Thank you all for the encouraging, and sympathetic words to my last post. I really did try everything. Toteworthy gave me nearly step-by-step instructions to put the zipperhead back on the zipper (!!) but I noticed (thanks Blooms) that indeed, some of the zipper teeth were mangled from my wrestling with the zipper. Despite my reservations, taking out the zipper did not take that long. I was dreading picking out my handpicked lining and then the machine stitches for the fashion fabric, but it took less than a round of Olympic beach volleyball to get through it. A few of you kindly suggested handsewing the zipper in, and I did... to a point. I basted it (I couldn't get the waist and collar seams to align otherwise) and then stitched it in. A million handsewn stitches for the lining later... and I'm done.
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Which brings me to say something I thought I would never say before: thank goodness for handsewing. Tedious as it may be, it still beats pinning it for precision and speed, and sometimes you just can't manipulate the fabric around the needle to get things to work the way you want.
On another note, Margi posted a comment to my muslin post with a request that I share my methods for regrading a pattern. I figured that I am not the only one who regrades patterns, and I am right. I did a little internet searching (I am too lazy to create a tutorial of my own) and found a great tutorial by the (not so) Selfish Seamstress on Burdastyle. Here is a link -
Make a pattern larger or smaller - enjoy!
thanks for lonk on regrading patterns. I have several patterns that need to be resized.
ReplyDeleteGlad you got it fixed! I hate handsewing, but I hate wadders even more--especially those that happen when you're *thisclose* to the finish line.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad it wasn't as horrible as first appeared to replace the zipper! A broken zipper is such a discouraging thing. I always think I hate hand sewing and then when I actually do it I don't end up minding, and might even enjoy it a little. But I am still always resistant to it!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you fixed up the zip on that lovely dress, it looks well worth saving!
ReplyDeleteOnce (and you only do this once in your sewing life) I took the bad advice of cutting off the stops at the top of an invisible zip, goodness knows where I read that it was a good idea, but you can guess the outcome, the zip head zipped right off the top!! It took me AGES to get it back on again. REAL bad advice. I still have that dress, it is ball gown of all things! and I have a miniature safety pin fixed permanently inside at the top to stop the zip head ever coming off again.
I am looking forward to seeing your gorgeous dress worn by you!
Thanks for checking in the midst of your saved crises. So glad you got it worked out and thanks for the info. :)
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