Friday, January 22, 2010

Take Your Time, So You Don't Waste Your Time!

I finished Little E's new Little Orphan Annie dress. I made this one from two cotton t-shirts. I had to remind myself of my sewing motto, which is: "Take your time, so you don't waste your time." After I sewed the cuff around the bottom of the first sleeve, I realized that it was too wide, so I was cutting it down, when, yep, I cut the sleeve itself. I was hoping that it would be low enough down on the sleeve that the cuff would cover it, but, of course it wasn't. Luckily, I had the extra t-shirt, so I cut a sleeve out of it and replaced the one in the dress. Why, oh why, do I do things like this?

I simply cut the bottom of one of the shirts from the underneath of one sleeve across to the other. I stitched it to the other shirt where I think (I hope), Little E's waist is. If you look very closely you can see where this seam is in the picture below.

I cut a collar, cuffs, and belt from some white cotton blend scraps that I had in my stash. I used fusible interfacing in each of these. I used purchased black piping for this project. I was afraid that after I sewed the collar on that the neck wouldn't stretch over her head, so I made a little key hole slit with a button-loop fastener. I used a ponytail rubber band to make the loop. I bound the slit with leftover fabric from the extra t-shirt.

I also used leftovers for the binding at the collar. I just cut a piece on the bias. I didn't want Little E's neck to itch from a scratchy collar.

I made the belt a little narrower for this version of the Annie dress. I put four buttons and button holes to allow for growth.


Here is a black and white photo of Jenna that I used to make a scherenschnitte. (Have you noticed how much I love that word?) I am not real happy with this one, and I'm going to do a new one, but I thought I'd show you this one anyway. Now, that I think about it, I may do Kellen's over, too. I have gone back and doctored the photo a little more so there's more contrast in the shades of white, gray, and black. I'm not adding the tiara, even though, that "is Jenna". She is a little princess. In this photo, she's holding her baby cousin, Little Man, for the first time on the day he was born.


I do need to get to a craft store that has better paper and glue than I am presently using. Maybe I can go to Hobby Lobby tomorrow.
I had some leftovers from our Wednesday night supper at church, so tonight we are sharing with my in-laws. My husband will go over and warm up the meat and get things ready, while I go feed my mom.

Now, tell me, do you ever have times that you messed up because you were in a hurry to get something done, and it ended up taking you more time than if you had taken your time? I'd love to know I'm not alone in this.

11 comments:

KID, MD said...

That is one adorable dress! You are so not alone in rushing to a big mistake. I do it all the time. I tell myself to slow down and do it right, but I'm always in such a hurry to finish a project... you know the end to that story!!

BeeBee said...

Oh dear god, yes! Most of my mistakes are from not taking my time and having to re-do things. I made a pair of pants last winter, pressed for time because I wanted to take them with me on a business trip on Monday morning. I cut the bottom at the wrong place by having my rotary cutter w/ guide positioned wrong (thankfully BWOF pants are about a mile too long for me), put the interfacing on the zipper fly on the right side, which is the wrong side - if you get my drift. I had to pull it all off as best I could and color it black with a sharpy - fortunatey it was a solid black fuzzy wool. Did something funky with the pockets but I don't remember what it was. ARGGG! But I made my deadline and they went with me to Boise.

sonoemi said...

Hi Julia,
the problem with the time I have also seen. Since you're not alone!

A big compliment to the beautiful scherenschnitt. He is so identical with the photo of Jenna. Especially the eyes and eyelashes are so fantastic.

Trudy said...

That sounds like a mistake that I would make, but I guess we all make them.

Scherenschnitte is such a cool word. You get better each time. It looks identical to the photo. I am amazed.

Martha said...

Now that is a costumer's brain. I would never have thought to do that out of t-shirts. What a great idea and totally looks like Orphan Annie is ready to walk in the door.
Have I ever messed up because I was in a hurry, short on time, over tired or just plain no in the zone? Never! Ha and if you believe that, I have some waterfront property I will sell you. I can't count the number of times I have messed up for those very reasons.

Faye Lewis said...

Is that an Annie dress or what! It looks so original.

gwensews said...

Cute Annie dress! Totally. Oh yes, I've made many a mistake by either being in a hurry, OR by simply not having my mind on what I'm doing. I guess it's part of the game!

Zep said...

Great save - who doesn't make mistakes. I hate when I make them with students. When I do I tell them mistakes are there to teach us. :)

Enjoy your sewing moments! And all the others too....

Michelle said...

That dress is fantastic! And yes, I do things like that all the time. If I would just be patient, I am sure that my life would be a much less stressful place, but alas...I am always in a hurry and as a result mess things up. When I was a little girl my grandmother had a little framed cross stitch that said "The Hurrier I Go, The Behinder I Get." You would have think that seeing that constantly growing up would have made an impression, but no....

KID, MD said...

Oh my goodness - I did it this morning! Sewed a skirt front panel on upside down!!! Fortunately it was only the lining, so the raggedy seams that I unpicked won't be seen, but still! !!! Now I get to spend the morning re-sewing, instead of sewing. Grrr!

Beangirl said...

One of the reasons I am officially The World's Slowest Sewist is because I routinely cut two left sleeves or forget to add a seam allowance or... I'm working really fast and yet I'm still the World's Slowest. You'd think I'd learn my lesson. (Apparently I'm slow in more ways than one).

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