Butterick 5026

This dress has been in the making for long time. I couldn’t decide on what I wanted to make and wear to our annual Christmas Banquet at church. I went from one list to a larger list, then ultimately decided on something with the help of Virginia’s Daughter aka God’s Girl T. I ended up making Butterick 5026.

It’s described as Easy on the envelope. Misses’ dress: Below knee dress has close-fitting self-lined bodice with casing, slightly flared skirt and back zipper. A has a purchased ribbon. B has contrast skirt front and purchased trim.

This dress took me through hell and high waters and guess what, I DIDN’T EVEN GET TO WEAR IT!!!!! More on that down the way.

The sizes for this 2007 oop pattern is 6 through 20. My pack includes the 14 through 20. I cute the 14.

Yes, I believe it does looks like the photo on the front and the line drawings on the back as well. But, of course, this is minus the bells and whistles (ribbon trim).

The instructions were easy to follow. But if you have ever put together a strapless bodice with boning, then you’ve put this one together as well. The skirt is mainly straight lines with a zipper. Easy – as it’s label says.

My fabric? Well, I am not 100% sure. Well, I am not sure at all what is. I bought it from Hancock a while ago along with a royal blue with the same paisley design. It may be a poly blend but that is just a wild guess.

Alterations or design changes? 1. I left out the boning. Why? Because I lost it. Or it lost itself because I know I sat it on the cutting table. Or at least I thought I did. But anyways, that is not the point here. I lost the black and the white boning! But get this, by the time I put in the dang hem - - yeap, I found it. But it wasn’t on the cutting table. Or any other table for that matter. I found it in the interfacing box! Both of them. Oh well, I was NOT going back into the dress and adding boning – NO WAY! 2. I didn’t use any ribbon trim because my accessories were to make the bells and whistles of this ensemble. I did however had planned to wear a single black rose clip at the waist. No clip since I was going to pick it up on the way. Here it is with my go-wit-everything-black-belt.

3. At first I put in a regular zipper because I thought I would like the idea of having that hint of black going down the back. Nope. Rip. I put in the invisible zipper that a. came of the tracks when I tried to zip it on Aloe (my dress form). b. came off the tracks when I tried it on and zipped it up.  and c. came off the tracks AGAIN for my final fitting! Each time I had to rip the zip off and open the clasp and pull the teeth through and close the clasp with a pair of needle nose pliers. That was probably a 30 minute task – each time. The first one took way longer than that because I didn’t know what I was doing!

I put in the invisible zipper with a regular zipper foot. It is doable but not quite perfect.

Last: I put in some black hem tape. Oh: The hem is 2 1/2 inches, too.

Would I sew it again? I don’t really know. I’m kind of stuck on the fence. Do I recommend? Yes, I do. There were no negatives about this dress. Just my mishaps. But you may wonder why I did not get to wear it. I started on this dress November 2. I finished it December 2. The Banquet was December 3. After putting in the zipper I slowed down. Way. Down. I would probably work on it for 15 minutes …every other day…. but by the time I was to put this dress on, IT FELL OFF OF ME! The bodice would NOT sit where it belonged. I tried a quick waist stay hoping that would kind of help. Nope.

Quick and ugly waist stay.

Even if the boning was in there it wouldn’t stay. I had lost 10.8 pounds! OMG  If I can give any words of wisdom, it is great to loose weight but not when it is due to diet and stress. It goes too fast. And I hadn’t paid any attention to it. (that was because of the stress part) But I am glad I lost the weight and I have not put it back on. I am trying NOT to put it back on. So, here’s to you Gods Girl (who helped direct my decision) and Aloe (who is modeling my dress for me).

So, what did I end up wearing? I wore a dress I had not worn since 2006! I didn’t make it. But I looked and felt like a million bucks!

Cheers!

Stay blessed and not stressed!

Schey.