I guess I'm not a Parfait kinda gal.

I don't know if you remember the Sad Parfait story. I really really really wanted to like the Parfait dress pattern by Colette Patterns. It looked so much like it could be super cute. And everyone else was making it and loving it, and I'm totally sucked in by that sort of thing.

I guess I should have taken the first experience as a bad omen. Cause my second shot at it was not only no better, but possible even worse. I wish I had great pictures to show you, but my camera's SD card was in my house while my camera was with me at my mom's house. Where I was doing all this ill-fated sewing.

The Parfait pattern now sits forlornly in a garbage can in my mom's sewing room.

I did manage to salvage the bottom half, I guess that's something, right?

So here's what went wrong, in no particular order.

I did a small bust adjustment based on my previous experience with the bust area being HUGE. I wear a 36C bra, so I never considered myself super flat, but apparently to Colette I am. Still, after doing the SBA according to Gertie's instructions, the bust was gigantic. Lots of fabric gaping.

Then I put together an alternate bust, based on a lingerie design. This is similar to the shape I'd designed, and I adjusted the midriff to fit with this new bust piece.

Only, it didn't. There was gappage again.

Also, this dress is not for the tall. Last time I made it I made the mistake of not adding anything to accommodate my height (5'10"-5'11" depending on the day). This time, I was totally prepared. I added at least 4" to the midriff section so the skirt wouldn't start way up under my ribcage, but rather at my waist like a normal person.

Yeah, that didn't happen either. The waistline was still going to be at least two inches too short.

According to my measurements I should have cut a size 8. Except last time I couldn't zip the damn thing up after making a size 8, so this time I cut a size 12 for good measure.

The 12 is HUGE on the bottom. The midriff was going to be tight, barely come together at the seams tight, the bust was huge, the skirt is huge.

So...I wadded the top half and threw it away. Sick as it made me to do, I decided my time is the most valuable commodity I have right now and I simply don't have time to waste trying to make a round dress fit a square peg.

I kept the bottom half of the dress. I hope to turn it into a summer skirt. After I take it in by about 2-3" on either side, add a zipper and a waistband. But you know, after all those things. Or I could give it away, maybe someone who wears a size 12 would like a lovely linen a-line skirt with pretty pink drawings?



Whew.

I have started to really worry. I ordered the Lady Grey coat pattern this weekend after reviewing the purple version I'd seen online. I don't know now. I know a muslin is definitely in store for that one, I'm just scared of what I might find. I think maybe Colette patterns just aren't engineered for me?