The shirring nightmare and the ok dress!

Sooooo, I was so looking forward to doing The most flattering shirt dress by Prudent Baby and bought the elastic thread and material ready. And it was all going so well!

Have never bias taped necklines or armholes before and they look really nice...

And from cutting to hemming was only an hour or so - I was so chuffed with my speedy skills! But then the shirring came. I loaded the bobbin up as per instructions and set all the bits and bobs.....

Well, 3 hours later it looked like this - I'm using a scrap piece of the fabric....

So I looked online and found out that Brother machines are notoriously appalling at shirring, so found out how to adjust the bobbin tension inside using a little screw thing. Managed a tiny bit of shirring on the scrap and got excited about it working on the dress, but alas, no!

So I went to the cinema to see One Day with my good friend, Eleanor. That was a good distraction but I came straight back home and started again. Anyway, after using the entire spool of elastic thread and snapping 3, yes 3, needles, I opted for some 'Smocking' instructions in my sewing machine manual. Seemed to be working until I undid the straight stitches and I was left with barely a ripple, as usual!

<<------------- The 3rd snapped needle!

SOOOOOOOOO, end of a very very long day (I started at 1.30 and it's now 10.30, minus the cinema break but no food, drink or tv stops!) and I have a vaguely ruched waist so have plumped for a BELT! I could have done that at 2.30 this afternoon but it looks cute on I think!

<< ------ Awful fringe!

Thanks for sticking with this entry - very long but that's how my entire day has felt!!