Thursday, July 18, 2013

Ready for Round 2!

There are some seriously talented ladies in the Super Online Sewing Match, but I made it to Round #2! For this next challenge, I have the full time (a week) to sew up this lovely dress girl's dress from Oliver+S:  
I have to say, when I first saw this pattern, I wanted it for myself.  It's easy to wear, has small cap sleeves and elastic waist: perfect for the summer!  And after receiving the pattern via email for the competition, I realized that I can actually fit the largest size (girl's size 12), if I lowered the waistline a little bit.  However, I'm guessing no one wants to see an adult woman in photos for this particular challenge and I don't have any girl children of my own (and my boys *might* object to being photographed in a dress...), so I've recruited the daughter of good family friends to be my model.  She's absolutely adorable!   Can't wait to see her in my [barely started] dress!
Introducing Miss Juno!
Separate topic (which, coincidentally, is being discussed on the Sew Mama Sew FB page today): I can't stand printing patterns from my home computer.  I like the convenience, sure, but I'm just super bothered by the messiness of taped pages and whatnot.  Kind of starts off the project on the wrong foot, in my opinion.  So, I finally took the suggestion of the pattern instructions and took the file to the copy center!  The first center I took it to could only print 24" wide (36" is needed), so the technician split the file into two halves and printed them individually.  Since I still had to tape the two pages together, I wasn't overly excited.   But then I took it to FedEx/ Kinkos.  Hooray!  A full sheet pattern, printed in moments at a cost of $0.72/ sq/ft.  Why have I not done this before?  Yeah, laziness.  One suggestion to pattern makers, though: put a test square on that large format page.  And include a printable envelope.  That would be awesome!
I still have to trace the pattern, but at least I can fold the paper up neatly when I'm done.  Because, really, that's all that matters :)


11 comments:

  1. Anonymous2:33 PM

    Congrats and good luck with Round 2!

    And I'm with you on the PDF patterns. I hate cutting and taping all those pages together. I understand why indie designers, particularly very small ones, use PDF patterns, but I still will always buy a paper pattern when it's an option!

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    1. Thank you! Yes, I was completely thrilled that the large-format printing wasn't prohibitively expensive!

      (BTW, I haven't forgotten about the Liebster Award--things have just gotten kind of crazy around here! Thank you for the nomination!)

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  2. I really liked your skirt in the first round, and I can't wait to see your dress!

    I also hate the whole hassle of PDF patterns, so thanks for the info on Kinko's. May I ask how much they charged for the whole pattern? Maybe I could come around to PDF patterns after all.

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    1. Thank you, and to tell the truth, I am super worried about this dress. I haven't made it easy on myself!

      At Kinko's, I think the guy was trying to be super nice, and he charged me less than $3.00. However, if the pattern is 3ft x 3ft, that's 9sq/ft, so the total should have been about $6.50. (I didn't print the rest of the instructions.) Best of luck!

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  3. You got through because you're BRILLIANT!!!

    I have my patterns available as printed patterns and I got the pattern sheets printed out by an Architectural printers who charge me about 69p plus tax for an A2 sheet. If you want any of the A2 sheets sending through to you for my patterns let me know and I can email you them ;) Maybe I should add them to the downloads...now there's a thought. Thanks! xx

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    1. Printing the pages for a bag isn't a big deal--it's when I have to piece together 20 pages for a dress that I get annoyed! But a big sheet is always nice...especially if you put the test square on it :)

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  4. Thanks for sharing that about taking the pattern to the copy center, I'll have to look more into that.

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  5. Congrats.. Wish you the best on round 2. I love this oliver +S pattern. It is adorable. Happy sewing.

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    1. Have you made this pattern for your grandbabies? It's just perfect for active little girls!

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  6. Congratulations on making it to round 2 Nicole! I printed Colette's Hawthorne at home and my enthusiasm totally fizzled out after taping the 1st two rows, and it not lining up perfectly either. So I'm off to try find a copycenter, thanks for the tip! Can't wait to see what you do with the roller skate dress. I have girls and we love our Oliver+S.

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    1. A long dress like the Hawthorne would be so much nicer printed on the big sheet! Good luck!

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