Saturday, January 7, 2012

Time to Get Started


You could practically sweep the dust bunnies out of here; it has been too quiet in this blog space. I know everyone is busy and life is crazy for many, but................. life around here feels like it is flying by at warp speed. I seem to say that a lot don't I? A friend and I often make snarky remarks about people who post the SAME THING on Facebook every.day.of.their.life! I seem to be of the same ilk, I complain about the busyness around here all the time it seems. Must get a handle on that. Or hush about it. Which ever comes first. I am stitching, I just don't have something to show for it yet.

So on to a new year. As promised, when I posted the kids Christmas outfits here, I will address the piped back yoke on Master Hank's romper.


Have you ever tripped in the parking lot in front of all your friends or co-workers? You quickly look around to see if anyone saw you and then try to nonchalantly stroll to the car. Never mind that your face is burning bright after you tried your Dick Van Dyke trick of tripping over your own feet. Well that is what this is all about.

As I had shared with you, I had reduced the number of smocked rows I used from the original smocking design. This caused a needed change in the depth of the front yoke. I don't know about you, but I stink at math! I am a visual person, so the math part stumps me every time. After much "cipherin" I altered the depth of the front yoke successfully. I KNEW that it meant I would have to change the depth of the back yokes as well. I lined them up several times before I cut it out. Several. I was positive I had it right this time.

WRONG! The back yoke was an inch and a half too short. It couldn't have been too long. That would have been too easy. Add to that, we are talking about $26 a yard fabric, two weeks before Christmas. This couldn't be scrapped and started over. Nor did I have enough fabric to re-do. We won't even discuss the fact that the collar was already on it when I discovered the glitch. I wasn't re-doing that either. What is that saying about necessity and invention? Well it came to my rescue.

I thought there has to be some way to add to this back yoke that would be acceptable. Finally after much swearing and fretting it came to me. Piping!


I decided to pipe the section I added to make it look intentional. And as the angels would have it, it was just the right width to put the button on to make it look like a little faux belt. Whew! Saved from myself.


Here is the inside of the yoke. I just cut a strip on the fold the width of the yoke bottom, piped both the top and bottom edges and then attached the romper bottom as usual.


I have to say, after all was said and done, I really like the way the back looks. It gives more visual interest to the back besides just the red buttons. I may do this again, on purpose this time.

Moral of the story: check your pieces before you try to sew them together and know that there is always a way out of almost every predicament.

13 comments:

  1. Very nice fix...I think it looks great! :)

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  2. Ingenious! If you didn't tell us your "boo boo" we never would have known! Bravo!

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  3. Love your redesign! Best boo-boo I have ever seen!

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  4. Such are the ways we create pretty things...unintentionally!! I love that look. LOVE that look. I thought it was so clever of you!!

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  5. I had feeling a boo-boo may have been involved in that very clever fix. It does give it a nice tailored look.

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  6. I love your romper; what a fantastic fix. I also hate trying to do the math when altering smocking rows etc. Hopefully next time i mess mine up, I can come up with a solution as good as yours!!

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  7. Quick! Publish it as a pattern before we see one just like it...awesome save!

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  8. No errors there, just a beautiful design detail! I think it makes the back just as finished as the front.

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  9. You are so funny! I like the way it turned out better too!! Adds a cute detail to the back. Think you should do it this way from now on too!

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  10. It has been FAR too long since I've popped by for a visit, Martha but I see you have been VERY busy!

    I don't remember congratulating you on the birth of your grandson...what a cutie pie he is!
    Now I just read that your other DD has gotten engaged...WOW, so much exciting news at your house!

    Regarding how you handled the cutting error on that darling Christmas romper...I'm both impressed & envious. I would have just stood there & CRIED! It turned out to be a wonderful design element. YAY, You!!

    fondly,
    Rett

    p.s. I'm enjoying following you on Pinterest so much. Great source of ideas & how-tos

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  11. You posted this while I was in SF for my mental break. What a great save and wonderful design element.

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  12. Genius! I like it better that way. Pretty sure lots of good ideas were born the same way. But no one tells us!

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  13. Moral of the story: Tell Martha, and she will design a fantastic "save!" Wow, Martha, that is fantastic!

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