Rethinking the TARDIS Dress

A couple years ago (2? 3?) I made a TARDIS costume.

This is the TARDIS:

It travels through time and space and according to Neil Gaiman’s really awesome episode, The Doctor’s Wife, is female.

I picked a 60s type dress and handstitched the thing in a week. It was serviceable but so ill fitting. I want to tackle this again, just to have it on hand (doesn't work for my plan for upcoming-next-year-big-event.) So here’s the original:

A cardigan will cover a multitude of sins... like unfinished/incredibly sloppy armholes that were supposed to have sleeves.

Starting from the top here’s my analysis:

Overall: Poor Craftsmanship but handstitched in a week with little garment experience explains that. Also, Burda Pattern. That should have warned me off, but I didn't know that I didn't know enough to figure it out.

Hat: From MIL, cute, but does not fit my head well (I don’t have a good hat head). I think I’ll keep it for now. Reminiscent of the light on the top

Color: DH and I had a debate about it at Joann’s. Not totally sold on it, but will need to buy another couple yards anyway.

Fabric: Broadcloth wasn’t a horrible idea for once. Probably could use a slip or lined but oh well. Was light enough to dance and march in and that’s what mattered. Wrinkled horribly though.

Collar: Yeesh. Good idea in theory, needs better embroidery, and better fabric. I killed my fingers shoving a needle through that thick mystery fabric (duckcloth, maybe?). Also will draft it so the collar goes all the way to the center back seam (not shown)

The Windows: I hate the placement but not sure what to do since the windows are at the top… Muslin was a nice cheap option. Not offended by the window pane sash

Fit: Uff Da. I don’t remember if this is a problem of the pattern (a free one off Burda) of just being lazy but I really do have a waist. I put in little tacks in 4 places around the waist and two ripped out before rehearsal was over and I never replaced them before the dance. Needs better darts

Sign: I rather like it. I wanted it to be a pocket but couldn’t get it to lay right with the tacks. I think I’ll rip it off and transfer to the new version when I get to it.

Length: Okay actually, I like things to end right above my knee and with a proper hem will lay much better. No complaints really.

What I want to do differently:

-          Use my new machine (my wonderful parents got me a Babylock for college graduation, previously I was using my mom’s college graduation old Kenmore when I was visiting them, this Babylock is awesome). Will eliminate some of the problems.

-          Not rush. A lot of the poor construction can be attributed to do a lot of it the last few days right around homecoming. Really, I should know better. What's one of things we hear so often in marching band? (more in high school than college, I think we dragged more in college)

-          Re-evaluate the pattern. I like the idea of the collar but not sure how I feel with sleeves. May use my altered version of Sorbetto and add a collar and skirt? I lost the pattern I used on this a while ago so…  it needs darts, lots of them

-          Pick better fabric. The collar is too stiff for what I want, maybe a gabardine would be better? 

-     Maybe machine embroider the words? Something better than what’s there now 
-     Not skip a class I was already doing poorly in to finish the zip (see 'not rush' above)