Sewing Bee entry

 I have spent this week (or part of it anyway) making a comletely unplanned project for Pattern Review's Sewing Bee first challenge.

Full disclosure it would be disappointing not to make it to round two after spending more than intended on the fabric for this fully unplanned make. I was sure to make something I would wear, but still! The irony, though, is that my plan B, which I did not make was probably more creative in the implementation of the challenge, but was not something that I would reach for...

The challenge: a knit dress with a twist. I was really hoping for pull-on pants with a safety feature... 😅this would have allowed me to make my rain pants with the zippered gusset and reflective piping!

Thought process: 

1. Remake the Nyoka dress (see my review here). Discarded the idea because I don't love the way the first one fits (too clingy). Considred making a long-sleeved version in a thicker knit, but still was not sure it would be worn much. Besides, the twist was a bit literal, and I could not think of a way to make the pattern my own...
2. Don't enter the Bee. 😞 I did not enter last year because I did not feel like making a hoodie - with or without an embellishment. But wow people really thought outside the box. (I am not sure I would have been able to!). And it seemed so exciting to be part of it.
3. Wednesday evening a few new ideas percolate:
1. a sweatshirt dress (Jalie's Nathalie). Adjust the bottom hem by cutting vertical slits, and then twisting every other one, or every one, and sewing that onto a band at the bottom. OR the Nathalie dress in a cable sweater knit.
2. remake the Brownie dress in a knit. (That would be a twist). Needed more of a twist - so had the idea to do 'curves' instead of a straight side seam.
4. Decided on option 2, using a red-denim look French Terry I had seen on Fabrications web-site. Reserved a car for Thursday after school (yes, I know, I should have been working on my report cards), went out to Fabrications and decided that in the end I liked the sweatshirt knit called.... Twisted lines better. How is that for serendipity! And it is SO SO soft! (More twists)
5. Toyed with a couple of other twist ideas...

My twists, then:

1. Making a woven pattern with a knit
2. Twisted lines fabric
3. the S-shaped side seams
4. the twisty medallions making the lines on the pattern ito a 3D concept (I described it as spools of ribbon getting into a twisty mess on the dress)!

Creation process:

1. Did a practice curved seam, to see if it would lie flat. It did.
2. Friday night (after our weekly pub dinner!) Did the pattern work, pinned and cut the main fabric.
3. Saturday: Cut out the facing fabric (quilting cotton). Slowly and surely sewed the bodice (including another perfect invisible zipper). The curved side seams were a bit dicey, but I think they fit flat enough now. Prepared the folds in the skirt part.
4. Overnight - thought of final creative twisty element...
5. Sunday - finished it! Took photos, outside in the snow.

Are there a few things I could tidy up in the making... sure. But later!

The very subtle twist - in the S-shaped side seam

Check out this invisible zipper!

Cute sleeve cap

Twsity medallion

with a bit more light