macaron pt. 3: progress and a major WHAT??? moment

i put my fitting issues and craziness behind me, went back to the drawing board and whipped up a final pattern based on everything i had found out from my muslins and confidently cut out my actual fabric pieces. it's always exciting to get the fabric cut and be all ready to go!


i rejected my momentary thought of trying to do a center back zip. i stuck to the side zip but decided to change the back yoke piece slightly. as writ, the back yoke is one piece cut on the fold. i wanted a little extra wiggle room because, let's face it. i suck at being able to get into a side zip dress. i don't know why, i get all lost with both hands up in the air frantically waving and me becoming increasingly claustrophobic. so, to make it a little easier to get into (and to have an air vent in case i do get stuck...), i added a seam to the back yoke and left the top part open to be closed with a button and loop. it was a small compromise to ensure that i can in fact get in and out of the dress i have worked so hard to make.

this was a really simple change. i added a seam allowance to the back piece when i cut the fabric. then, i measured out to have a 4" opening then sewed down the rest of the piece.

then i pressed open the seam allowance, continuing all the way up the open part. then i turned the seam allowance under and pressed so the raw edges would meet the stitching line and be concealed.

continue pressing the entire length of the seam allowance on both sides

to finish my seam allowance, i  stitched along the turned edge, just up to where the opening is.

after this, i top stitched around the opening to keep everything neat and in place.

everything so far was going along just swimmingly. the denim bodice pieces were put together, top stitched, attached to the yoke, shoulder seams sewn. i was ready to triumphantly sew down the non zip side of the bodice. i pinned carefully to see if my seams lined up when i discovered...

IT DID NOT MATCH!!!

what? uh, what?! how? shock and horror!! this was not a tiny difference, it was a full 1/4"!!! resist throwing things, there are children present. okay. be calm. somehow my side front piece is just too short. but only on the side. i had no good explanation.


it was all a little too much for my 2:30 in the afternoon on a friday i haven't yet had an afternoon coffee brain. 


after my more than momentary panic, i decided it was fixable. there is enough seam allowance that i can unpick part of the waistband, align correctly and re-stitch. pinned to the dressform the waist band did look to be at an awkward angle heading toward the side seam.


soooo... that's weird.


i came back to it with a clear, fully caffeinated head and fixed the problem. i stitched the side seam, perfectly matching all my seams, and even tried it on!

ah, much better. i knew i couldn't sleep last night if i left this unfixed. even my top stitching lines match perfectly! not to brag or anything.

—lisa g