Hacking a Red Silk Dress for Helen - part 1. The original. And I'm Slimmer of the Week!

Original

A long time ago, Helen bought herself a sandwashed silk dress in red. She loves this dress and has worn it again and again over the years. Its cost per wear is negligible as it has been worn so many times. I would say worn to death, indeed, but as Miracle Max said in the Princess Bride, it's not dead yet, just nearly dead!

Helen wearing the original red silk dress under a kimono - I don't have a photo of her wearing it on its own

Front on Missy*. The front is one piece
*for those not aware, Missy is the model we altered to my daughter's sizes when I was making her wedding dress last year. She's not perfect but not too bad. Helen did change shape for the wedding and lost a little weight , don't know where she had it to lose, but is probably back nearer to Missy's size again. Their shapes have never matched perfectly.

Back on Missy. Bodice has centre and two princess seams and waistline casing with tie, over seam.
You can see the pocket from the back as it crosses over the side seam.
The back waistline is clearly too high on the original but I can't show that here

There is no lining in this dress. The seams are overlocked together, folded to one side and topstitched in a double row - is that a mock fell seam? The hems is simply turn up and the raw edge turned under. It is badly worn, with separation of the layers at the fold.

Fraying at hem fold

From my point of view, the biggest issue is with the pockets. There is a pretty large gusset pocket (not sure of description) on each side,  with a flap. There are metal poppets for closure. The flap is two layers of silk, but not apparently interfaced. The flap gets very creased and its shape has distorted somewhat. The pocket had a simple double turned hem (or more likely bias binding turned to wrong side) at its open edge but the poppets are placed below this. Not surprisingly, there are a number of holes in areas of strain.

Overall pocket view

Pocket with flap opened. There is only a single layer of silk where the poppets are - they sit below the hemmed edge.

David's hand in pocket showing gusset

Closer view of flap

Silk torn around poppet as no reinforcing of any kind here

Helen asked me to hack this dress for her Christmas (instead of the tartan skirt I had planned).  I agreed but said

1. I need to borrow the dress. Helen agreed provided that the dress wouldn't be destroyed by my hacking.
2. It won't be ready for Christmas

Helen initially said the dress was just ‘perfect’ but then said she'd like the waist position 1”/2.5cm lower. However she said the length was perfect and she didn't want it any longer.

My first task was to get some matching red sandwashed silk (or bottle green as a second choice). I didn't manage on line so planned to visit Goldhawk Road in early December when I was in London for a few days. In the event, Helen wasn't able to go with me, as intended. However, I took the dress with me and matched up some silk. Helen saw the silk at Christmas and said it’s ideal.

I've washed the silk so that Helen can wash the dress rather than paying expensive dry cleaning bills.  The silk isn't ruined. I didn't measure before and after. I think it should be fine. There is ingrained staining on the crinkled bias bound edges of the original.

The neckline edge isn't that well sewn

Ingrained staining. This is inside of neckline, showing selg bias binding strip.

I then looked at the dress carefully.

Armhole dart

The front part is one piece with a small dart from armhole towards bust on each side,  no waistband plus two gusseted pockets with flaps,  closed by poppets.

The back is 5 pieces - skirt, centre back bodice x2 and side back bodice x 2 - plus a waist casing and tie

The seams are overlocked and top stitched.

The bottom hem is simply folded over,  approximately 1” deep

The armholes and necklines are double folded narrow hems,  as is the pocket edging or more likely bias binding. I'm going with bias binding

The pockets cross over the side seams so will have to be added at the end

This was a little more complex than I realised at first!

I carefully laid out the dress and pinned through the seams into paper. With wearing,  there had of course been some fabric distortion. Fortunately,  the dress is symmetrical - when I was hacking an asymmetrical dress for myself, it proved very complex to get the pieces matching;  in fact I haven't managed yet but plan to move it on in February when Nikki,  one of my co-students, and I will be attending a pattern hacking session. I can true up my pattern there.

After I drew out my first attempt,  I altered and trued it. I did this in my sewing bee and had available help from Rory and Dan.

Helen had asked that the waistline be moved down 1” but that the dress length remain unchanged. I therefore then lengthened the bodice pieces by inserting paper into the pattern on the back bodice pieces only and removed that amount from the back skirt. Distortion around the waist seam caused me some problems. It wasn't clear whether this seam should be curved or straight and this would have to be sorted out at toile stage. I made it curved in this rendition,  longer in centre back, shorter towards the sides.

With Dan's help, I trued the pattern. I managed to cut out the main pattern pieces but didn't, however, get a chance to sew up the toile until after Helen arrived for Christmas.

I haven't shown any photos of the pattern cutting process but will if I'm asked.

Helen tried on the toile on Boxing Day. This is a loose fitting dress,  but even so,  this appeared rather too loose at the back so I agreed to take the princess seams in just a little. I don't think I took any photos of that, stupidly - at least I can't find them

Helen felt that she would like the waist seam even lower. I had pinned out the curve I had drawn into the back bodice, thereby shortening it in the centre but this looks like it was the correct length to start with. On the pattern, I lengthened the sides to match.  This means that the waistline will be straight rather than curved.

Interestingly, Helen decided that she liked the length she tried the toile on at. It didn't have the hems sewn, so basically I need to add additional length. I did that while sorting out the waistline.

Helen wanted to keep the pockets the same as in the original. She doesn't use them,  rather they are decorative (why then have they been torn?). Rory had advised interfacing in the pockets but Helen didn't want this,  at least not in the pocket body. She reluctantly agreed to a very soft interfacing in the pocket flap. Even that took a little work.

I drew out the pocket pattern and Helen checked the sizing for me.  The pocket,  I think, will be the most complex part of this but I will get any required help from Rory and Dan. I took photos of the red dress and thought Helen would take it back with her, but she decided to leave it for  reference. The above photos are new ones I took today, Sunday 5 January, as I'm posting this first part.

My first steps are:

• Preparing the silk fabric - done
• Altering pattern and truing again - done
• Making a test pocket (this is the bit that scares me) - done, though not attached
• All that before I cut into the silk and make the bias binding

Progress

I've had two sewing bees since Christmas. I had altered the pattern before going along but asked for a quick check of it. I then went ahead and cut out my pattern pieces from dark green crepe. I said to Helen that I'd like to make another dress, a wearable toile if you like but designed to practice all the components, and offered her blue silk-like material or dark green crepe. She chose that even knowing the fabric was thicker and spongier.

So the red silk dress I was making us now a green crepe dress. Bear with me!

The first few steps of construction caused me no problems. Then I ran into some issues:

The fabric is too thick to have French (?) bias binding at armhole and neckline. Is it French bias binding where you attach on right side, turn to wrong side etc and stitch? I’ve decided to go with commercial bias tape, after trying out various techniques, and following advice at my sewing bees. Helen doesn't mind as it won't show. The red dress will have self fabric as that is much finer and will crease better.

I had allowed 1 cm seam allowances including at the top of the pocket. Rory advised a double turned edge with interfacing for stability. I did that but the resulting fabric was difficult to turn nearly and stitch. I did manage though

I spent Wednesday evening in class constructing a pocket. One of the other students is a professional upholsterer. She showed me how to do lovely boxed edges,  like you get on chair cushions, which applied to my design. I did one in class and have since done the other at home. The original is edgestitched and I'm going to try that but this fabric is awkward. Here is a taster of my next post on the dress.

Pocket for green dress, wrong side. Pocket edge has been double folded and top stitched. The gusset has been attached and raw wedges overlocked. The hand stitching is holding the pressed edges together ready for edgestitching

Slimmer of the week

In other news - I was Slimmer of the week at Slimming World on Thursday past! I joined between Christmas and New Year, lost 2 lbs in my first week and 4 lbs in my second. So only 1 lb to go to my half stone award. I'm particularly pleased as we were still entertaining for part of that time and using up Christmas goodies. I'm happy to say I'm already starting to feel rather better - more lively, less sluggish. I got a step counter for Christmas and I'm still getting nowhere near a reasonable number of steps in a day. No wonder I was gaining weight even on a reasonably healthy diet! But small steps as they say! I'd like to lose 2 lbs per week if possible as that seems a safe and reasonable amount. So for my birthday in 26 weeks I should have lost everything I want to - but I know it doesn't go like that and gets harder and harder. I'm feeling really rather inspired just now!

Bias cut top for my Mum, using modified Simplicity 2594

Simplicity 2594, modified

Back - modelled on Missy

Front - modelled on Missy

I used the same pattern, Simplicity 2594, version B, as I used in my PR Sewing Bee round 2 to make my mother a bias cut top. It's her birthday on Wednesday coming; she'll be 89. She always says we give her too much for Christmas, she doesn't need anything etc. This year, as part of her Christmas, I made her an infinity scarf using a remnant of fabric from fabric that she gave me when she could no longer see to sew (she's registered blind/partially sighted from macular degeneration). She absolutely loves the scarf - not so much for the scarf, I think, as she would have preferred it longer, I'm sure - but for the fabric. This fabric really brought back memories. Memories of happier times. Because of her response, I decided that I would try to make her a top using this fabric, which she had also given me. There is actually a fair amount of fabric, so I wasn't short.

What to make?
My mother loves cowl necks
I didn't have any sizes for her, though I could make a guess based on RTW sizing.  She is becoming more 'wizened' with age
My mother has a marked spinal kyphosis (I don't like the term dowager's hump combined with significant forward thrusting neck!). She doesn't have the fat pad over the upper part of the back that is often associated with this. She has lost a bit of weight (she doesn't need to lose weight and is trying to put it on again) and is actually rather bony - each of her vertebrae is visible.
My mother was a tall woman for her generation - she was 5' 8 1/2" which meant she towered above her peers, male and female. She has shrunk considerably as can be seen from the photo of her with my two older daughters. They are about 5'9", I think, both less tall than either Helen or me.

My mother, wearing the infinity scarf , with Alison and Joanne

She has a hiatus hernia and finds bras uncomfortable - I therefore didn't know where any bust fullness would fall in a top
There was too much fabric simply to make another scarf. You can only wear so many scarves, anyway!

Most of my patterns were in a bigger size range.
I didn't want to make her a pattern with side bust darts
I found a couple of patterns but was really unsure as both required a fastening at the back of the neck and I wasn't sure if my Mum would manage that.
I had a pattern for a nice top with a cowl neck which was for stretch fabrics and this isn't a stretch fabric, but I thought I could adapt. However, I had got the pattern in a pattern swap or some such and there were many pieces missing. It wasn't worth trying to develop the missing pieces and try to adapt from stretch. I gave the pattern to Rory who said it would be pretty easy to recreate the back, which was the major piece missing in my mother's size range. All of the pieces were missing for my size range.
I therefore realised that the only potentially suitable pattern I had was the one I had used for the PR Sewing Bee.
I say potentially suitable, as I had to downsize the pattern.

I ran into problems when I thought I had lost the pattern and instructions. I asked for some advice on PR about the instructions but fortunately found them - where they had been all along and where they should have been!

So, the pattern:

I decided I would make a size 14. I hope this isn't too big, but it's based on my mother's RTW size UK14. Some of her current tops are too big, for her, though it's difficult to be sure how much of that is due to her body shape.
I didn't have too much difficulty scaling down the pattern.
At that stage, I had still lost the pattern and didn't have the yoke pattern pieces. I did have the yoke piece I had done for me (size 18). Thanks to David, who asked me what I needed to do about my mother's kyphosis - I hadn't even thought about that! I read up about the pattern modifications required and realised that she needed more length in the centre of the back. I took the pattern to Rory for some advice. She advised that the yoke neck would need built up and that I would need additional length in the body portion of the back, rather than the yoke portion. I made the pattern modifications in class but didn't cut out the fabric.

This is the amount added to centre of back - tapered to sides

Overall view of half of modified back. The back piece has a very marked curve

Modified neckline - don't worry! The peak is just from the way it is lying. The curve was smooth

Detail to show amount added at neck. Note above comment re centre.

Rory felt that the cowl fullness would mean that I didn't need to alter the front. I had wondered about a reduction in shoulder to bust length but was also aware that my mother's bust is lower than it used to be. Rory hasn't met my mother, of course, and I realised that she had started by assuming that my mother had a mild kyphosis, rather than the marked version she has. Everything was guessing as I have never measured my mother. I hadn't intended until now to make her a top.

So, I made up a pattern guessing my mother's sizes and guessing at the amount of curvature of her spine. Not a good start, really, is it?

The fabric is a rich, colourful silky fabric, labelled 'Dishine crepe high count CMY no 2514'. I hadn't used it for myself as these are not my colours. I'm not sure of its composition. There is no stretch in it. It wasn't too difficult to work with, though a couple of bits slipped without me realising.
I had no major issues making up the top, except that I was using a fine needle on my machine as this fabric is fine and silky and the needle basically couldn't cope with the seam junctions when I was topstitching around the armholes/yoke. There are several layers there.

I used the burrito method for the yoke
The shoulder is turned over the seam allowance of the front and topstitched. This is how the pattern says to do the yoke but I prefer the cleaner finish of the burrito method.
The hem and the armhole hems are double turned and topstitched.
Not a difficult top to make.

I'm posting the top tomorrow, so she will get it for her birthday on the 11th. There is zero chance that she can let me have a photo of her wearing it. I hope it fits.

Edited to add. It's my mother's birthday today and she told me the top fits. I haven't seen it,  though. She told me the fabric was silk bought in Thailand in 1992.  I asked Rory to test the fabric at my class tonight - regrettably, as I suspected, this isn't silk. I won't tell her,  though.

Goals and Plans for 2017

Goals and Plans for 2017

Again, I'm linking to Gillian of Crafting a Rainbow in the top 5 of 2016

These are in no way New Year's Resolutions.  Those are just too easy to break!

These are those goals and plans that relate to sewing.

Strangely,  though not so when I tell you more, my first goals concern weight and health.

• Many of my clothes have become too tight
• My bras were strangling me and I had to buy new ones (I do not have any plans to make bras)
• I saw a couple of RTW items that I liked but I was too big for the biggest size (regular range,  not plus sized range) or they are too short (one of the reasons I started making my own)
• I was becoming breathless far too easily
• I felt unwell
• I was sent for heart tests because of some enzyme and chest X-ray abnormalities and need to get a 24 hour monitor in January. There isn't a major problem. My heart rate is fast, probably because I am unfit. I have a minor ECG issue. I had heart surgery in 2000 to repair a congenital hole in the heart, found by chance after I'd had a couple of brief  transient ischaemic attacks which can be stroke precursors. I've been fine since.
• I have been getting no exercise since not playing golf,  that's since the end of September. I can only imagine increasing my fitness will benefit my heart!
• My knees hurt more than they did. They're having to carry more weight.
• I didn't like what I was seeing in the mirror.
• I had put on weight, but not as much I thought as would account for the way I was feeling and looking. I'm out of shape even more.

Today, I went back to Slimming World. I've been before and did well. David doesn't need to lose weight beyond the 2 or 3 pounds he's put on over Christmas but will be supportive. He doesn't see why people need to attend such things as Slimming World but I need that input. I was heavier this time than when I started last time. That time I lost 2 stones;  this time it needs to be nearer 3.

In addition, I will restart golf. I find that type of exercise more enjoyable than a gym.

Alison gave me a watch that measures steps etc and I've set some goals on that for daily activity. Even on a day to day basis, I'd become less active. Unfortunately, sewing is not a particularly active hobby. So far,  I've met my goals on daily activity,  but I did start easy!

Being slimmer will allow me to wear some clothes that I can't currently. Both those that I have that are currently too tight and those I might buy.

Blocks

I will sort out my blocks after I've got about half way with my weight loss. I have to do this. I will sew for where I am, though, as well as thinking about where I want to be. So I won't delay until I reach a weight goal - that was one of my previous u=issues with making trousers and I didn't ever finish.

Sewing Plans:

Last year,  I didn't actually complete a wearable garment for myself. That wasn't intentional. Sure, I was busy with wedding sewing for the first half of the year but found it difficult to get going afterwards. So in 2017 I will be sewing for me.  Not exclusively, as I do enjoy sewing for the family, but I'd like to get a few garments made for myself.

I have issues with RTW relating to fit (sure - quality too but I'm referring only to fit here). Some of the issues are related to my height (5’11”), some to my basic shape (pear), some to my ‘maturing’ body shape - more around the middle than I ever had and some because I'm overweight.

These are the items I find hardest to buy:

Trousers

RTW issues

• crotch length and depth too short;
• waist gaping as my waist is much smaller than my hips.
• My thighs are quite chunky,  too.
• I don't tend to have problems getting the legs long enough - and there are some specialist companies catering for tall women, should I need that.
• In addition, I don't like low rise. I prefer my waistband at my natural waist, or just below.

I intend 2017 to be the year of trousers.  I have consistently failed to get trousers to fit,  either RTW or me-made.  I attended a jeans making class; I can sew them,  but they don't fit. In class we drew up a pattern using Dennic Chunman Lo rather than say Aldrich  and it just didn't work. I wasn't the only one in this position. We tried to make changes but again the term ended before we had got far enough and I had no desire to continue.

My tutor  is going to help me get a decent trouser block. I believe she is thinking about draping though I'm not entirely sure.

Blouses/shirts

RTW issues

• Sleeve and body length. Most of my blouses and shirts have sleeves that are too short. While I'm happy to wear some styles over a skirt or trousers, I want to be able to tuck my blouses in securely.
• Being tall, I sometimes find that bust darts are too high as there isn't enough length between shoulder and bust.
• I don't like shirts with pockets as the positioning of them is usually not flattering on me.
• More recently I have found that my bust is bigger because of weight gain I assume and a couple of the shirts I have pull a bit at the front,  not an issue I had previously. I am quite wide shouldered. I am having to do FBAs on virtually all patterns and now feel that some of the. RTW that fitted me previously could do with the same!

As yet, I haven't chosen what I might like to make.

Jackets

RTW issues similar to blouses and shirts.

Last term my class was on jacket tailoring. We made up a standard size jacket - 10 or 12 (UK). It would have fitted Helen widthwise but would have been too short in body and arms.  No chance of it fitting me! I didn't actually finish it as after we made the practice jacket, the idea was to make our own fitted jacket. We all ran out of time. I have made an initial fitting toile in calico and will make a few changes to the pattern and make up another toile,  this time in boiled wool. I'll give more details at a later stage.

I have also started the Morris blazer from Grainline.

I thought this would be easy but have found it rather more difficult than anticipated. It's a blazer without darts. I chose the correct size for my upper chest and shoulders and made a full bust adjustment, following the instructions on Grainline. Their instructions leave a side dart. I don't like that but don't see how to get rid of it sensibly. I made up a toile but chose a poor fabric - too thin and too stretchy.

After Christmas, I plan to finish this blazer, too. I have had to abandon the plans I had to use striped jersey as it is too thin. I may use a plain boiled wool.

SWAP (Sewing with a Plan)

The Stitchers Guild runs a kind of contest each year. I have never entered.  It involves producing a number of garments (11 this year)by sewing or knitting which work together, by end April. There are guidelines for these garments which are detailed elsewhere so I don't need to go into detail, particularly as I’m not sure which path I’ll take. There should be a combination of ‘bottoms’, ‘tops’, dresses and ‘overlayers’ some of which can be outerwear. They can include one made previously, one bought and although the official start date is Boxing Day,  you can start early. I tried to do one of the tops early (hacking from a RTW top) but ran out of time before Christmas.

Provided I manage the jackets, above, and the trouser block,  I hope to enter the SWAP.  I would put in 2 or 3 pairs of trousers,  plus or minus jeans, the two jackets mentioned above,  some tops and a cardigan. Even though my class next term is outerwear, I don't think I'll be trying any of that for this. If I decide to do this,  I may not finish it in the time available but would continue until I had completed it. I would include a couple of blouses/shirts and try to make a pair of close fitting trousers. Obviously, leggings would be easier and so faster, but I don't wear them.

I'm not yet absolutely committed to this so haven't made any detailed plan. You'll be the first to know if I go ahead! It could work for my reunion weekend.

Helen's wedding dress

I need to reassemble it! I took it apart to try to clean it, but unsuccessfully, and Helen is quite distressed that it has remained that way (disassembled more than the dirty part). So I'll put it together and get it back to her.

Helen's red silk dress

I should get that done relatively quickly as the toile only needed minor alteration. I'm likely to find the pockets most difficult. Interestingly, the pockets are actually gusseted and are like those in outerwear. We'll be looking at those next term. I don't see them as being very appropriate in a silk dress but Helen loves them. I have some photos of the dress but Ill wait until things are back to normal here (Just escaping for a few minutes)

Level 3 Sewing Class

Next term is outerwear and I think the third term is lingerie (can't quite remember offhand). I'm carrying on with the course.

40 year reunion

For our reunion 40 years after graduating from Glasgow University,  we will have a long weekend in a spa hotel in Scotland,  in November 2017. Some of my friends from uni don't intend to go,  which is sad, so I don't know how popular it will be. I plan to make a few garments for this long weekend, a travel wardrobe, maybe. Not sure what yet. I will include an evening dress,  though. Maybe.

I hope you all had a good Christmas break - and I wish you a Happy New Year 2017

A Pair of Kimonos finished (New Look 6217) and things not made

A Pair of Kimonos from New Look 6217

My plans for Christmas sewing were scaled way down. A number of reasons for this - illness, various household appliances breaking down,  initial over commitment etc. Initially the plan was for a ‘DIY’ Christmas but to be honest, that rarely (read never) works out! I tried,  though. David did too  - he framed sewing photos for my sewing room (temporarily a dining room again) and a photo of Tammy,  Alison's previous cat for Alison; Alison made some nice spice mix for everyone,  in addition to their present and Joanne gave Alison a manicure (that is actually did it). Helen made Anthony a photo album from their honeymoon,  and Helen and Anthony framed some wedding photos for my mother. So quite a lot of DIY, really. I made kimonos for Joanne and Alison,  cushions for Joanne and an infinity scarf for my mother. More of that later. 

I didn't make:

Shirt for David

A shirt for David - not started. I love the fabric and will make this shirt next year. Possibly for his birthday. David chose the fabric so I know he likes it. I'm not sure what pattern to use as yet. I did buy one from Thread Theory but haven't looked at it yet (it's a PDF)

Cargo Shorts

My initial idea came from a fabulous pair of really well made shorts I saw in an outlet store, very reasonably priced, but the wrong size for Steven. He and Anthony wear shorts a lot. So I thought about making some for our DIY Christmas.I asked and was told by their wives, my daughters,  that this would be entirely suitable. These cargoes were going to tick the DIY box, be a useful make, extend my trouser making skills and I would have entered the PR menswear contest, which has just finished; I wouldn't have been able to get a photo of them being worn.

Helen suggested bright - yellow - and I got the fabric but clearly she had made an error of judgement! She didn't get back with sizes and when I asked,  it's clear that Anthony didn't fancy. I'm not surprised! Unfortunately after I tracked down a suitable zip! I bought fabric for Steven’s but didn't pursue; his was standard chino fabric.

I was planning to use the pattern in one of the GBSB books as I find I tend not to think about book patterns. I abandoned both. Possibly,  probably, for ever. Well,  it's easier just to buy something! I'm not going to commit to DIY for next year - unless as David suggested I start in February.

Tartan Skirt; Silk Dress

I also, once again,  abandoned a tartan pleated skirt for Helen as she's not yet sure what style she wants. She asked me to hack her favourite red silk dress and I'm doing that but it won't be ready until after Christmas as she needed to try on the toile, which I managed to make up quickly (it was already cut out) and we've made some minor changes. I plan to start on that next week.

Kimonos

Joanne asked me to make a kimono like Helen's. 

I struggled to find suitable fabric. I got some that is possibly suitable but not the same type of fabric as Helen's, which would have been better,  and a bit late - but in the course of my searches I found some ‘China silk’ which I thought would make a fabulous kimono. Black with flowers for Joanne. They also had turquoise with dragonflies  - perfect for Alison who loves turquoise and dragonflies!

I originally got the New Look pattern free with Sew magazine. I looked out the pattern - but the kimono pieces weren't there. For Helen's I had traced the pattern and I couldn't find that either. Helen doesn't have them. I decided I had no real option other than to buy a replacement pattern, fortunately at half price. Murphy's Law says that I would then find the mislaid pattern but I haven't yet!

Helen's kimono was lengthened in body and arms and that's what Joanne wanted. However, this fabric is narrow and I wasn't able to lengthen the sleeves more than about 3 cms. I tried but it didn't work. I only slightly lengthened the body as I felt the body and sleeve lengths should be in proportion.

I made Joanne's kimono first. This fabric has no silk in it! It's polyester, pure and simple, I would say. I did an accidental burn test with my iron which I felt showed this. Rory did a proper burn test and agreed. The fabric is stiffer and less drapey than I'd hoped. However, both fabrics were bought for the design so I'm not really worried. One issue with Joanne's is that the vendor gave me two pieces of fabric and it is clear they are from different batches as the striped lining is different, the stripes different widths,  though I can't see any difference on the face of the fabric. I used one piece for the back and the other for the two fronts. I don't think it's noticeable. A warning for the future.

With Joanne's kimono, because of the amount of fraying,  I decided to overlock all the edges before construction. This turned out to be a mistake.  As the fabric doesn't press well,  I found it very difficult to get the open seams to lie flat and in the end decided to overlock the two sides together.

There were no major construction issues. I did something wrong with the back neck band meaning that it was slightly narrower than the front bands and this made the top stitching more difficult,  that is to get it even. I overlocked the outside edge of the facings rather than make a hemmed edge. I did slightly lengthen sleeves and body but apart from what I've already mentioned,  I followed the directions. I used interfacing in the band but felt it wasn't really necessary. I later asked advice at class and decided to miss out for the next rendition.

I like the final kimono, even though it's not perfect. I hope Joanne likes it. Oh,  I used ordinary black Guterman thread throughout and didn't have any stitching problems.

When I bought the turquoise dragonfly fabric for Alison, I had no clear idea what I was going to make as Alison told me she didn't like kimonos so I asked her what she wanted. I sent some pattern images. She decided she also wanted a kimono as she likes Helen's too.

I considered doing a full bust adjustment for Alison's.  In the end, I decided simply to lengthen the front edges;  I felt there was enough width that no extra was required. I decided against using interfacing. This time, I didn't overlock the edges before construction. That worked relatively well,  though there was quite a bit of fraying by the time I reached my last seam! I found matching the pattern difficult as the pattern match was oblique rather than straight.

While constructing, I accidentally sewed the front bands onto the back neck band wrongly. At least I think I did!  The notches didn't match. I altered to the way I felt it should be. I don't know if I did Joanne's wrongly too - that could explain why there was a problem with the band. Then, when attaching the bands, one attached in a puckered way and ended up too short so I had to unpick. As with Joanne's, I understitched but as I mentioned, this fabric really doesn't press well. I considered topstitching too - there is topstitching on hems and in from the edge so perhaps it wouldn't have been out of place but decided against it. It's also more difficult to match the turquoise than the black!

Grey overlocking thread used here - great match

You can see the mismatched stripes.

About thread matching - I agonised (no,  you're right,  I didn't!) over the choice of colour for the overlocker. I didn't want to buy any new ones. In the end, I went with grey which is a fabulous match! Now, I believe it when people say you only need black, white,  grey threads. The grey is closer to the reverse of the fabric than the blue I used to sew the seams.

I was working on it a bit last night while watching the Strictly final. I don't usually try to sew while watching TV.  This wasn't sewing, just pinning and tacking hems.  I didn't get it fully completed last night so finished it today.

I thought I'd use a metallic machine embroidery thread for all the topstitching as I thought it would be better to have that hint of metallic with the shiny fabric than just matt thread. I ‘auditioned’ 4 threads and decided to go with the machine embroidery thread. I had no end of bother, despite having tried it out before I decided to use it. I had problems with tension, with looping, with missed stitches. I had it in,  out and in again. It was still awful (I should have taken some photos but was too stressed!). Interestingly, the hem and sleeve hems had been okay and the first front band was acceptable. In the end,  worried about the fabric getting damaged, I unpicked the lot and redid with a standard Mettler thread. Much better. I had problems unpicking the embroidery thread as it snarled in the fabric so I couldn't pull out a long strand, and wonder if it was the combination of twisted thread and this fabric that led to the sewing problems. I'd love to get advice or hear thoughts on this.

I hope Alison will like hers. When I was unpicking and saw how easily snagged this fabric is, it occurred to me that it's perhaps not the best choice for a cat owner! Thomas the cat is visiting for the first time this Christmas, so we'll see! I have quite a bit of extra fabric of both the black and the turquoise but no plans to use them again at present. Thoughts anyone? Ideas can certainly include just getting rid of it! 

I've finished but it's dark. I'll take some photos tomorrow but do I post tomorrow or wait until I can have photos with Alison and Joanne wearing them? Not sure. The post is ready now except for photos and titles.

Addendum

It's after Christmas! I'm writing this on Boxing Day. Joanne and Alison both liked their kimonos. I would say that Alison's, in particular, is a perfect fit.

Their Gran agreed to pose, wearing the infinity scarf I made her

Alison's cat, Thomas, hasn't really settled so he's being taken home tomorrow,  earlier than planned. He hasn't been crying or distressed just not sociable and has spent quite a lot of time sleeping/hiding under the bed. 

I managed to get photos of Alison and Joanne in the kimonos. Helen was away by this time - but hadn't brought her kimono with her in any case.

I'm sad to see everyone go - but also relieved as I find it more  difficult as I get older to cope with the noise, the mess and,  to be honest,  the amount of extra work. My Mum is here for an extra week,  though.