I hate it, hate it, hate it when a pattern disappoints. You've spent time - not to mention money - carefully matching fabric and pattern and anticipation is high. Then, as work progresses, there's something, or a series of somethings and you find yourself disenchanted the the project.Simplicity 4721 has certainly become a disappointment. I'll finish the dress, one way or another and I'm sure that my granddaughter will like it and wear it. But it's the sort of thing for which I would constantly feel as though I needed to apologize.
My dissatisfaction is related to the contrast band near the hem of the dress. When I purchased the pattern, my assumption was that the band was pieced in. When I began cutting fabric, I realized that, rather than being pieced, the white band is appliqued onto the skirt.
Okay, that was a little disappointing and seemed like kind of a cheesy way to do it, but I sucked it up and proceeded. Then, as I was getting ready to turn under the seam allowances on the band, it occurred to me that my white fabric was kind of thin, and, Hey! the print from the main fabric might show through. Which, of course, it did. And actually looked worse, to my way of thinking, with the seam allowance turned under.
But since I was filled with the sewing mojo, I decided just to cut another band, sew the two together and turn the whole shebang right side. It seemed like it would eliminate the show through AND finish the edges at the same time. So I tried it and that's where I sit right now. The band still isn't opaque enough to keep the base fabric from showing through, you can still see the seam allowances as whiter than the rest of the band, and it's so thick, I think it will look like an afterthought and possibly weigh it down.I've considered several options, but at this point I believe I'll replace the contrast band with two rows of super colossal, jumbo rick rack. I think it will look just as cute and there won't be any show through