Thursday, July 10, 2014

Resistance is futile

I did it. I finally caved. I was determined to be the last sewing blogger on the internet to NOT own the Kitschy Coo Lady Skater dress pattern, but that domino has fallen. You see, a few days ago, someone shared this pattern in my Facebook feed:

Kitschy Coo Comino Cap Top and Dress
A knit dress with a two-piece sweetheart style neckline and top and A-line dress options? Yes, please. I am giddy over the design options and likely figure flattery that will come from this pattern. I've had versions of this dress and top pinned to the Pinterest board in my mind for months now, but have been too lazy to hack an existing pattern to make it happen. My wait is over. Or, at least mostly over, since I'm not going to tackle ANY new patterns until I make it through my mini-wardrobe challenge/contest entry for July.

Everything in the Kitschy Koo online shop was on sale for 17% off on the day that the Comino pattern made its way into my Facebook feed (I'm guessing this was launch day?), and an unintended side effect of this was that the Lady Skater dress and Little Girls' Skater dress also made their way into my online cart. Now, I'd had my eye on the Little Girls' version of this dress for a while because I've wanted a basic knit dress pattern for Eva with a waist seam and a non-gathered skirt (most Ottobre patterns have a gathered skirt) to play around with some design ideas I've had. This sale seemed like a pretty good opportunity to pull the trigger on that pattern.

Kitschy Coo Lady Skater dress line drawing and size chart

I've been actively resisting the Lady Skater, on the other hand, for two major reasons:
  • One, EVERYONE else has already made it. Who cares if it's looked great on the majority of sewists who have made it (in particular, it's looked/fit great on busty, curvy sewists). I wasn't going to join that herd. Seriously, this pattern has made more appearances on the blogosphere this year than Jude Law made appearances in movies in 2005.
  • The second reason is a little more personal: I've owned this dress before.
Yes, I owned and wore a knit skater dress before. In 1994. My version was in teal stretch crushed velvet. I accessorized it with a metal belt slung over my hips and a choker. The biggest stresses in my life were biology exams and finding someone who would buy us wine coolers. I loved the 90's and that time in my life, but the skater dress was a fashion design that I felt strongly that I shouldn't revisit based on the fact that I'd lived through it before. (Granted, I've made exceptions to this "rule" numerous times with things like leggings, rayon challis, and "grunge-inspired" garments, in general. Hey, I live in Seattle now--I don't think plaid shirts ever really left here.)

Who knows if or when I'll actually make up the Lady Skater. Part of me wants to continue to hold out; part of me wants to see what the huge fuss was all about. I held out forever from making the Cake Tiramisu dress, and that dress wound up being one of my most-worn garments of the past year.

I'm curious, are there popular/well-reviewed patterns out there that you've held out from buying or making for one reason or another? Or am I just weird and stubborn that way?

19 comments:

  1. Well I've never made a cake pattern though I have the leggings they just got here after legging season ended. I've made the Lady Skater as both a dress and a top and just love the fit. Now I want to new one too oh well I'm waiting for a bit since I've got a huge backlog.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I made a few pairs of the Espresso leggings last fall and was still wearing them until the weather turned warm. It's a very versatile (and easy) pattern.

      Delete
  2. Well - I was in your camp. Firmly avoiding the skater - but not for the same reasons. I really tried to picture it on my bod and couldn't. I know other curvy women have had success but I wondered would I. My TNT is a shift dress that I really like the look of and I wondered if a waist seam and flared skirt would suit my low bust.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You know, I've done the opposite. I've stayed away from the very popular Laurel shift dress because RTW shift dresses never looked good on me (I feel like I need that waist seam), even though the Laurel has looked good on a lot of different figure types, including curvy figures.

      Delete
  3. I've only made the LS dress for DD and it looked great on her...

    I'm pretty stubborn in general on things like that; not wanting to so what everyone else is doing.

    I have a mini meltdown if I am gaga over a new pattern and someone else reviews it first. Seriously. It's like a huge letdown. So. Weird.


    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Haha, yeah, I'll get that way about some patterns, too where I feel like it's a "race" to be the first to review. And if someone else posts a review first, I have to remind myself that not posting the first review won't take away any of my enjoyment from wearing what I made.

      Delete
  4. I'll pick up the baton for you Michelle. I can't get past the name of the pattern; it makes me think I should be wearing ice skates.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. When the name first started appearing, I actually thought that it *was* a skating dress (and ignored the reviews/posts about it)--it took a few reviews for things to click.

      Delete
    2. Maybe I should get it after all! It would give an excuse to wear my skates again!

      Delete
  5. I've held out on several "Must-have" patterns: the Tiramisu; the Moneta; the Macaroon; the Lady Skater; the Mission Maxi; the Linda pant; Vogue 1027, and McCall 6559.

    Nakisha, There are some patterns that I really want to be the first to review, and I feel dejected if I'm not the first reviewer too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Heh. I've made a few of those. I'd say skip the Linda (the leg profile is a bit dated, for now) and go for the free Barb download. (I've made the Linda, and it fits very well, but the leg profile is much wider than I was expecting.) I think that the Barb will give me what I was expecting from the Linda

      Delete
    2. Actually, I was just cleaning something up and found the Vogue, and I would like to try the Tiramisu. The others-- meh. Is Barb a StyleArc?

      Delete
    3. The StyleArc Barb is the narrow-leg version of the Linda (more of a straight/cigarette cut through the leg). Annnd...at least for now, if you sign up for the StyleArc newsletter, they'll send you a free PDF download of the Barb: http://www.stylearc.com/threads-promo/

      Delete
  6. Well I'm another non-lady-skater-owner! Like L, the name does absolutely nothing to influence me to grab it, but I do actually like the design ... but I don't think it is really me ... J

    ReplyDelete
  7. I only got the Lady Skater because it came in the first pattern parcel round. This was because it was very close to a scoop neck flare skirt knit dress for adult DD I'd drafted in software already ( and she looks good).
    A similar story for the latest Colette knit wear. Skirt = well fitted tube, dress is again, like DD's knit dress, but with gathered skirt.
    I did pick up the free SA Barb pant though...even though my better sense says it's for tall people ( I'm 5') without much body depth. I was thankful they hedged the sizes. < : )
    However, if I were a beginning sewer needing extra help/morale support and not a lot of pattern stash yet, I would probably give these a try. Of course, my long ago pre-baby figure wouldn't have as many issues with them either.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I think I will be the last sewing blogger to NOT own the Lady Skater. :-) It's just not me.

    I do like the lines of the Camino tee ... but in my broke state will likely just do it myself with my TNT tee. Same with the Mabel skirt and my TNT Magic Pencil.

    But I will look forward to seeing your KC makes ... and the new Myrtle.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I really like my Monetas (v2 is not yet photographed), so I'll be curious to see how the LS compares. Most of the Myrtles that have been starting to appear have looked really nice. I suspect that I will make it pretty soon after I get through my mini-wardrobe sewing.

      Delete
  9. You just KNOW that as soon as I said that I started looking at the pattern again ... and well ... I might have to eat my words. LOL

    ReplyDelete
  10. I've decided I'm going to use an existing KS to make my own Myrtle. I love draped necklines but I need sleeves dammit. The KS has 'em and a hack will be very easy. Plus price, which in my current state of employment is high on the list.

    ReplyDelete