Why do you ask?
Poor TLo. A dedicated reader will already be aware that TLo has very little in the way of Clothing That Fits, due to her -ahem- Sturdy Build. So I added several jumper patterns to her SWAP list, hoping to have at least two or three for school.
I was really excited to make this BurdaStyle pattern (1-2009 #136A), which I've been eyeing since it came out. 
Look at those happy little urchins, just frolicking deceptively in the snow. They are so totally not telling the truth about this jumper! Evil, evil urchins.
The first shock came when I finally traced out the pattern pieces and suddenly discovered (I'm a little slow) that the yoke is ONE PIECE. Seriously, this is a freaky piece of design work.
It makes the jumper completely Not Adjustable, because the fit of the jumper is necessarily limited by the size of the head-hole. Since I was up-sizing this a little for TLo, much mathematical confusion ensued leading to a highly typical round of sheer guesswork. Would TLo be able to get her head through it? Who knew?
The second shock came when I began assembling said freaky-head-hole-yoke-piece. Sadly, I decided to make the jumper in a fabric that one could only call "inappropriate". I'm pretty sure it's a Haggar remnant. I got it online for a very good price and if I was making mens' trousers I'd probably be in clover. Sadly, I was making a little girl's jumper. The results were... unpleasant.
Besides my poor fabric choice (much too stiff and egregiously prone to wrinkling), this pattern was a P.I.T.A. to put together. I mean, I'm a quilter. I’m not completely unfamiliar with a curved seam... but this one kicked my butt. The trauma of it all has rendered details hazy, but I seem to recall that you sew the upper curve of the yoke and facing together whilst sandwiching the two straps, then stitch the (heavily pleated) skirt to one piece and topstitch the other down. Much as you would any yoke-and-skirt combo, but with y'know, horrifying curves and hugely bulky pleats. Oh joy.
Wrinkling. Much, much wrinkling.
It didn’t really get any better from there.
I still make TLo wear this to school. I’m sure I’ll be sorry in ten years when I have to pay her therapy bills.
Stop beating yourself up, it's not so bad! I love her last pose, she doesn't look so unhappy to me!?
ReplyDeleteI did laugh at this post, with you, and at the pattern. Maybe the dress has great threat potential, "go to bed or you'll be wearing that yoke dress for a week." (you know I'm kidding, right?)
ReplyDeleteYou made it beautifully despite your protestations and I'm sure with a few tweaks you'll make it into the fun pattern it always had the potential to be.
Non-adjustable straps? What crack are they smoking?
ReplyDeleteI say keep the cool curved yoke (it looks great) but slash the extra-long over-the-shoulder part and make it overlap with a button or something to bring it up (shortening the bottom straps on the back if necessary to keep everything even)
Although, wrinkly fabric for children's clothes is the devil. The absolute essence of evil.
I agree with above crack-pipe assessment.
ReplyDeleteAnd laughed (a few times) at "head hole piece". Baha!
Wow! That is....unusual! But it looks nice on her.
ReplyDeleteDo you get Ottobre? Sometimes they have patterns for bigger girls. I would have loved to have had those when my daughter was little as she was sturdy too. I was just skimming through my magazines to find Christmas ideas and I'm sure I ran across a jumper. I could trace it off for you if you'd like...
Sounds like an annoying project to make on so many levels! I like the inner contrast yoke, and your daughter doesn't seem unhappy with it, so hopefully it wasn't a total fail.
ReplyDeleteActually, I think it's kind of cute; maybe in a different color?
ReplyDeleteI think her little jumper is darling. Those kids in the picture, weren't they in Sound of Music?
ReplyDeleteAgain, its cute and I think she looks prescious. In a pink pinwale corduroy it would be just adorable and a little less contentious. I think ya did fine, Mom.
That yoke construction? I think the pattern designer at Burda has a grudge and just after she designed it was escorted from the building because her behavior was becoming increasingly erratic. . .
ReplyDeleteWell I still like it! I've been waiting for my youngest to grow into the smallest size since the pattern came out (no way am I grading that puppy) and your comments on sewing curves only made me salivate. Just how wierd am I to get really happily excited at the prospect of sewing multiple layers of curves together.......
ReplyDeleteNon adjustable straps? For children? Are you supposed to starve her till this thing wears out??
ReplyDeleteAnd about the therapy bills... it'd be OK for her to wear it to school -if- she'd made it. I wore worse myself, with great pride. But I don't think that works if you made it.
I like the model's backdrop, heh.
ReplyDeleteAnd the goofy yoke's facing. You did a fine job putting it together, although in that color it does remind me of a Brownie pinafore, sans pins and medals. I can't remember the uniform policy, can they wear other colors as long as they are solid colors, or do you have to play in the khaki zone?
I like the back yoke design, but yeah, a one piece yoke is bizarre in children's wear. The colour, however, is perfect on her.
ReplyDelete