[chrissouth]

Help!

I’m a fairly new sewist, and I’m completely perplexed about how to lay out the cuts for the flounce on this dress.

Part of the problem is that the fabric I’m using is directional, but not dramatically so.

Here’s what I’m using:

http://www.emmasfabricstudio.co.uk/products-page/the-simple-life/fq0471-the-simple-life-%E2%80%93-tasha-noel-%E2%80%93-riley-blake-designs/

So, it can be sideways, but I’d rather it not be. If I cut the fabric the way the fabric layout says to, I’m afraid it’s going to be sideways for vast portions of it… but the way the flounce is, I’m worried that it’s going to be impossible (or, well beyond my skill level) to figure out how to make it look right.

…and I’m afraid to cut it then have it going North-South seamed to an East-West…

Any guidance, help, etc??!?!?

[Nicole]

What an amazing fabric, I love it!

I can see your dilemma here. If it was me I would concentrate on the centre of the flounce and the centre of the back flounce.

Definitely have a play with the pattern pieces. I think the flags cut going across the flounce rather then up and down would look best.

A safer option would be to cut the main dress from the flags and the flounces from a plain (the off white)? and perhaps use a plain contrast for the binding?

Just a few thoughts, I will have a further think today.

~Nicole~

[Nicole]

PS I did a wee tute for the slip dress, maybe looking at the flounce during construction may help you visualise the required lay out?

http://fiveandcounting-motherof5.blogspot.com.au/2013/03/pinwheel-slip-dress-tutorial.html

[chrissouth]

Thanks, I’ll check out the tutorial.

Part of the problem is that this IS the plainer fabric I bought for this project.

I bought this coordinating fabric for the body of the slipdress (but the tunic will be in the fabric with the flags):

http://img0.etsystatic.com/003/0/5171583/il_fullxfull.381198736_clqn.jpg

[Nicole]

Oh, that is just gorgeous!

I wish I could come and help you fiddle it out.

I will keep thinking….

[with love Heidi]

How about making a negative template of the flounce pieces, cutting out the flounce piece from a large piece of paper or interfacing so you have a flounce shaped window. This way you can hold the cutout over your fabric so you can see which way the flags will fall. It will be amazing, I can’t wait to see it!

[Sarvi]

As I discovered to my sorrow when trying to cut a flounce from a border print, when a straight line meets a curve, something has to give. I agree with Nicole, keep the middle/front as straight as you can and fudge the sides. You might want to try cutting it from muslin first (you can just draw lines with a marker) and seeing how it will fall before cutting into your more precious stuff.

[needlewoman]

I think the template idea is really clever, H. I’ve got to remember that another time. My battle is with uneven plaids; I spend a long time fiddling with the pattern pieces trying to “see” how it will look when constructed. Good luck Chrissouth.

[Liesl Gibson]

Here’s a potentially crazy idea, but maybe one worth pursuing: what if you cut the flounce in sections and seamed them together? You could still assemble the entire flounce following the original shape, but if you cut it apart in a few areas and added seam allowance along your cut lines, you could lay each piece out directionally and keep the “flow” of the printed pattern.

I love the way the bias portions of the flounce drape, so I’d be inclined to cut the flounce as one piece and not worry too much about the direction of the print. But I think this alternate idea would work too.

I’ll be curious to hear what you end up doing! Can’t wait to see.

[chrissouth]

I’m SO GLAD that this wasn’t an easy fix. Being new, I kept thinking that there was something simple that I just wasn’t seeing. And Liesl, that was exactly what I was considering doing, but got all worried about trying to match up lines, and all those French seams… !!

In the end, I decided that the directional fabric was too much to deal with (particularly when coupled with the large print on the body of the dress, which I was trying to match up and all). I’m under a deadline for the dress – – my in-laws’ 50th Anniversary party – – my mother-in-law was a home-ec teacher, and I’m teaching myself to sew (and making a dress to prove it) as kind of a ‘gift’ to her.

…so I went to Joann’s and bought the Lisette Mini Check Pink Twill which I’m doing with a lime/acid green trim. In one afternoon, I’ve almost finished the slip-dress, and it looks fantastic.

I’m not going to let this beat me, but it was making me neurotic, and I decided I needed some space to do it right.

Much less stress. So much less stress that I may get around to making the Sailboat Shirt and ShortsI intend to do for my son!

Thanks for your suggestions…

[Nicole]

Wonderful. I am so glad you made the dress anyway.

[with love Heidi]

Great solution, espically given the time challenge. Hope you get back to the amazing fabric when there’s no deadline. 🙂

[Sarvi]

Yay, sounds like a good call.