Welcome to another edition of Messed Up Monday. Yup, I'm talking about a big sewing fail today and it is a biggie.

Before I get started, I want to remind everyone that there are MANY reasons why something can fail. It can be a bad pattern, bad pattern fabric combination or bad style for a body shape.

Today, we've got a well drafted pattern that cuts my body at ALL the wrong places. We're talking about the Patterns For Pirates Sweetheart Dress. I want to point out that the pattern FITS perfectly. There is not a wrinkle or bit of weirdness on account of fit. But style is ALL WRONG! I apologize in advance because the photos I have for you are from my camera phone. But you need to see this. I do apologize for any mess or craziness in the background. This is what you get to see at just before midnight on a Saturday.







 Now this is bad on a level that is completely unwearable. Like so bad I was ready to wad it up and cry. But there were 2 things stopping me. #1- I've already committed to a mommy and me post, so I need to make it work and #2- I just made the Miss Ruby Tuesday and it looked great, so this is a problem of proportions, not style.

So what is different between the MRT and the Sweetheart?
#1- the Sweetheart bodice is actually longer than the MRT, BUT the MRT is made for 4 way stretch fabric. So while the Sweetheart looks longer, it actually ends up being shorter.
#2- The MRT was made in a 4 way stretch cotton lycra. This stuff had 100% stretch. The Sweetheart was made in a 2 way stretch with about 50% stretch. The extra length stretch makes a difference in the over all drape.
#3- The MRT had a 1/2 circle skirt. The Sweetheart a full circle skirt. That extra amount of fabric gives me (and I quote from Ashley Duncan over on the Capsule Sewalong Group) "a Judy Jetson feel". Definitely NOT what I'm I'm going for.
#4- I was feeling very nearly choked by the high neckline. High necklines plus inverted triangles makes us look even wider and heavier on top. Which makes our thin bottom even thinner.

So how do we fix this?
#1- Scoop out the neckline and then scoop some more and then one more time. I actually traced out the neckline from the MRT onto the Sweetheart. I know this neckline is really flattering on me. Now the MRT is made for 4 way stretch and to add a band. But the sweetheart is meant for 2 way stretch and I will be turning the entire neckline under. That should give the right shape and scoop without being "too" much scoop.
#2- Lengthen that waist. I am super short in the upper body. Long in between my waist and hip and then short again. That peplum was the exact right length for my waist to hip, BUT it was the wrong proportions for my entire body. So we lengthen the bodice and also shorten the skirt. New proportions means I look more balanced. Awesome.
#3- Switch out the full circle skirt for a 1/2 circle skirt. I know the style is meant to be big and fluffy, but I don't have enough curves to rock big and fluffy.

In an attempt to save my muslin, I added a 3" band at the waist. It is better than it was. Perfect, nope. But so much better. Reattaching the peplum meant that I had to take in the waist, make the skirt more a 3/4 circle than a full circle, to make it fit. I actually made 2 more muslins after this because getting the fit just right was really important to me. Now you will get to see the finished project, but not any time soon (sorry). But I felt it was really important that you get to see just what "bad" styling can look like. And this was definitely bad styling based on proportions.