As a long time sewer, I’d like to offer encouragement to “newbies”….mistakes can become “designer originals” if you keep an open mind. I’ve made plenty of mistakes over the years and thrown items out….like the time I sat a hot iron down on polyester knit pants that I had just finished…groan!!!
I also remember one favorite mistake…..Pregnant with my first child, I was making maternity clothes. I cut out a beautiful silver gray A-line dress with short sleeves. I cut the dress to the length that I had been wearing all along only to discover when I looked in the mirror that I was suddenly as broad (I’m 5 feet tall) as I was tall and the dress was too short for my pregnant figure. Solution…I added a 3-inch wide white band to the bottom of the dress and to the sleeves. I got many compliments and everyone wanted to know what “maternity boutique” I purchased it from.
How about sharing some of your “mistakes into fashion” stories!
Edited 4/22/2007 7:19 pm ET by SewFit
Edited 4/22/2007 10:33 pm ET by SewFit
Replies
Mistakes? I have certainly made my share! My personal favorite and a repeater is putting sleeves in backwards. I am so careful to check the notches and the shapes but would be in such a hurry to complete a garment that I would not do the right thing. I think at this point I have learned a thing or two and haven't done this in a while.
As far as turning mistakes into fashion, I have screwed more buttonholes than I care to admit. On one particular garment, I REALLY screwed up the BH, redoing it at least 4 times. I decided to use these huge buttons to hide the BH and they looked great. I don't think I would have used such large buttons otherwise.
I used my scrap fabric to make a dress for the Jr. Prom (started it two days before the dance) but did not like the color when all was said and done. I dyed it black, but didn't know that it was a blend and some strands looked gray and others were white. it ended up looking something like tweed, which I could deal with, but it was also two sizes too small. My mom took me out and I bought new fabric (better dress material) and I made another dress that turned out beautifully....and my best friend called the day of the dance in tears because she couldn't go - She didn't have a dress...The gray looked amazing on her and the white flecks gave it a shimmer type of look in the pictures!!!
There is a reason for everything!
Now that's keeping an open mind!
thats what I said, She looked great if I do say so myself
What a beautiful story. That's a feel good story. You must have worked very hard to make 2 dresses in two days. I know your friend was grateful.Marcy
I don't honestly know how I managed it, but I had intended to buy my dress and just couldn't find one that I liked enough to go with, so I worked until only hours before the dance and left a couple things off of mine....finishing seems and such...I was only going to wear it once and it wasn't for sale...I'm a sap when it comes to sentaments like that. But it was done and got many compliments that night, it just wouldn't be fit for anything more than one night. The other dress was all finished.....go figure
I don't believe in coincidence and this sweet story is a good example. Things really do happen for a reason. You were meant to help your friend on such a special occassion! It amazes me that you are able to finish garments so quickly! It's quite a gift and will serve you well in your dressmaking business! I wish you great success!!!
Mine's a mistakes-out-of-fashion story - one of my serger needles broke and chewed up a seam of a polar fleece hat I was making to match a vest I had just finished. I had no fabric left, so I couldn't make a cute patch. I had to trim quite a bit of chewed fabric off, which made it too small for a hat. So I trimmed it further, hemmed it again and made it a tea cosy for my single-serving teapot!
:) Mary
now that's creative!!!
I remember falling in love with some fabric when I was about 10, and my mother promised to make a dress out of it for me. We only had just enough for the pattern, and in trying to rush, Mum placed the centre front on the selvedge instead of the fold, and only realised her mistake after she had cut it. Putting a seam down the front would have made it too small. She had a lenght of dark brown grosgrain ribbon in her stash, and inserted that down the centre, as a feature. Not only did it save the day, it really enhanced what would have been a very simple shift dress.
Who is it on this website that has as their signature "there are no mistakes, only design opportunities"?
too true!!
susannah
This post is archived.