More Collar Love {McCalls 6696 hack}

 

Continuing my collar making binge (my third in a week – what?!), I decided to make another McCalls 6696. I made this one a couple of years back and remember the collar being the most head scratching, tear inducing  part. I’m going to blame that partly on the fact it was my first time ever sewing a proper collar with a stand and partly on McCalls tip top instructions. Anyway – pug shirt dress:

It’s a bit of a fabric hungry pattern (the skirt panels are wide) and I really didn’t feel like sewing a million buttonholes (slight exaggeration), so I decided to just sew the bodice with the buttons and leave the skirt as a regular gathered skirt, thus saving me on fabric and hand sewing buttons.

I also decided I didn’t want a button on the waistband because that little guy always manages to work his way free after a big meal. Ahem. So I decided to put a zip in the side seam to make sure I could actually get it on and off. Sorted.

I didn’t even look at the instructions this time, as I was making some changes and with the lovely Rosa dress still fresh in my head I was able to figure out how everything went together without them. Stark contrast to the last time I made this dress.

I completed the entire bodice first, not even looking at the skirt pieces. I even did the buttonholes because I thought it would be easier to manage before the skirt was attached. I tacked the bodice pieces closed before sewing on the waistband. Obviously the waistband notches no longer match anything because I started and finished at the side seam rather than in the centre.

I made sure I didn’t close up the left side seam so I could add a zipper later.

A pocket from chambray scraps went in the right hand side of the skirt, because I’m not clever enough to put a pocket and a zip in the same side. Still, one is better than none.

I made the best collar I’ve ever made, taking so much care to roll the seams towards the facing of the collar and then promptly sewed it on the wrong way. So now the seams show. Idiot. I didn’t even realise I’d done it until the end. I can live with it though.

Discovered the most perfectly matched buttons in my stash. Awwww yeah, love it when stuff like that happens.

We didn’t talk about fabric! Now, I’m not much of a floral girl, but occasionally there’s an exception. This is one of them. It’s so pretty, isn’t it? Love the navy, love the types of flowers and I especially love the tiny little snails. It’s Heather Ross from Hawthorne Threads – as soon as I saw it, I knew I had to have it. Added bonus: it’s a beautifully light and drapey lawn, which is so perfect for our super hot summers. Our winters are pretty mild too, so I’ll be able to get away with wearing it with tights, boots and a cardi. Quite looking forward to that right now!

There’s a bit too much ease in those sleeves, I’m going to take some out next time. Other than that, I’m pretty damn pleased with this one.