I was SO excited to see Merrick’s tutorial for a pleated fit and flare dress, as I have always wanted the Madewell version of this dress but knew it would be too short on me. I took one look at the tutorial and decided I had to try it- so here’s what happened:
1. I didn’t realize I would need a pattern because I thought the image on her site was the pattern- yes, I am that inexperienced of a sewer! I ended up making a pattern out of brown paper bags though, which actually worked quite well and hopefully will last for a few more attempts.
2. I ran out of fabric- the fabric for the pleated skirt only covered the front half of my body!
3. Pleats are not as easy to make as they look, I will just say that to put it simply.
All in all, the pleated dress turned into a knit sheath dress because I didn’t want to go buy more knit to make the pleats work for me. So it wasn’t a total failure, but I learned some valuable lessons! Like, don’t let Pinterest tutorials fool you, don’t buy a $15 pattern when you can make your own out of brown paper bags, and don’t give up when you run out of fabric- either make it work, or just suck it up and go buy more fabric!
Do you have any tips for me as I attempt some sewing projects? I would love some pointers!