Black & White

While working on my end of year review, I came across these photos.

The more I wear it, the more I love this dress.  I have plans for a cotton version for summertime, if and when it reappears!  All of those light-weight fabrics are calling out to me when I should be focusing on wool.

I just love pulling a dress out and re-styling it.

Obviously, there is no way to truly disguise this dress, but swapping out a belt, and changing shoes and adding a hat changes the outfit for me, even if I am the only one to notice.

Dress:  Made by me, Advance 5470

Hat:  Made by me

Shoes:  Anne Taylor

Necklace:  Banana Republic

Garden Party, Part 2

After working with this fabric for hours, I decided that I was making a huge mistake.  And when I tried on the dress for the first time Sunday afternoon, I was about to cry.  Note to self:  do not try anything on when you look terrible.  And if the dress needs a petticoat, for goodness sake, put one on because it will make all the difference!

I looked like some horrible 1980s black and white blob.  No, no, no!  Thankfully (at least in this case) I am stubborn, and decided I would finish the darn thing anyway.

My bad mood may have had something to do with an email that arrived two days prior, informing the event volunteers (that’s me) to wear khaki or white pants.  For anyone else, this would be a relief.  Well, you may already be able to guess my dilemma:  I do not own a pair of khaki pants.  Well, I probably have a pair at the bottom of some drawer, but I did not feel like calling in the bloodhounds, as any pants that might be resting in peace are probably some pleated monstrosity with pegged legs from the early 1990s, and they need to stay exactly where they are.  Besides, I had already planned my outfit, and, well, that stubborn personality was rearing its unattractive head.

After a quick email, it was clear that I would be allowed a bit of leeway in regards to my choice of clothing.  I think that the “wear khaki or white - no jeans or shorts” rule applied more to those who were golfing during the day, anyway.

The theme for this week’s Sew Weekly challenge was The Diamond Jubilee.  I looked to the past for inspiration, and my new favorite pattern was a perfect match.

The original plan for this dress was to make a white satin belt.  But, once again, time was the enemy.  So I pulled out one of my handy beaded belts from my lucky birthday thrifting adventure.  And I believe I like the black contrast more than I would have liked the white.  So, thank you 24 hour day for keeping me from my original plans.

I also had envisioned wearing a large white flower in my hair.  But once I put the dress on, I decided it was going to be way too much.  Thank you, Sarah Jessica Parker, for the brooch in the hair idea. 

There was even a bagpiper performing at the event, so I snapped a quick photo - for a moment there, I felt like Fiona in Brigadoon!  And that kilt reminds me, I think I may have to make myself a pleated plaid skirt this Fall. 

One of these days a successfully finished project may slake my sewing appetite, but for the moment, finishing a dress makes me want to get all of those ideas floating around in my head worked out in fabric, and ready to wear!

More construction details may be found here.

Dress:  Made by me, Advance 5470 (gift from Peter)

Shoes:  Nine West

Brooch:  Gift

Earrings:  Macys

Belt:  Thrifted

Garden Party, Part 1

Another Marin Symphony event, another excuse to play dress up!  This time around it was a fundraiser at a country club, complete with a golf tournament. 

I had plans to make this fantastic pattern up (you may remember it from the goodies I received from Mr. Male Pattern Boldness) in a cotton toile with contrasting collar and belt before making a more dressy version.  However, as soon as I heard about the event, this was the first project that came to mind.

I have been obsessed with Advance 5470 ever since it showed up at my doorstep (I believe that sending Peter those patterns may be the best thing I ever did!).

Because I did not want anything to happen to the pattern tissue, the first thing that I did was to trace all of the pieces on muslin (except the skirt because I ran out of fabric – however did that happen?).

My rayon fabric comes from Fashion Fabrics Club.  It was one of those lucky picks.  I have had some bad luck and I have had some amazing luck with my purchases from the company.  I have been hoarding this particular print, and finally decided that I would wait for a formal occasion to present itself and would pair it with a certain Vintage Vogue pattern.  Well, when this somewhat informal occasion presented itself, and with Peter’s pattern fresh in my mind, I could not help but pull out the bold black and white print.

The pattern requires a somewhat fluid material for the sleeves.  However, the bodice, skirt, and collar would work better in a fabric with some body.  My solution was to underline the bodice pieces with silk organza.  The skirt was just going to have to wait for a crinoline to prop it up.

The facings and armbands were underlined with cotton.

I find that it is easier to first cut out a pattern piece in cotton and layer that piece on my fashion fabric before cutting and hand basting the edges together.  Once you move the rayon piece, it is usually impossible to match that piece back to any sort of interfacing or underlining.

Because I never seem to purchase fabric with a specific pattern in mind, I rarely have enough, or I end up with too much of my yardage.  This time around, I had just about 4 yards.  However, the sleeved version requires a little more than that. 

And while my limited yardage did not allow for much matching, I did manage to cut the center front properly.

To help with my fabric limitations, I used a white silk/rayon blend for the second cut of my collar.  The self-fabric section was lined with my organza, and the white satin was matched with some cotton.  

This turned out quite nicely – the collar is not stiff at all, but it does have a crispness that the original rayon did not have.

And, of course, my raw edges are encased in seam binding.  You didn’t honestly think I would skip that step, now did you?!

I believe that I have found the secret to bound buttonholes.  It is time – lots and lots of time and patience.  And it really works.  There is something a bit relaxing about marking buttonhole placement with silk thread.

It truly is worth the extra effort so everything matches up in the end.

And those silk organza scraps were put to good use as a stabilizer for my hand-picked zipper.

So another weekend has passed without completing that massive Spring Cleaning I keep meaning to do.  Instead, my sewing room looks like a bomb went off with bits of fabric and pins strewn about - I am not looking forward to the clean-up.

At least I have a new dress . . . finished pictures to come soon!

Fabric: 

Rayon Satin from Fashion Fabrics Club

Silk Organza for underlining

Silk/Rayon blend from Dharma Trading Company

Cotton for interfacing

Notions:

Buttons from JoAnn Fabrics

Silk thread for basting

14” zipper

Hug Snug seam binding