Anyone remember Sally Field in The Flying Nun? It’s a ridciculous show from the late 1960s. Ms. Field plays a nun with an enormous cornette (headpiece for her habit) that, yes, helps her fly. Hard to believe it was ever made into a show.
When I first finished it, this dress looked like it was going to launch me into the friendly skies. I had sized the pattern down a bit, but I guess I didn’t size down the cap sleeves. That, and stiffness of the double layered fabric gave me wings.
So, I hacked them down. I’ve worn it several times (when it was warmer), but I didn’t get the sizing quite right and it kind of pops open when I sit down. So attractive. And I made loads of mistakes on the dress. I may retire it now, but all in all, I’m pretty proud of it. I’d never made anything with so many buttons. Or persevered through so many mistakes and such a horrible pattern. And the sizing, while off, was still a good exercise—it almost worked.
Please, I beg you, don’t ever use this free pattern from Bernina. I was going to link to it, but really, I don’t even want you to know where it exists. It costs you more time than the free-ness is worth.
I found it through Kathleen Frances’s excellent sewing blog, grosgrain. I love her Frock by Friday sewalongs, but this one, as Kathleen herself says, is just a bad pattern.
That said, I love a shirtdress, and they’re hard to find in different colors, so I may try again with this pattern. If I’m feeling brave.
Speaking of failed sewing projects, here’s one from a favorite blogger. It’s great to know other people fail. And to remember you’ll never get good at most anything if you’re not willing to fall on your face a lot.
In other news, I had some amazing baked oatmeal the other weekend at our cousins’ house. Must try. Related to that, I finally got from the library the book Vintage Cakes because of this blog post about the oatmeal cake with coconut. It looks like so my thing.
Have a great weekend!
Love, love, love baked oatmeal. And BTW, I think you should change your FB profile pic to the one above. It’s so fun!
hey! so glad I found your blog! thanks for the ping back to mine. I love this dress and love your flying pose! shirt dresses are so cute, this is inspiring me to dig up one I made but need to ‘save’ a little bit (and I’ve been avoiding all those buttons and buttonholes, ahem.)
Thanks, Joyce! It had crossed my mind but your nudge may get me to do it. I’m way overdue for a new profile pic.
Thanks for dropping by, Melissa, and for the encouraging words. I was glad to find your blog, too!
Hi Emily, I’m in awe of your sewing skills anyway, even if not so successful this time. I will keep reading your blog from Dubai
Well, thank you. One of my favorite bloggers always shares her mistakes, and it gives me courage to try again.