Each year, I enjoy a review of my #Sewing Top Five Misses almost as much as my best top five. I always learn so much from my mistakes. So without further ado, here they are!
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- Vogue top – Okay, when I made this, I felt pretty clever because I constructed this top from odds and ends in my fabric stash. Ha! It’s such a mashup of colors and textures, I feel oddly distracted when I wear it. What was I thinking? New Motto – – keep it simple. To the donation pile!
2. Aernite pants. I really loved these when I made them, but the color of the linen turned out to be problematic. It didn’t really work with anything in my wardrobe and it made me feel blah too. Lesson learned….I will avoid peachy beiges and tans in the future.
3. The Darling Ranges dress by Megan Nielsen is a new favorite (I made three (3) versions!), but this version did not work for me. Again, the issue is the color of the stripes in the linen. It’s too peachy for me. Also, I think the dress is too long(?) so I feel rather frumpy in it. So many problems here. Ugh. The embroidered linen is so gorgeous though…too lovely to part with. I’m going try to modify the dress (shorten it to a top?) or reuse the fabric in some way.
4. Simplicity Vintage top: What? you say. But this one is Blue! How can it be a miss?
This top is a clear miss because it’s so annoying to wear. I kid you not. Because it’s basically a wrap top with only a front and back panel, it depends on the tie to hold in the sides. That means when the tie loosens as you wear it, you enter the danger zone. If you don’t run off to a private place to re-tie, you will soon be showing all sorts of things best left covered. Bummer as I made three of these. Thumbs down on this one….to the pile!
5. Long Kimono top; I should love this one…the fabric, the kimono style…but I’ve never worn it. I cannot seem to find an appropriate venue/occasion. There’s something so awkward about it…maybe the length? A head scratcher for sure because I do love, LOVE this fabric so much and the style gets a big thumbs up from me. Maybe I’ll shorten it next summer or recut it as something else. Hmmmm. I’ve got some thinking to do on this one.
Lessons learned – –
- Fabric in tan or beige-y tones is a no-no for me. (sigh).
- Avoid patterns where the design includes an element that might potentially be awkward or where you might be naked if it comes ‘undone’, LOL!
- Even though I love the look of a long cardigan or kimono, long isn’t always that easy to wear.
- Fabric that isn’t in my color palate is best left behind.
- Simple fabric, simple designs…they always work!
Well, that pretty much sums up the good and the not so good of 2018. I have no complaints. All in all, it was a very good year. That being said, I’d like 2019 to look a bit different. I’m hoping for some new creative adventures to sweeten my sewing experience and am thinking a lot about how to make that happen.
A fresh year, a fresh start. How was your 2018?
Happy sewing and thanks for stopping by!
I love 1-3! I think they look fabulous
Thanks! I wish I loved them more:(
Each of your misses would be hits in my world!
Oh, you are so kind! They are good patterns, but my fabric choices got in the way.
You could dye the two linen items with a blue dye which would result in a slightly aqua blue shade. Its easy to shorten things. You can pin the hem in place and do a quick photo to see if it works better. For the open sided top, maybe add some buttons. Otherwise hope someone else enjoys the donations!! (I often alter, revisit, fix, dye etc things I’ve made and it doesn’t always work but I enjoy the experimentation).
Excellent idea to dye them blue! I live the idea of taking a photo of the raised hem too, and the buttons! Great ideA! Now why didn’t I think of that? You are so good at this….thanks!
So good to reflect on what didn’t work and why! I do hope you make that linen dress work – it looks really good. Dye job perhaps??
Oh, that’s a fabulous idea! I think that might be just the thing because it will change the look while keeping the integrity of the fabric and the style…
Your Darling Ranges dress looks beautiful as is! No need to change it. Maybe just add a colourful necklace and bracelet?
Oh, thank-you! The Darling Ranges Dress is definitely the garment that is the biggest disappointment for me! Your suggestion is so timely…I was just thinking I needed more colorful accessories in my life….it could work!
I thought your comments on the Arenite pants were interesting – and kind of a relief to me. I loved yours when you posted them last summer and made a pair for myself. I found some linen at JoAnn’s, but it is a little thick and the pants look really dumpy on me. I tried to like them but I feel really sloppy in them. I think I would like them in a lighter, drapey fabric and smaller size. I made mine brown too because I really liked the color of yours, and I also found they didn’t go with much.
Oh, I’m glad you gave them a try, but so sorry you discovered as I did that the brown color isn’t a true neutral at all! I think another pair in a rayon or something with some drape sounds great…might have to give that a try too:)
Well. You know I don’t know anything about sewing but I still couldn’t resist responding. So, here goes…
#1- What if you remove the two solid blue “flaps”? They are what puts this top over the top. It seems like it would be easy enough and then if you still didn’t like it, you could move it along.
#2- I want to love these pants but somehow can’t. That is a hard style to wear and they look so wrinkled even though you probably just ironed them. They will always drive you crazy. Move them along.
#3- I think this dress is cute and the color doesn’t bother me a bit. Maybe in person it doesn’t translate. (You look like you have a bit more color in these pictures than you do in person.) I liked the idea of some brightly colored accessories to add a pop of color. What about a colored belt or sash? Personally, I don’t think it is too long.
#4- Can you just sew up the sides? I looked at the pattern and can see why this is an “accident” waiting to happen!
#5- This is another item I want to love but somehow can’t. I noticed the model on the pattern is wearing it untied. Maybe that’s the trick since the tie gives it a bathrobey look. I also think this is a hard style to wear for someone as petite as you are. Could you sew it up the front and turn it into a dress? I know the pattern wouldn’t match up and then you probably couldn’t get it on but the fabric is so lovely it seems like a shame for it to go to waste!
So glad you responded, some excellent ideas there. Yes, I could liven things up on garment three with some good accessories. I should give that a try. Not sure about the sides on 4 as it is a wrap too. Have to give that a thought. Nice idea to turn the last one into a dress! Lots to mull over here..,you are good at this…
Sorry but I think those aernite pants are adorable.
Thanks, Joan!