I haven’t sewn a garment in quite a while. Is it because of cheap clothes? Or I just haven’t felt like it? Who knows. Anyway, we are invited to a lovely fancy wedding in March in Santa Barbara. I went through my patterns and found a simple 50’s style dress. Off I went to International Silk and Woolens, it is closer to me than Mood or Michael Levines. True to their name, they have wonderful Silk, Wool and all kinds of other fabric.
Heres the pattern, the fabric for the dress and fabric for a sash and stole. The dress fabric is linen! It is one of those new fangled printing methods, not using screens which limit the number of colors. Although I was surprised to see a very basic repeat in the print. Probably was easiest to do it that way. Yes, I notice repeats, one a textile designer, always a textile designer. As for the silk, once it was cut I was told the price…. my bad for not looking ahead of time. Lets just say it’s really expensive. I haven’t sewn lately, so this covered my wardrobe expense for a while.
I opened my cutting table full length! What a pleasure to cut out a pattern on a nice large table. Getting my money’s worth.
I lined the bodice. I really dislike the facings one finds in patterns. Also, I would have had to finish the sleeve cap somehow. Easiest way is to line the bodice. When I took this picture, I hadn’t tacked the lining to the waist hem, so it’s sort of creeping up along the collar-line. I also hadn’t hemmed the skirt yet.
With the belt tied. I wish I would have checked this belt out better, I should have made it longer, and I clearly had enough silk to do so. Let’s say I didn’t have enough of the dress fabric to line it, I could have gone with lining fabric. Long tails in the back would have been nice. I was just too anxious to start sewing. My bad. I will not only have enough fabric for a stole, I’ll also be able to make a camisole, so maybe I won’t feel so bad about the expense.
Back of belt, not very exciting.
The completed dress from the back. I do love it. This linen is so beautiful!
Front view, sorry, for the scowl, I need to laugh more.
Like here, much better! There is another difference between the two pictures? Can you tell?
I made a petticoat. My first try was waaay to full and goofy. At least tule is very inexpensive…. I’m not sure this is the best petticoat, but it sure does work!
It opens up the skirt, giving it more fullness, which is what one wants in a 50s’ style dress.
You can see here how the skirt poofs out a little. Not too much, but enough, so the skirt isn’t dragging and the bottom has that little bit of volume.
I love the sash in the front. I should be honest with myself. I’m not sure I could have found a more perfect fabric for the sash. So I’ll stop beating myself up and simply congratulate myself for a job well done. I will share pictures when I make the stole.
Leah