A Ruffly Distraction: Papercut Patterns Adrift Dress
I won't sugarcoat it: the last seven weeks have been tough. I love, love, love our baby girl more than I can express, but sleep deprivation, a recovering body, and lack of daily routine (where do I work again? Who am I even??) have left me reeling. Combine that with the generally screwed up state of our country and.... well anyway, we're all feeling it.
On the other hand, I really love being at home with my little boo. She's growing and changing by the minute (those fat little cheeks! I die!), and I even have a few hours here and there to sew while she sleeps. So let's take a moment to forget the frightening new world order and celebrate silk, cinched waists, and ruffles! Brought to you by Papercut Pattern's Adrift Dress and Avery's nap time.
Pattern and Fit
Here’s my dirty little sewing secret: I never make muslins. Since most patterns fit me without any adjustments I get cocky, and I can't handle the idea of making a garment twice (I only have so much free time, dudes!). But I learned my lesson this time, and unfortunately I had to learn it while using some very expensive Missoni silk.
One of the reasons I’ve been inspired to sew lately is that none of my pre-maternity clothes fit. I’m sure they will eventually, but for now I’m stuck in that awkward postpartum limbo where my bust is three times bigger, my belly still smooshy and protruding, and my shape a little foreign to me. So even though I cut the pattern a size bigger, it still ended up being way too short. I did make one other adjustment by inserting a waistband between the skirt and blouse instead of folding it under like the pattern instructs, elongating the dress by about an inch. The dress is still completely wearable with tights and a slip, but I’m kicking myself for not planning better (I'm also guessing that the pattern has a short waist to begin with, so if you’re a long-torsoed gal like me, make sure to account for that before cutting!).
Otherwise, I give the Adrift Dress an A+. The drape is to die for, and the ruffles were actually a lot easier to assemble than I’d anticipated. That’s the magic of a well-drafted pattern!
Fabric
I found the silk at Britex a few months ago. It’s Missoni, it’s scrumptious, it's made in Italy, and it cost way too much. I realized as I was sewing that it was actually the first time I’ve worked with 100% silk, and I probably should have used a finer needle. But overall it was fairly easy to work with.
I’m interested in learning more about silks in general — specifically, what makes this particular silk drape so well and remain nearly impervious to wrinkles? I own several 100% silk blouses, and some of them are wrinkle-resistant while others are barely wearable without creasing. Does anyone know what the difference is, terminology-wise? I’m particularly curious because I’d like to order some ethically-sourced silk online, but I’m afraid it won’t have the texture that I’m looking for.
More sewing plans
I have no idea how long it will be until I lose the fifteen pounds I need to get back to my fighting weight. And who knows, maybe I never will. I don’t hate my postpartum body — I’m amazed by what it did — but I do need to sew or buy some new pieces to get me through the next few months. I’m planning a small capsule wardrobe that includes another solid version this dress, a Sew Over It wrap dress, a Grainline Archer, a Colette Mabel, a couple of True Bias Ogden Camis, and some Closet Case Files Ginger Jeans. Ambitious? Absolutely. But sewing is one of the few things that’s been keeping me sane lately. Well that, and Miss Cheeks over here.
