Kwik Sew K4001 Review

Here is the end result of my Kwik Sew K4001. Well, it is somewhat Kwik Sew K4001. I completely re-tooled the original pattern in order to make even remotely flattering.  The spoiler alert is that I did not like the pattern at all.  But it all turns out more or less ok...

Finished Dress

Here is the original pattern.  K4001.  I think what got me was the contrasting lower bodice piece and the flowers. 

This is the result of following the pattern.  It was so very unflattering. It is strange shapes and the skirt flares out in all the wrong places.  I could partly blame the drape of the fabric, but there were other issues, too.

The back wasn't much better.  The gathers are really bulky way above my waist.  It hides the one good feature I have.  Not good.

 The main problems with the pattern:

• The sizing.  I made a muslin and cut a size Medium.  Which should have been OK according to the measurements on the pattern.  But that muslin was so big that I ended up cutting an XS.  I am a 12-14 in RTW....  It is waaaay off.  I am not a small woman, let alone an extra small. 
• The skirt was attached so high above the natural waist that wearing the dress really made me look more like Holly Hobbie.  That is the same way little girls' dresses are and it looks fantastic on THEM.  But if you are older than 12, it just doesn't look right.

High waist Holly Hobbie

The fixes:

• I made the lower bodice pieces two inches wider (I added one inch on top, one on the bottom) so that the skirt would attach closer to my waist. 
• Added ruching/elastic to the lower bodice/waist pieces to add a little interest.  I remember seeing it on a dress once and I liked it, so I gave it a whirl.
• Make the skirt a-line instead of  gathered so take the bulk out

I am sure there are better ways of doing this, but it was kind of fun to give this a try:  I cut a piece twice as wide as the bodice piece.  Then, I measured three strips of elastic that were about the width of the smaller piece.

Lower bodice

Next, I zig-zag stitched the elastic to the wider piece while stretching it out.  When the elastic was not stretched, it was the right size as the original smaller bodice piece. I then sewed them together so that it was like working with one piece of fabric.  The wrong side is smooth (smaller piece) and the outside is ruched (larger piece with elastic).

Zig zag stitch with elastic

It is lined with a light cotton, so it is light enough to be a summer dress and really breathable.  The yellow fabric is also fairly light and a cotton blend with a little stretch to it.

My first successful machine-zipper

The good stuff:  I actually put in a great-looking zipper with the machine.  I had only hand-picked zippers before.  So, it was a good experience learning how to sew the invisible zipper and the ruching, not a great pattern.  Even with the adjustments, not my favorite dress, but I could wear it in a pinch if I had to.

Demystifying the Universal Zipper Foot and Invisible Zipper Installation

I love lapped zippers.  The first time I learned how to put one in, it was taking Susan Kjalje's couture dress class from Craftsy.  She does a great job teaching the method. But I shamefully admit that I loved them partly because it allowed me to avoid invisible zippers or any machine installation.  Even though I Googled tutorials on them, it never turned out for me. This is the part I was missing:  The Universal Invisible Zipper Foot.  It only costs a few dollars from Amazon*.  The package is bilingual.  Pied pour fermeture à glissière invisible.  I feel fancier already.

I bought that thing over a year ago. The problem is that the foot doesn't come with instructions and I had no idea what to do with the pieces.  I tried to fit it on my machine and I just thought that the foot was wrong for my machine.

So I used my regular zipper foot with terrible results.  I couldn't stitch close enough to the edge of the zipper with this foot.  And the fabric slipped all over the place.  Bad.

Then I had a revelation. And I know that this is likely obvious to so many people, but I had no idea that ankle came off of the shank.  I didn't know it was called an ankle.  I didn't know it was a shank. The only shanks I dealt with were in the kitchen with rosemary and garlic.  I have been sewing for two years and never really read the sewing machine manual or took lessons.  So, the first step is to unscrew the ankle and slip it off the shank. 

Next slip a new ankle on the newly naked shank. Those three colored plastic pieces are ankles.  Choose one and slip it on the shank as far as it will go, then screw it on.  Here is how you know which one:

1. The red one - this is the one I chose.  It is for a low shank.  Most newer machines will use this.
2. The blue one - this is mostly for older machines
3. The yellow one - this is for high shanks.  One side is for straight needles and the other is for slanted needles.

After putting the ankle on the shank and tightening the screw, slip the foot into the notch on the ankle.  Voilà. You can adjust the foot from left to right to get it so that the needle will sew through the hole in the foot.

Next, take out the zipper and iron it so that the teeth are open. 

The other very helpful thing I found out was to sew a basting stitch where you would like the seam to be. Do this for both sides. This really saved me.  It provides a great guideline when sewing.

Place the front of the zipper on the front of the dress (right sides together, just like sewing other parts of the dress) so that the teeth are closest to the finished edge and the tape is near the seam.

Sew so that the needle is just beside the teeth.  There are two tracks on the foot, so you will be able to position it, no matter which side you are sewing.

Inexplicably, in this photo I am sewing with the fabric to the right side of the needle, which I never do unless I am taking photos for a tutorial and have lost my mind.

Now that one edge is finished, zip up the zipper and mark any seams or other points you need to match.  For example, I marked the seam between the waist and the bodice on the zipper tape so that when I pin it to the other side, I know where to position it.

Pin second side in the same way.  Although, technically, I didn't pin it.  I should have.  I swear.  But I did use the seam marks as a guideline to put in the second side.  I also had a basting stitch to follow as a guideline.

Finish the seam.  The third useful thing was to not sew any of the seam until the zipper is in.  Be careful not to sew any of the zipper, but get as close as possible.

Remove the basting stitches.

The zipper was flawless the first time I put it in without any hand-sewing. I had no idea it was this easy and quick. 

Here is the finished zipper in a dress I am working on.

Next steps: maybe read my sewing machine manual... I could have saved some frustration about zipper installation.

Before and After Upholstery Project

I love before and after photos.  Weight loss, weight gain, plastic surgery, home remodels, makeovers, makeunders....  I love the transformation.

Here is my very own before and after... with a chair from my living room.  I am pretty ashamed of how filthy and awful it got.  I almost performed some photoshop shenanigans on it to make it look less dirty.  But I didn't.  This is real. Ew. Real is gross sometimes.

I decided I was going to reupholster this last year.  After that, I just didn't bother taking my shoes off while curling up in it.  I'd like to blame it on children or pets.  But it was all me.

I have never done an upholstery project before.  You learn a lot when you take it apart.  Like how many staples are holding it together.  (It is a lot.)  And how much sewing there isn't.  It is just trickery with fake seams, staples, tack strips and cardboard.

The actual sewing in one of these is minimal. I found that part easier than making a dress. But there definitely is some technique to making it all fit back on.  It was strange seeing how the chair is really just a crude frame with foam.  Not nearly as refined as you would think.

There really isn't much to these chairs, is there?

Cover is off and it already looks better.

Partway through.

The arm was cracked so we patched it.

Finished! With footstool.