Colette Macaron Finally Finished!

Finally!  I finished the Colette Macaron on Sunday.

Really, the difficult part was putting the lining in and having to construct the dress with a fabric with squares on it (plaid-inspired).   Bottom line:  Love the pattern; initially, I didn't love the result - the lining was a bear - but today (the next day) I do like it much better. . .if I can look past the flaws....Colette Patterns did excellent drafting - it's my sewing skills that need improving.    Maybe I'll add a belt (like Gertie's Macaron ). . .or a thick belt . . .

 If I didn't line it and if I had selected a more simple fabric - I could finished the dress in five hours.  I had the body done minus sleeves in four.  The lining took 8 hours.  I'm serious.  I used silk.  What was I thinking?

And another newbie error - I slashed the lining and had to repair with my shears.  I marked it with a stitch box and I'm going to repair it this week.

If you check the fit - I think that the top was much too large.  I didn't notice this on my muslin - I really should pay more attention.  I should have gone two sizes smaller -  I started on a fourteen and really I think the ten would have been fine - I had to talk quite a bit out of it.  However, the muslin seemed tight - it was cotton.  I also loved that the patterns is cut for a "C" cup.  Hurray!
(BTW, I just noticed that string! Darn it!).

I do think it's mistake to pick wool and lining for this pattern - I like the dress but the wool (even thin) is too thick for the cute pattern.  I would make this dress again - but would not use wool or line.

I must have put in the sleeves three times because of the lining - recut the waistband belt - three times due to unevenness - it's still not 100% perfect.  I had major mistakes in the lining - due to the fact that my machine had quite a bit of trouble with the silk.  I even bought sharp (70 gauge) needles and tried both cotton and embroidery thread - huge numbers of skipped stitches.  I still don't know why?  I found, however, a piece of what appears to be the machinery on the table - a screw - maybe I need to take the machine in.  I also (because of way the pattern was drafted) sewed in by hand the sleeve lining (yuck!!).  Oh, my poor lining.

 To the right - please find a picture of the silk lining and wonderful soft lace I picked up at Mood.
more to follow!

My pattern review link is Here.