Blue Houndstooth Tunic for "Fix It February"

Well, February has started off very well on the sewing front. In the "Make a Garment A Month" facebook group, our theme is F for February: fashion or frankenpattern a garment. I seem to have gone off in another "F" direction, into "Fix It February" and finally fixed this tunic that I've had to recut and resew 3 times to get it just right (maybe that's another F...Fairytale tasks always come in threes too, don't they?)

In the fun storytime room at work...looking like
I'm about to be eaten by an octopus :)

I started this (c1997) McCalls 9079 -- view C (the red or grey one) -- at the beginning of January, using a piece of thick knit I picked up on sale -- had just enough for this pattern -- and I love, love, love the giant blue houndstooth print. That's probably why I kept at it, trying to make it wearable -- I didn't want to waste this fabric! My first mistake was not cluing in that a late 90s pattern that says "loose fitting" means gigantic, as in throw a blanket over your head and call it a day. Why didn't I measure the flat pattern? No idea. I was just going on faith! But it certainly doesn't look as big in the pattern drawing as it turned out on the first try.

So, it was absolutely enormous in the body. The length was right (though I had to shorten the sleeves at the dropped shoulder by nearly 3 inches) and the neckline was right, but it was super boxy, like a poncho more than a tunic. I unpicked and resewed, getting all sorts of puckering in the new seam. Argh. Unpicked and resewed -- still too big and still not smooth seams. I got frustrated, put it on the table and cut right up both sides, shortened and resewed the sleeves on and then sewed it back up, very slowly, using a straight stitch. With a touch of pressing it is now wearable.

Side view - you can sort of see the side vents here

You may notice that it has a side vent, and that the back is slightly longer than the front. It feels like a very swingy, mod kind of tunic. I really like how it finally turned out...and even after all that remaking I still love the fabric! The sleeves and bottom hem are just turned under and stitched, which is why the back hem is a bit wavy. I probably should have used some steam-a-seam before I turned it under. But honestly, I just wanted it done so I could wear it today, haha. Impatient sewer. This pattern has good bones but if you have a copy and want to make it, measure first. As I keep telling myself.

Perhaps I should continue this theme and finish some of my other mending tasks that will make a few more things wearable.

(PS - I've linked this make up with a new blog round-up, Sew It Chic in a Week. If you'd like to share your weekly makes, feel free to pop on over to Gray All Day and link it up!)