Saturday, September 8, 2012

Sew Colette 2.0.: My Third Macaron


The second pattern of the Sew Colette 2.0. sew along was the Macaron, one of my ultimate favorites. You don't believe it? I've already made it twice and the first one was one of my first successful projects, one of those that make you say: "Wow, I'm really learning something great here".
For my third version I wanted to try something a little different and I decided to add a peter pan collar. I think I won't stop until every garment in my wardrobe has a collar and I'll finally look undoubtedly  like a first toddler.
My plan was to make a pointy collar, but decided for a curved one in order not to clash too much with the sweetheart lines of the bodice.

I'm very happy I decided to make a muslin for this dress, not having touched this pattern for almost two years and being aware that my previous versions had some minor fit issues. I think I had idealized this pattern quite a bit, because it was less smooth to work with than I remembered.

First of all: the fit is kind of weird, definitely different than what I'm used with Colette Patterns. In particular, the waist is unbelievably small; I usually have to grade down at the waist or use the same size I use for the bust, but this time I went from a size 4 for the top part to a size 8 for the waist and skirt portion and it was still very snug. I also had quite a few pieces not aligning, which forced me to trim excess fabric here and there; the worst effect of this was that one of the side edges of the zipper ended up being slanted (if that makes sense), so my zipper is a bit wonky.
I don't know if the pattern has been revised since (I own the first "edition", with the old artwork that I much prefer to the new one), or if I'm the only one who had this kind of problems.
Another issue I had, also mentioned by Rochelle, is how snug the neck opening is. Adding a collar and finishing the edge with bias tape doesn't help, I assure you. If you decide to add a collar, consider making some kind of keyhole wither in the front or in the back, I certainly regret not doing so, since I can't put this dress on or off if I'm wearing my glasses or if my hair is tied.
I also forgot that this dress is quite short, so instead of hemming it I finished the skirt edge with bias tape.
One last thing: can anybody explain to me why the midriff pieces are curved? Even notching and clipping, I couldn't make the seams lie perfectly nice and flat, as you can see in the photos.


Although making this dress wasn't a walk in the park, I like my new Macaron quite a bit. I'm not 100% satisfied with my fabric choices, because the black chiffon isn't as sheer as I would have wanted it to be and the printed cotton I used for the rest of the dress looks a bit cheap (but the print looks like a bunch of teeny tiny balloons and that makes me happy.). This chiffon was the most tempered, difficult fabric I've ever worked with (you can see I had some problems with the sleeve edges).
But I know I love the style of this dress, the sweetheart neckline, the hidden pockets, the shape of the skirt, and this time I have a collar for added cuteness, so I'm sure I'll wear this a lot.

33 comments:

  1. Despite all your dramas, this is rely lovely! I had to cut a keyhole opening in the back as I finished my neckline with bias binding. I didnt modify the pattern much but the waist is quite small but that suited me! Great job.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hehe, just minor dramas, luckily, since everything went well in the end!
    I loved your versions, I left a comment just this morning :D

    ReplyDelete
  3. I like your new Macaron quite a bit too! Especially the collar, it's so cute. Love the fabrics too.

    ReplyDelete
  4. You look gorgeous ! Cette version est de loin ma préférée ! et le col claudine me tente beaucoup aussi ^^
    Pour ton info, je possède moi aussi la "1ère version" du patron, et j'ai connu quelques problèmes d'ajustement également... ! surtout au niveau des ceintures devant et dos qui ne correspondait pas très bien au haut et au bas de la robe... pourtant, j'ai été rigoureuse dans la réalisation du modèle !
    Bref, j'adore ta robe !

    ReplyDelete
  5. Love this version (and I've just gone back to look at your first two which are also lovely). I like the combination of fabrics and the collar is a sweet addition. I was interested to read your comments on the fit; I have the Macaron pattern but have been too scared to go near it as yet, as I've always thought it would be a difficult one to fit (and I have enough issues on that front as it is). Maybe I'll work on getting better at working out my general fitting issues first, and then give it a go, because I do really love the look!

    ReplyDelete
  6. It's actually not that difficult to fit... I managed to solve my problems just grading up from the bust down. You can always try and make a muslin based on your measurements, and then if you see that the fit is problematic tackle it slowly and go study what you need to alter. Or, you might be surprised and not need alterations at all!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Merci beacoup, Clotilde! ça m'encourage, de savoir que je ne suis pas la seule qui a eu des problèmes avec la ceintures.

    ReplyDelete
  8. i had tons of issues with this dress when i made it months ago. the pattern is super broad shouldered and tiny waisted! i had trouble with waistband alignment but thought i just messed up somewhere. maybe it WAS the pattern! your version here is really pretty, i love the idea of having chiffon as the contrast yoke.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Le stoffe che hai scelto sono molto belle. Complimenti. Il colletto è davvero carino. Peccato per i problemi di assemblaggio... Odio quando succede

    ReplyDelete
  10. Lovely fabric choices. You look beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  11. i LOVE THIS! I've never sewed the macaroon but I'm always tempted to get the pattern when I see other people's creations. My favorite are usually with sheer fabric at the top, like you did. I think it's so funny that you think the chiffon isn't sheer enough, I always buy chiffon and kind of get bummed by how sheer it is. I keep looking for fabric that has the same drape as chiffon but isn't as sheer. seems that you have found what I've craved for!
    I love love the collar, I think it makes more of a day dress than an evening dress.
    question - how did you finish the sleeve hems and armholes? I always have trouble with that with it comes to chiffon and am too lazy to do french seems and make bias tape.
    Lovely! I also love that you changed your blog logo. beautiful picture!
    (this has turned into the longest comment ever!)

    ReplyDelete
  12. This is really gorgeous! I love it!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Great dress despite it's difficulties. Can you imagine the challenges you would have had if you didn't sew a muslin? Isn't it crazy how much we forget over a short period of time?


    The addition of the collar looks awesome. I even noticed that you made it the banner of your blog. Very cute. I think the chiffon is better because it's not so sheer. If it were any sheerer, your bra straps would be exposed.


    Is there a fourth Macaroon in the works :)

    ReplyDelete
  14. Yes, I think my brain would have exploded if I hadn't sewn a muslin. I guess I was so happy with my two previous dresses I comletely forgot the flaws of this pattern!
    Thank you, I loved that photo with collar so much, I decided it was time for a new header :D
    I was planning to wear a strapless bra with this dress, but it's not necessary in the end.
    No fourth macaron for now, but I really like the sweetheart neckline, so eventually I'll try either Victory patterns'Ava or Salme patterns'sweetheart dress.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Thank you, I love long comments, I love to chat with you guys :D!
    hehe, I would have wanted something more sheer, but in the end this fabric is more wearable, so it's ok. Although it was a real nightmare to work with.
    The sleeves are doubled, which solves the problem of the hem. The armholes, I simply serged and pressed toward the sleeves, since the fabric is not too sheer and the sleeve cap is a bit gathered I reckoned the seam allowance wouldn't be too visible. My original plan was to french seam them, but the fabric was WAY too unstable for that.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Grazie Silvia! A quanto parecchie persone hanno avuti problemi con questo cartamodello, cosa che mi rincuora un po'!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Thank you, Lisa!
    I'm so glad to read this, because I'm getting more and more comments like this one... So we're not the problem, the pattern is!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Its a beautiful dress! I love the sheer black yoke. Sorry it gave you such a hard time - I have patterns like that - where I idealize it in my head as being "the perfect pattern" and then when I go to make it again I'm like, what was I thinking?!? But despite your trials it looks like a beautiful make! Well done.

    ReplyDelete
  19. The dress looks amazing on you! Love the fabric colours, and the cute collar!

    ReplyDelete
  20. I really like how you have avoided the dress over t-shirt look that I am afraid of. I must try this pattern soon, you have convinced me!

    ReplyDelete
  21. I love your fabric choice (what kind of fabric is it btw?) and the collar. It looks great on you!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Curved waistband, small waist and misaligned pieces! HA! I thought all those problems were just because I was a "newbie" but apparently I'm not alone with these problems. That's good to know, haha. I really love your version. I don't think your fabric choice looks cheap, I love it and when you mentioned the balloon thing I squinted at my computer screen until I saw it...adorable!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Thank you! This fabric feels a bit cheap, it's not the best of cottons... I guess I'm becoming a fabric snob, hehe :)

    ReplyDelete
  24. Thank you! I used chiffon for contrast and cotton (it was labeled for making bedsheets but oh, well) as main fabric.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Thanks, Sallie! Yes, it's incredible how much I forgot about this pattern... At least now that I blogged about it I won't forget!

    ReplyDelete
  26. I had the same exact issues as you did, especially with the fit and with the curved waist (which I re-drafted to make it a straight waist), and the same issues with fitting. I changed my skirt though for my macaron.

    ReplyDelete
  27. I haven't made a Macaron because to me it always looked a little bit odd; a little like a T-shirt under a sweetheart strapless dress. YOURS however makes total sense: the collar ties the two fabrics together and l love the look. You've made a macaron convert out of me!
    anothersewingscientist.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  28. Anna, the peter pan collar version is so cool!! Love it! You are very talented at dressmaking and look gorgeous in each outfit, so glamour and beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Thank you so much, you're so sweet!

    ReplyDelete
  30. I saw your version, is very cute and so different from anyone else's!

    ReplyDelete
  31. I'm so glad I did! :) Thank you for your sweet comment.

    ReplyDelete
  32. It's bizarre that the waist curves upward like that. In all my patterns when the waist isn't straight, it curves downward. The tension created by that curve makes the skirt bunch at the belly button. Maybe they printed it incorrectly?

    ReplyDelete