Fall Sewing #5: Sad Sorbetto…and a not-meant-to-be-Beignet

This is not your usual finished project post, but rather a post about projects that just didn’t quite work…

Failure #1: My sad Sorbetto

I made this a while ago, but was so disappointed that I just hid it in a corner of my closet for a while, but now I’m ready to share.

Apologies in advance for the dark and grainy photos – it’s cold and dark outside and I just wanted to take these quick.

Not so bad? Let’s take a closer look at that neckline binding (back view).

and the shoulder…

Ugh. I fought with this binding for hours, and lost. That slippery charmeuse just would not cooperate. I probably should have given up and used something else for the binding, or even done a simple turned in version. But I didn’t. Is there some secret trick to getting a binding to work on fabric like this? On the plus side, I got to practice my french seams (which turned out quite nice if I do say so myself).

I left the pleat loose – just anchored for the top 1″ or so instead of sewing it all the way down. I’m not sure I like the effect.

You can really tell how pleased I am in this picture.

I also lengthened the body 2″ because the pattern is really quite short. It was a quick sew (except for my battle-with-the-binding), so I may give this one another shot next spring/summer with an easier fabric.

Failure #2: Not-meant-to-be-beignet

I really wanted to make this skirt and had planned to use some blue corduroy leftover from making a pair of comfy pants for The Boy. I always thought this material would make a nice skirt, and after seeing this version from Andrea at Four Square Walls I fell in love with the Colette Beignet pattern.

Unfortunately, the pattern calls for 2.5 yards of fabric and I had a scant 1.5 yards of my corduroy left. Although many folks have boasted about making this pattern with much less yardage than is called for, I just couldn’t manage it. I kept trying different layouts, to no avail. I even briefly (desperately) considered piecing together a couple of the skirt panels…maybe I could cover a horizontal seam with some strategically placed patch pockets? But no, good sense prevailed and I realized that it was not going to happen. I will try again with this pattern when I find another perfect fabric, but for now I’m moving on!

I’ve still got skirts on the brain, so I think I will try to make a Sewaholic Hollyburn with this fabric from my Fall Sewing plans (#6 on the list):

I ordered the Hollyburn pattern during the Sewaholic Black Friday sale and it came in the mail today (yay!). Anyone want to make bets on whether I will actually get this done before the official end of autumn and start of winter??

Sewaholic Hollyburn pattern pictured here with Jeff Gorvette – can you tell I live with a 4-year-old boy?

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DETAILS

Pattern: Colette Sorbetto (free!)
Size: 14
Adjustments: lengthened bodice 2 inches, left pleat loose (only sewed 1″ from top), french seams
Fabric: stretch poly charmeuse from Britex (San Francisco)