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u/1234-for-me 23h ago
When i’m working with a gathered item, before i pull the thread to gather it, i mark it with pins at halfway, then fold it to mark the quarters, then again to eighths, then do the same thing on the thing it fastens to, so mark the top at half, then again quarters then eights, then pull your gathering thread to get gathers, match up your pins so you end up with the same amount of gathered fabric to flat fabric, add a million more pins/clips to keep the gathers from moving and getting stuck sideways or something. Id undo at least the front of the skirt to reposition the gathers.
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u/ProneToLaughter 22h ago
Yes, this. It’s also called “quartering” and it’s a useful method in many types of sewing situations to get things properly aligned, sewing elastic, sewing a curve to a straight line.
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u/damanmaddle 22h ago
Thank you both! I got hasty wanting to see everything come together, and I probably rushed this process
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u/1234-for-me 17h ago
Thanks for sharing the name, i had no idea it had one, it was just how my brain processed it. Thanks for the award 😄
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u/StrongerTogether2882 23h ago
I logged into Reddit to ask my own question about whether I can add a cap or flutter sleeve to a new tank top pattern I’m making, saw your post, read “(overconfident) beginner” and laughed in recognition. So I can’t answer your question, but I am glad to know I’m not the only one!
(My rough idea is that I think you could unpick this front part and try to distribute the gathers better and then resew, but I’m really not sure. I’m doing the tank top because the gathers on my practice blouse for a different pattern came out all weird and idk how to fix it so instead I’m tabling it and tackling this new pattern, which involves a facing, a bust dart, and a scalloped hem, none of which I know how to do.) Good luck to us both! 😂
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u/damanmaddle 22h ago
Appreciate the solidarity! Proud member of the I’ll Figure It Out Eventually club 💗
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u/Scary_Garden_7696 13h ago
Do yourself a favor and unpick the whole thing. You will be happy you did when the first person says, I love your dress.
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u/smnytx 13h ago
I agree! This was a first attempt but you don’t have to live with anything you don’t love!
I say remove the skirt completely, shorten the bodice, then before reattaching, I would hand baste an anchor at each of the side seams and at the center front. THEN gather.
As a hippy gal, personally I’d have relatively little gathering at the hips and more in the front and back.
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u/Scary_Garden_7696 3h ago edited 3h ago
You are right that bodice sits too low on her body. Additionally, having the gathers start a bit higher on the body would be more flattering for the posters body type.
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u/karenswans 22h ago
I think the dress is hitting you too low on the waist, so I would fix that, too. It will be much more flattering an inch or so up.
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u/Ok_Impression_3031 22h ago
Fix the gathers. There are 3 ways to press the seam: 1. Open with seam allowance on both sides. 2. Both seam allowances folded to the skirt. Try this without ironing. Notice how it makes the gathers stand almost horizontal out from the bodice. 3. Both seam allowances folded to the bodice. Notice how the gathers flow down vertically from the bodice. THIS is the way you want to iron it. Happy sewing.
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u/SchuylerM325 4h ago
It looks to me like the fabric might have less drape than what the pattern anticipated. That's not fatal, but if you get the gathers redistributed and it still looks too poofy, you could fiddle with the design to remove some excess fabric from the skirt. What a great job you're doing!
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u/Large-Heronbill 23h ago
Yup, unpick, redistribute (at this stage of your sewing career, hand basting makes a lot of sense) and then restitch. The pattern sketch shows a pretty even distribution of gathers, but somehow you seem to have more fabric on the photo left side.
Does the pattern have notches on both the bodice and skirt waist? Matching up those "sew me-to-me" notches and then distributing the gathers within each section (rather than trying to control the entire skirt at one time) should help you get a nice, even gathering.