*sigh* just like I used to have RTW Disasters I’ve had Sewing Misses.
With RTW you just have to negotiate changerooms, your own grand delusions and overly ‘nice’ sales assistants.
Sewing is fraught with a much more difficult processes. Does the style suit me? Is this the right fabric? Have I chosen the right size? Can I successfully alter the pattern? Do I have the right skills and notions to make this?
So my sewing Misses 2012 (in no particular order include)…
Vogue 1224 – not feeling the love
Sorry I just cannot make myself like this but thank you for all your kind words on this post. I like the fabric design – not the composition. I don’t like the gathered neckline or the elastic waistline. I also don’t like the height of the waistline. It’s just simply not ‘me’ – alas.
Colette Peony: with a piped waistband, back view
Tough one. I do like this dress. I like the style, the neckline and skirt. I love the fabric and the care I took making it and the little details like the piping. I don’t like the fit of the top back. I think it’s going to be transitional piece – perfect with a cardigan… which I am knitting… I’ve just start the right front…
Purple Haze’l – pleased with myself – Colette Hazel pattern with a bas cut skirt
I love the idea of this design. I love the bodice. The skirt is just all wrong, the gathers do not work – well not on me anyway, I should have used pleats like I did in my muslin – although the stripe impact might not be so great. The fabric is also quite stiff. However I am v.proud of this project, the stripe matching and chevron of the skirt that I achieved by bias cutting the skirt is awesome (if I don’t say so myself).
Sewaholic Thurlows – full view. Sorry black is very hard to photograph at night!
Awesome pattern. I think I chose the wrong fabric and my ‘junk trunk’ is just not the real deal in these pants. I prefer the MariaDenmark Winnie design on me, less fiddly design elements, lovely wide legs. Nowhere near as may pattern pieces either! I must make Winnie STAT!
Simplicity 1880 shirt dress – windswept and finished! Material: printed linen from Lincraft.
Again a tough call… Lovely dress, beautifully made and finished. I adored making it. The fabric pattern is just all wrong on me, it’s waaaay too genteel and ladylike. I feel like a fraud. I also think I prefer shirtdresses with buttons all the way down, rather than this shirt maker style with just a button down top.
I made this as part of A Fashionable Stitch sewalong – which was a fabulous learning experience.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
LISETTE PASSPORT DRESS
Cute as a button but the finishing point of the darts bothers me. I think I might make up another dress in navy polka dots and I love them.
Simplicity 2209 – Lisette Passport Dress
SEWAHOLIC MINORU
Again awesome pattern, love everything about it. Love this fabric. The waist on this was a little too high. Miss 9 has inherited this and adores it. It’s a little big and the sleeves a little long – but totally wearable – she gets compliments when she wears it as people think it’s very ‘cool’ 🙂
Soft & Fuzzy Lizzie – my Barbara Cartland shot
BUTTERICK 5814
Don’t faint. I don’t consider this a ‘miss’ but it’s not quite hitting the target. I’m not a fan of the sleeves and worry about wearing it out due to the tightness under the arms, they just don’t sit easily. I don’t like clothes I have to ‘fuss’ over when I’m wearing them – there is no better way to lose your confidence than to be tugging at your clothes.
That said, I love this dress, I loved making it and I achieved so many things, underlining, boning, fitting and more. Great project.
Butterick 5814 – my little wiggle (and a tad smug)
PS Gillian – I love writing these posts. Clearly I enjoy a bit of navel gazing.
Sew Busy Lizzy 
Im to the point where I dont believe you could look bad in anything, but I respect your feelings on these- I know we see more flaw on ourselves than others do….funny, I prefer 1880- the gappiness of a button down skirt when I sit has always annoyed me!
That’s a lovely thing to say. I’m glad you didn’t see my wardrobe choices as a teen.
I think I would pretty horrendous in say…. this…. http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/v1181-products-11089.php?page_id=947
When someone is summoning the fire God or Bea Arthur, you have to respect the uniform, right?
LOL I think that one needs to summon Gok Wan or Susannah & Trinny!
But as a plus- I’m sure it has pockets!!
No! It doesn’t. When you read the description of the dress it’s hilarious. It’s got all this detail (over arm darts, top stitching, shaping) and you just think ‘why???’
But it’s just a handpuppet in a huge scale?!
LMAO I’m hoping no one sticks a hand up her skirt!!
oh, just let them try!
Don’t be too hard on yourself Lizzie! They’re not blah 🙂 I don’t like gathers at the waist on me either – feel like it just adds width that I don’t need lol!
Gah, Lizzy, not Lizzie!!
Fret not, you can call me practically anything. Liz, Lizzy, Lizzie, Lizzy B, Elizabeth. My family call me Jane. Yes, really.
I’m always tugging at the 1224, can’t love everything in my wardrobe, Cambie would get jealous LOL
i loved some of these. it is funny how your own feelings and relationships with your designs change. I have seen that now and want to join in this top 5 to reflect a bit more. 😛 maybe i will make top worn and a misses one. 😀 lots of fun to review your makes and your journey! I remeber first seeing your hazel on your blog when i started! and i was in awe! 😀
I love some of these too, but if the fit is a bit off it just really annoys me to wear. I’m not a perfectionist but I am particular about fit.
I love the Hazel, it looks completely wicked. It’s just the puffy look over my stomach that annoys me, it was great fun to make and style. The kids think it’s waaaay cool.
I love how our tastes change over the year and things that were rad (oh, yes I used it again) at the time later become meh. I totes agree with the Passport dress darts- I had exactly the same problem.
Totes. Pointy nips are not rad. But the darts are sooooo fab *sigh*
I’m still tragically in love with Cambie. We are official BFFs.
Lizzie, I’m always inspired by your fine sewing, but completely understand some projects don’t live up to our expectation especially after putting forth great effort and time. Sewing brings out the perfectionist in many of us – your criticisms are very constructive and helpful to not only yourself but your readers. Thanks for this post 🙂
did not mean to misspell your name, Lizzy!
Fret not my family call me Jane!
Thank you, that’s a huge compliment coming from you.
I do tend to be picky when it comes to my clothes – RTW or made-by-me.
I think reflecting honestly on my own makes is healthy and honest – and prevents me taking (or sewing!) the same mistake twice. Heaven forbid I make a gathered neckline again!
i’d be happy if my hits were half as lovely as your misses!
i’m curious if you had a feeling while you were making any of these that you weren’t going to love them in the end?
I did have my doubts about Vogue 1224. However I was sucked in by all the positive reviews of the pattern & thought I needed to have a little more faith. I should have made Vogue 1250 – like every other blogger in the world. I caved in and got that pattern in the last BMV sale.
Peony was always going to be tough. The muslin was difficult. I still love my yellow Peony and will wear it.
Hazel I adored making. It was a fun challenge and I love the visual impact of the stripes.
I generally love the creative process, so nothing is a chore to sew. Even 1224 was fun because I used a double needle for the first time!
From a “looks” perspective these seem to be wins but if you’re not comfortable in them… I must do something like this; a bit of navel gazing can be a good thing!
I agree, there is nothing horrendously offensive about any of them, it’s probably more how demanding I am of my wardrobe and clothes that is the problem.
They are just not quite ‘right’. I’ve enjoyed writing these posts. Makes you think about what works and what doesn’t – and why!
You have some really lovely pieces here, and so well done! I understand, though, about not feeling comfortable in something even if it looks “good” on you.
I totally agree about the Passport dress! What on earth?!? And in retrospect, I’m beginning to think that my dart solution isn’t as good as I thought. Oh well–now I know 🙂
The passport dress is such a letdown. I love the crossover darts at the waist but they are just not quite right. Alas.
I need more navy polka dots in my life. At least I’ve realised that now!
The elastic waisted Vogue didn’t do it for me either but I do like it as a top. I also love my Vogue big pocket skirt and matching top and have just completed a Cambie with great results but haven’t worn it yet. I like the Alma but feel it still needs work to attain the perfect fit on me but love it as a dress on my daughter. I love the Thurlows as shorts and capris but am yet to make it as real pants and the Minoru will get another outing this winter because I am not 100% happy with my current one.
I’m so excited that you have made a Cambie!
Sewaholic patterns are just fabulous, even the misses inspire us to try again.
You are a great sewist. If these are the worst you can show – your “misses” look great. I guess when you are so good then it is only the little things that you don’t like.
Thank you, that’s made my day. I can be perhaps a little too particular sometimes – but I guess the upside is I know what I like 🙂
I know what you mean about making things that just aren’t “you”. I do that, too– I see something on other bloggers, love how it looks on them, and then rush off to make a version even though it’s really not my own style at all (a-line skirts?! why did I ever make them? ugh!). But I definitely feel like I’ve had fewer disasters on that front than I used to buying RTW. Your description at the beginning sent me into flashbacks of coming back from the mall cringing!
Oh absolutely that’s what so many of us bloggers do! It becomes a real test of strength not to buy a pattern that everyone is going mad for when you know it just won’t work!
I agree I think there are less errors of judgement when you sew. Perhaps it’s the investment of time that means we make more considered choices?
I know I won’t change your opinion, but I love your Colette hazel!
Oh I love Hazel too. I often pull it out. Try it on again and them put if back. It’s such a masterpiece of stripe matching I just love looking at it! Perhaps I should use it as wall art 🙂
Good list! Though I can’t believe your Gertie dress is on it… but then again, if clothes don’t suit your style and fit easily, then all the fun can disappear pretty fast!
Seeing your Hazel made me laugh.. I think it was the first make of yours that I ever saw in the Sewalong Flickr pool… and then later when I was reading and loving your blog, I was shocked to read back farther and realise you were the same person! I think you are right – in theory it’s such a great design and the chevrons are all perfect… but somehow over all it just doesn’t capture your personality and style like your other makes!
Yes, Hazel is a little more rock n roll than my usual look! I do love a bit of grunge – as evidenced by the occasional appearance of my black boots and leather jacket. Perhaps I’ve been a ‘nice girl’ for too long!
Love your misses! Wait til I put mine out there for the world to see!!! I do get what you mean though, some things can be great but just not quite right for the individual in them. Just like RTW also.
Exactly! While I like most of misses (except 1224 which I just can’t find any love for) they are just not 100% there in some way – which is fine. I clearly need to sew more!
I love your smile in Purple Haze’l and hello Jackie O…what’s not to like about the polka dot number….looks awesome on you and it’s a classic.
I love the Purple Haze’l pictures. I was so delighted with that dress that I was positively grinning!
I love the Polka Dots too, I just need to try another pattern…