also trace out the patterns before making them, cause they are so hard to find, and so expensive, I don't want to cut them. (they are more expensive on her site, but I have been able to buy most of them on average for 5 dollars each a few people have given me a few more though as well). I figure also if I don't cut in future I can probably sell them again for my 5 dollars back. The tracing takes me a day. I use exam table paper from the doctors office, you can ask most drs to give you a roll and they will. I also have a lot of back problems, so it takes me longer I think then the average person to get all this stuff done. I am sure if I had more stamina, less pain and more sewing experience. I would be able to whip these clothes up in a few hours. Versus a few days! lol haha I just do one step a day! lol haha Trace the pattern day one and cut it out, day two I pin and cut the fabric, day three I start sewing! lol haha I only work on it a few minutes a day. Probably less then a hour. You would really probably be able to do it. You still have plenty of time!
Also I am making more of the maternity skirts this late in the game, one this probably won't be my last pregnancy, and two you may want to wear loose/such as maternity fitting clothes for a few months after the baby comes. My first baby I snapped right back into place size wise, in fact I lost 10 lbs pre-pregnancy weight! I was 10 lbs lighter then I was even before pregnancy with in a week of giving birth. But, still my tummy was a little sore for quite a while, I think it's cause I have such quick labor, I usually can be start to finish in labor less then 2 hours, I really think for DD1 I was only in real labor less then 30 minutes! That leaves you sore, I have heard. And I can testify I was sore for quite a while. Probably about 6 months I was pretty tender. That is NOT normal though, most people aren't that tender that long. I wasn't that tender the next pregnancy that long, but number 3 again it was a long time. In fact, I had just started wearing regular clothes again when I found out I was expecting number 4! lol hahaha So any way, even though I'm late in pregnancy point is I will probably be wearing these skirts a good year, weather I am pregnant again or not. lol But, I plan on having at least one more kid. And then after all that I can always just take the elastic in and keep on wearing them any way! lol Cause they are super cute I love the pattern! I could probably even redo the top and take out the knit panel and put in regular fabric panel, but I don't know if I will, I kind of like the way the knit lays under clothes (IE a blouse lays much smoother on the knit then cotton so it looks better!).
Oh and just as another BTW, seems to me ELD always calls for MORE fabric then you need, I always have a lot left over from hers!
However, I did redo her night gown I am making, I didn't feel like working with knit, and wanted more choices, so I am making flannel and cotton gowns. However, because there is so much gathering at the front for the nursing openings, she calls for 60 inch or larger width fabric, which cottons and flannels don't come in. I went ahead and measured up the different lengths the gown comes in (knee, ballet and ankle). The ballet with the yoke added on, for me being so short would be ankle length! So when I measured the ballet length body part of the pattern I figured I could use 45 inch fabric but just turn it the opposite direction you are supposed to. The only thing with this is most of the fabric out there goes for sure in a certain direction. You have to either be ok with your fabric looking horizontal (not vertical) on you, or if you are like me and that would just be unacceptable cause I'm fat enough with out adding horizontal visual lines! lol Just look for fabric that it doesn't matter which way you turn it it would look the same. So that limits your choices, but compared to the limit of knits out there it still leaves you a lot more choices then what is in stores for knits!
So today when I cut out the fabric because of shrinkage it wasn't quite at the ballet length, but not that much shorter, for sure longer then knee length. I think it will probably be calf length or longer on me when done. I still think though actually probably be closer to ankle length on me then anything. I bet most people could for sure get almost calf length out of it doing it the way I am experimenting with.
She also gives instructions of making it with 45 inch fabric, but NOT with my idea, more with the idea of taking fullness out of the front, but I like the fullness, so I didn't want to do that!
http://www.heathersprairie.blogspot.com |
| Montrose Girl |
Posted - Jul 04 2011 : 10:47:10 AM
Heather, really? On the making of those clothes that is. As a first timer I never thought about any of those items you mentioned you were making. Where did you find the patterns? Now I'm getting nervous since I'm only a week behind you and was hoping to make some of what I would need as well.
Laurie
http://www.inntheorchardbnb.com/ |
| levisgrammy |
Posted - Jul 04 2011 : 05:19:13 AM
I usually always buy more fabric than is called for in a pattern and always wash it first and then I don't have to worry about much shrinkage. 6" is quite a bit of difference when laying out a pattern. Did you contact the company you got it from? Even if they are no longer in business there is still usually a way to get in contact with them. Strange no one noticed while they were still selling them. Sorry you had this bad experience but sometimes you run into little issues as you spend more time sewing. It is a challenge but you will find ways around things as you sew more.
Hence, my always buying more than a pattern calls for, though not a large amount. It seems the people who had the company should do something to make it right for you.
farmgirl sister#43
O, a trouble's a ton or a trouble's an ounce,
Or a trouble is what you make it!
And it isn't the fact that you're hurt that counts,
But only--how did you take it?
--Edmund C. Vance.
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| MagnoliaWhisper |
Posted - Jul 03 2011 : 10:57:57 PM
I can tell you I am a very novice seamstress, it really didn't take me long at all to whip up and that was with having a clingy one year old who has figured out something is up (me expecting! lol) She's clung to me like a monkey! lol If I had more experience I would of probably been able to whip it up even faster! So I highly recommend this pattern as far as ease goes. But, just get extra fabric.
I have a ton of stuff to make though too. I don't use bottles so don't have them to clean, but am trying to get some nursing clothes done before baby gets here, making 3 nursing night gowns, a nursing dress, and at least one nursing top and jacket! phew hoping to get it all done! and fast! lol
http://www.heathersprairie.blogspot.com |
| Montrose Girl |
Posted - Jul 03 2011 : 06:40:02 AM
Heather. Oh my. Glad you figured it out and thanks for sharing. I've thought of these but have yet to make one. Too many other projects. I should start planning as classes start Aug 2, though not due til a week after you. Busy washing new bottles and cloth diapers.
Laurie
http://www.inntheorchardbnb.com/ |
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