[Nancy]

Trying again and again.

[Liesl Gibson]

Paula, I would LOVE to write that book! It’s on my wish list, but to be quite honest it’s very expensive for me to write a book. I don’t make much money from books and it takes a very long time to make a book. If I could somehow make a living and write that book I would do it in a heartbeat. But we lose money on books, so it’s not in the near future–unless I somehow make a bunch of money sometime soon!

[Nancy]

Question 1
I’m attempting my second Building Block dress. Maybe I’m in a little over my head here! But I was planning to make the neck line like the dress on page 117. But now I see that the pictures of a shaped neckline in the first part of the book only show the skirt extending from the neckline down to knee length instead of just going to the waist…being part of the bodice only. If you are planning a skirt from the waist down, you need to treat that polka dotted part as an external neck facing, right?
Question 2
I was planning to line the entire bodice so I don’t have to make an internal facing, right?
But I see on page 117 step 3 you recommend a facing when the neckline has corners. Is a complete lining a suitable substitute even when there are corners on the neckline?
Thank you for considering this.

[Nancy]

Sorry, I made a mistake in the above post. I see that one of the dress variations has a shaped neckline on the bodice only. (I was rushing!)
I still have the question.
Or do I just split the bodice into two pieces…add seam allowances and cut the top one out of the polka dot fabric and the lower one out of the main fabric?

[Liesl Gibson]

Nancy, I’m really sorry but I’m not understanding your question(s). Can you re-ask it/them or maybe post a photo of what you’re trying to do?

[Nancy]

Thanks for responding. Ok. I’ll try to describe my situation better. I am combining a lot of new to me techniques after making one basic dress. Maybe not advisable!
I am making a dress similar the one on 117 with the squared neckline using the basic bodice design. I am thinking I will treat it as a color blocking situation creating two pieces for the front (and back) bodice…one the polka dots and one the rest of the bodice down to the waist then sew the two together. I am planning to line the whole bodice but I see on step one page 118 that it says you will want to use a neck facing instead of a bias facing because of the sharp corners. I wasn’t planning on a neck facing or a bias facing but that comment made me wonder if the sharp corners of the neckline will present a problem for me in my plan to line the whole bodice.
I guess the question boils down to whether it’s especially difficult to line (as opposed to face or bias bind) corner areas?
I hope this is a better explanation.
If not, I’ll just do my best here. I don’t want to bother you anymore. It’s difficult to explain these questions, isn’t it. I love your book and I’ll hang in there!

[Liesl Gibson]

You can use a lining instead of a facing. That’s perfectly fine. I’m not following exactly what you’re trying to do with two bodice pieces, but it sounds like that’s not important here. Yes, just line it instead of a facing. No problem.

[Nancy]

Ok, thanks! I’ll proceed on my adventure here.

[Nancy]

Hi Liesl,
I am attempting to put a photo here. My husband and I have both tried in the past to no avail so here goes another attempt.
This time I am taking the photo at the time rather than choosing from my photo library and it looks like it might work.
Anyway, here is my bodice with the altered neckline about which I wrote to you a week or so ago.

[Nancy]

Hi,
I’m back and almost done with my second BBdress. I posted it on Facebook because I can’t post pictures on this discussion for whatever reason.
It was quite a challenge but I’m happy that I lined the bodice, made a new neckline, color blocked it, added flair to the skirt, French seamed the skirt…learning new things and improving my skills.
However, I am disappointed that I wasn’t able to pull off the fold over detail pocket. Maybe next time.
I ended up going with a patch pocket. It is basted on because I’m not sure whether I should use it. The solid fabric is stiffer than the self and somewhat disrupts the drape, I felt compelled to put a pocket with a little lace trim to delight the two year old I’m making it for.
I asked on the Facebook post for feedback and got some good suggestions. Just thought I would ask here, too.

If you see my Facebook post, please consider chiming in.

[Lightning McStitch]

I think “over the top” and “as it pleases them” and “with pockets” are really the only rules when it comes to sewing for two year Olds.
So, by those benchmarks your dress is a winner!

[Liesl Gibson]

I like Lightning’s thoughts about it! (And I think it’s a size limit regarding posting here. If you make the photo smaller you should be able to post it.)

[Nancy]

Thanks. I love your philosophy!

[Nancy]

I am going to try again to post my picture of the dress using the smallest setting.