Friday, February 10, 2012

The Job Interview Dress

As many of you know, I've been a jobless, stay-at-home seamstress for the last several months. It's really hard to get a job here and my best options have been grocery clerk or waiting tables... not exactly easy to swallow when I've worked so hard for my (apparently useless) education.
I've been sewing this dress for good job interview juju. In other words, build it and they will come. Sew the dress and get the interview.


Well, as I was sewing in the armhole facing, I got a call for an interview. This is HUGE. For every 50 jobs I've applied for, I've heard back on 2. It's weird being the immigrant, so to speak, in a country where they want to hire locals. Today was my interview, a scant 12 hours after I finished getting the hem in this little baby.


So this morning I threw the dress on, along with my lucky underwear and my lucky high heels and off I went. Well, first, I took photos.


Now, this isn't the pose I struck for the interview, just so you know. That's not how a girl should get a job. In the interview, I looked more like this:






 I used McCall's 5637 from 1960. I made it without the sleeves and instead faced the armholes. I still have plans for that jacket.



For the closure I used an invisible zipper in the side and it worked great. The fabric is Robert Kaufman Carolina Chambray in Magenta and I LOVE IT! It's shot through with blue threads and though it's cotton, it looks almost like an iridescent taffeta in some lights.



One thing I really liked about this pattern was all the tips it gave for finishing techniques. It described four different options just for finishing the raw edges of just the neck facing! I chose to use Peridot green rayon seam tape.


 The tricky part was getting my back dart line on the bodice to line up with the middle dart line on the skirt. After having sized up the pattern I hadn't thought about that. I made a few adjustments and got it to work.

This is the first time my vent came out perfectly with no trouble at all. Overall, I'm really happy with this dress. The pattern design was very easy and I feel like I could make 8 of this dress.
As for the interview, it was pretty good and I'll find out Monday if I got the job... fingers crossed!

30 comments:

  1. Great dress! The simplest designs always end up being the best. I hope you get the job (but if you don't all you have to do is make another dress!)

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  2. LOVE the dress! And your photos are fabby! Hope the interview went well! Keeping my fingers crossed! xoxoxo

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  3. Oh! the pattern is so lovely!!! I want it!!!!!!!! hehehehe

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  4. Wow! I really really like that dress! I would give you the job!

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  5. Love the color! Amazing dress, it fits you beautifully! Good luck on the job front, it's tough these days. But whatever happens, you know the outfit is job-worthy!
    strugglesewsastraightseam.wordpress.com

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  6. That's a great dress - the colour is awesome on you!

    Now, I don't know about the job situation in your part of Norway, but back when I was living in Sweden as a local hearing back from 2 out of 50 sounds about right... if you count the form rejections! I may be wrong, but your experience may not be all that different from the Nowegians'.

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  7. Oh, you look like a sassy career woman who's got the job! The dress is amazing and reads like it's own success story - can't wait to hear the good news that is sure to follow :)

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  8. Nice job on this dress, it turned out beautifully and looks great on you! I hope you get the job!

    -monica
    http://www.nowwithatwistofthen.blogspot.com

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  9. It's stunning. I hope it all goes well. Good luck!

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  10. Lovely dress. I hope you get the job!

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  11. Gorgeous dress, it looks great and the colour is fab on you. Good luck with the job.

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  12. Your dress looks fantastic! And I love those McCall's illustrations from around 1960. Hope you get good news on Monday!

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  13. I hope you get the job. You looked fabulous in the dress and I am sure that self confidence came through in your interview.

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  14. The dress is beautiful and I hope you get the job!

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  15. Can you post how did you resized the pattern?

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  16. Your dress is fabulous! My fingers are crossed for that job for you!

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  17. You looked great! The dress fit perfectly and looks very professional. Good luck, keep us all posted. Have a great weekend.

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  18. Lovely dress! I especially love the contrast of the green seam binding. Good luck on the interview!

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  19. Stunning dress. The colour really suits you and you look amazing! I'll give you the job, it looks really professional. Good luck!

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  20. Fantastic dress! You look gorgeous in that color, Anna. After interviewing in such a stunner, they have to hire you. It just shows such good sense! :) Good luck!

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  21. Good luck, Anna! Hope you get the job. And hope you make that cute jacket someday. I will miss your frequent blogging if you get the job, though :( I've learned so much from your blog and appreciate your patterns so much!

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  22. Wishing you the very best of luck! I'm new to your blog, but loving it!

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  23. beautiful job and you look absolutely fantastic. sending all my best juju your way, in case you should need it.. good luck!

    p.s. i'm new to your blog, but am LOVING IT.

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  24. Awesome dress! The fabric is incredible and I love the contrast green finishings. Sending you lots of lucky-get-the-job vibes for tomorrow...

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  25. Any one who doesn't hire you in that amazing dress doesn't deserve you! It's incredible and I love the material and the contrast seam binding is just WOW! I hope it went really really well and fingers crossed!

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  26. I hear ya on the job front (I've been looking for a year now... hopelessness is a good way to describe my state of mind most days!). But enough of that... lets talk this dress! The color! The seam finishing! Fab-u-lous top to bottom!

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  27. Great dress and lovely you. Hope a job has found you.

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  28. Great dress. Job hunting is a drag - all the best

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  29. Great dress! I recently had the same struggles with job hunting :) Keep your spirit high! It'll turn out well for you... (just like the dress:P)

    http://sewingyourstyle.tumblr.com

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