This crushed velvet has had quite the journey. I purchased what was left on the bolt from Beverly ’s before my local
store sadly went out of business.
I used it to make a cute little purse for a Christmas gift
years ago. And then I found the perfect
cocktail dress for the fabulous fabric, or so I thought . . .
My idea of what the dress was going to look like and the
reality were, well, extremely different. Here is the painful proof.
This is/was Vogue 2943.
I had grand plans, really I did.
Somewhere along the line I lost all interest because the
pattern/fit/choice of pocket interfacing just was not working properly. Oh well. You just can't win every battle.
I did have a yard of material left, plus some large and
small scraps. But it was not enough for
a dress, no matter how clever my cutting layout might be. A skirt was a possibility, but I really
wanted to be completely ensconced in velvet.
That poor excuse for a dress was
going to have to be sacrificed for the cause.
(Can you tell I have been reading Gone With the Wind?)
Surprisingly enough, it was not all that painful to rip the
dress apart. I was expecting a few
tears, but it was somewhat liberating to admit that the UFO was never going to
be finished.
It probably comes as no surprise that I love Gertie’s Butterick pattern line (I sincerely hope we will see more designs in the future). And the dress pattern should look wonderful in red velvet.
Next step . . . muslin.
With extremely limited yardage, a muslin was absolutely necessary.
And as much as I love a cocktail dress with tiny sleeves, they are not very practical at this time of year. A sleeve substitution was necessary.
Of course, the brilliant Gertie has mentioned that she is working on a three-quarter length sleeve tutorial! But I just could not wait. (Although I am very curious to see how she goes about adding length to the sleeve.)
I pulled out an old pattern with three-quarter sleeves. Well, I got very lucky, because the sleeves happen to fit the dress pattern perfectly – almost as if they were meant for each other.
I am just hoping that this fabric is not cursed and that
the project will succeed.
So, for now, it is back to the sewing room!
the neckline is stunning!
ReplyDeleteallison
That rich merlot hued fabric is so romantically, timelessly beautiful. I can completely see why you were drawn to it.
ReplyDelete♥ Jessica
I am looking forward to seeing the completed dress.
ReplyDelete