LBD

The common mantra seems to be that a Little Black Dress is essential and not to have one is, well, faux pas. If that's true, my wardrobe has been incomplete for quite some time. My wardrobe's unstable state was fine with me, but I had a limited amount of this wonderful white and black patterned cotton that I wanted to put to good use.

To use the fabric, I decided to sew my own version of the LBD and fill its void. While it obviously isn't entirely black, it's black that has been accented with white. I used New Look's 6723 for the bodice and then drafted everything else myself.



The top half is made from that patterned cotton with beige lining (recycling my leftovers). The bottom half is made from black silk dupioni. Following the technique found from here, I simultaneously underlined and seam finished the silk dupioni with organza. The organza reinforces the seams and also allows the exterior layer to retain the crisp shape that I had envisioned for the skirt portion. It worked perfectly!



I drew my own leaf-shaped collar pieces and then hand-stitched them onto the collar into a necklace-like shape. After that, I sewed tiny black beads and faceted beads onto the ends of the leaves. They blend with the fabric, so you may have to go hunting in the photo for them.



I can also either tie the sashes into a bow in the back or bring them around and tie them in the front.




Overall, I'm pretty pleased with it!

Assymetrical Vest

I had a completely different idea when I started sewing. It was supposed to be a band-style vest jacket (wider in the shoulder and neckline than the normal vest, but no sleeves like a jacket...there must be an actual name, of which I'm blatantly unaware) with crossover tabs and a collar band. I made my own pattern for it by starting off with a basic McCall vest pattern from the late 90's.

Although I altered nearly everything about the pattern, it worked very well as a base. But...I didn't make a muslin first before cutting and sewing my material. Instead, I crossed my fingers and hoped, hoped, hoped that it would turn out.

I really should have made that muslin to have successfully executed my initial idea--no, I'm actually glad that I didn't make one. In one of my states of dismay at the boxy shoulder and neckline, I did a simple flip of the lapel and a tuck at each shoulder,and got the vest!



The blue/white woven Oxford shirting is from JoAnn's, and the gold and cream cotton is from Berkeley's Stonemountain and Daughter. I tried to take closer photos to capture the fabric's details, but neither seems to show up especially well. They look a bit flat, but I promise that they are the way that I've described!(For those unfamiliar with Stonemountain and Daughter, it is considered one of the best fabric stores in the San Francisco area, although it's ultimately no match for SF's Britex Fabrics. While Stonemountain does have a two small rooms for fashion fabrics, its main focus is upon cotton fabrics--and there it shines. However, it's generally a lot more affordable than Britex.)

Defying Gravity with Gowns

...So, this is really a sewing blog, but one usually needs some sort of inspiration, right? I have no event to go to that requires a ball gown, but I was reorganizing my notebook full of magazine rip-outs and found these photos again.

I really don't know what magazine these are from. These rip-outs were sent to me years ago, so I only know the designers from the bottom description lines.

Christian Dior

Emanuel Ungaro

Versace

Christian Lacroix

Gaultier

(Please excuse the wrinkles.)

Epaulettes, Leather, & Olive

I always have and always will love jackets and coats--perhaps it's their structure or their strong presence and personality that emanates from their details and hidden surprises layered throughout them. Here I am anthropomorphosizing articles of clothing...

The first coat that I ever recall loving was much too tiny for me. It was one of my Barbie doll's coats and I received it as a Christmas present along with a whole array of gorgeous Barbie evening attire. Well, I loved it so much that I saved it. It's a bit dusty, but here it is below:


After this lengthy prelude, here is my first trench coat that I've ever made! I'm so pleased with how it turned out.





I made this from McCall's 5525, and my review for that pattern can be read here. I really didn't make many alterations--just a few minor tweaks. Also, I have such broad shoulders that I would have looked like a linebacker with shoulder pads. Accordingly, I didn't put in any.

The fabric is olive-colored cotton twill ripstop and the lining is black and white leopard matte charmeuse. Buttons(I got to incorporate three types!) include leather and metal ones for most of the jacket, an olive one (not shown) for the collar band, and a leftover beige one (initial photo) for the inside button.




It took me an entire week from start to finish, but it was well-worth it!

Quick Post

I made this indigo-colored batik dress earlier this year and didn't take any photos of me wearing it until today. It's crazy and wild, and I am (happily) reminded of stained neurons when I wear it.




I don't even know where I'd wear it. Oh, and for the image below, a separate skirt is peeking out from the bottom. I discovered that the skirt's stiffness allows it to act a little like crinoline and poof out the dress just a tad.

If I could, I would...

If only I could get my hands on an outrageous amount of black tulle and black silk dupioni--I know just the type of evening dress to make.

I have not sketched my idea yet, but imagine the combination of--if this combination is really fusible--Grace Kelly and the vamp (the seductress, not the vampire, although current fads indicate that vampires are seductive).

I would say that I could save this idea for my future, future wedding dress, but the idea wouldn't translate well with white, cream, or pale fabric. Black it must be. Oh well, maybe one day.

I'll just dream until then.

Going Grecian

Well, it seems as if I haven't done much since my dress, but I actually have been diligent with my scheduled sewing projects. I just finished cutting out my material for a spring/summer jacket using McCalls 5525. The muslin fit perfectly (what a relief)! I anticipate its completion in the next few weeks unless I do a couple of all day sewing spurts and get it done in just days--

--Or a day. From start to finish, this project took me just a day:

Butterick 5130

It's a little short for my liking. The angle of the photo creates the illusion that it's longer than it is. If I were going to the beach, I wouldn't mind wearing this as-is; but for the normal days where I don't have grainy particles of sandy massaging the soles of my feet and wriggling their way through the spaces between my toes or the salty sea breeze whipping through my hair, I plan on wearing this as a tunic.

I love this Grecian "Muse" (as titled on the pattern envelope) style. I've seen pictures of another sewer's own variation with a band of elastic running across the waist. I liked that, too, so I might give that extra band a try. What should my next color be? Gray? Black? Something wonderfully colorful?