The Queue Jumper

Remember this new pattern? It arrived last week. I was wondering how I would ever get around to making it with the queue of (no joke) 60 other patterns - at least 15 of which are serious contenders.

I decided that the easiest course of action would be simply to make it now. Then I won't have to worry about where to slot it in!

The little niggle of interest infected me one day last week (around the same time as the stomach bug) and it's all I've been able to think about since.

The construction of the pattern fascinates me. Those fold tucks (sewn on the right side, by the looks of it) are carefully interspersed with darts (the only other shaping tool) that are sewn, naturally, on the wrong side. There are no closures (yay!). You can pull it on because it's made in a stable knit. Of course, you know one can't really make an accurate muslin with a knit. Well, one can, but one needs to use the same fabric (s)he intends to use for the finished product. Which means one's often just making a wearable muslin first time out.

I've heard conflicting reports about the fit of this dress. Some say it runs large. Others say there isn't much ease. I decided, on the information that Butterick seems to cut large, that I would initially review my paper pattern to determine the amount of built-in ease (by measuring each piece individually), then factor in my fabric ease (a stable knit, about 2 inches IMO) and compare those against my actual measurements. It's a sound strategy but this pattern is so asymmetric on paper and oddly formed that I don't know if I can trust the measurements against those indicated on the package for the finished product. The actual measurements, in as much as I could figure out where to take them from, are quite a bit larger than my own dimensions.

To add to the challenge - I bought the size 14 - 20, not the 8 - 12, because I felt it would be safest to make the 14 based on sizing indicated on the package. Having said this - almost every time I make a Big 4 stable stretch pattern, I end up having to make it smaller. (This is the reason I've decided to start measuring the actual patterns going forward.) I'm beginning to think I'm a 12, package info notwithstanding.

On a related note: It drives me nuts when they split the pattern between a 12 and 14 because I don't have the luxury of reviewing both sizes and choosing the closer one. I'm stuck with one that's likely too big, or another that may be too small, unless I want to buy both size packets. Yes, I know that's why alterations exist. But not all alterations are created equal and I like to choose the easier path.

Oh, and while I'm bitching, has anyone else noticed that there's an error in the size 14? There's no interfacing piece 5! They printed piece 5 in the size 16 twice and omitted the size 14. It's not a disaster - I'll just have to adjust the facing piece in the 16 to meet the dimensions of the neck line, but that is kind of irritating - esp. given the weirdness of this paper pattern. It took me an hour of running around like a chicken before I figured out what was going on.

Happily, I have a lovely fabric for this - a burnt orange (but still rather bright) double knit.

My next step will be to trace the multi-sized pieces (all but the facing) and then to cut the fabric. Marking the folds and the darts with accuracy is de rigeur here. I'm intrigued to see how this progresses.

More to come...