2012 Christmas Party Dress 2

Well, I did it!

Christmas party cocktail dress:

I left it til the last minute, so the insides aren't as nicely finished as I might have liked, but I did like the end result. Sadly it was an outdoor party and the weather has been pretty cool and there was a strong breeze, so I wore my jacket over it for most of the night

So, its the bodice for Style 1157, with a pleated skirt instead of flared. I pleated the midriff section (I ironed it into pleats onto fusible interfacing and then cut out the piece. Worked really well, and added some extra form to the midriff, which had a habit of sagging.

I also added ruffles around the neck and pleats on the arms. I liked the way the different textures worked with the fabric, which was a kind of shot taffeta, with hot pink warp and black weft, ending up this lovely festive dark pink. It was lovely to sew with, but creased up really easily!

I sewed the bodice halves to the skirt front and back panels, then sewed the side seams. Most of my dresses have side zips, but I think I'm converted- this made any last minute fitting adjustments a breeze!

I think the only thing I would change is to make the "straps" slightly narrower at the back, and lower the back further ( and maybe see if that centre seam is really wonky or if its just how I'm stood?!)

The invisible zipper worked pretty well for my second attempt at one, though I need to get they stitching closer to the teeth without going through the teeth! (which may or may not have happened with this one)

Total cost:

Pattern: $5 (third time used but fanciest dress)

Fabric: $25 (on sale but still fairly expensive)

Zip: $2.50

$32.50? I'll take that. 

Christmas Pudding Treats - 2012

We went to a christmassy gathering yesterday afternoon.
I took one of my stockings filled with small mainly chocolate based treats, plus some extras for their dog. (liver treat reindeer poo, anyone?)
Plus I made some more of my favourite easy christmas treats - recipe here - that look pretty cool but are sooo quick to throw together.

This time they have gummy lollies chopped up on top, and some of them had a splash of amaretto mixed in with the orange juice. 10 minutes work, but they look pretty fancy!

Also- last night was The Boys work christmas party. My 1 real time to dress up for the year :D

And *shock horror* I actually made my dress! Following up on a plan? me?!

Heres a teaser :)

2012 Christmas Party Dress 1

Not exactly what I said I was going to do, but I figured this poplin from IKEA would make a lovely dress for the more casual Christmas gatherings in the Perth sunshine. Its the bodice from Style 1157, a vintage pattern from the 70s, plus a simple slightly gathered skirt.

The openings are faced. I need to sort out that line to make it less obvious!

And there is a zip in the side to get it on and off, just from about 2 inches below the arm hole to 2 inches below the waist.

The last few days have been stormy, so it needs a bit of extra warmth.

A party dress you can play with the dog in :D

Style 1157 - Hopefully wearable Muslin

So for once, I actually followed through on a plan!

I spent yesterday evening making a version of Style 1157 out of turquoise cotton lawn, bought cheaply from Spotlight for about $3 a metre. Its thin and flimsy, but easy to work with, will be great in the heat of the summer and I love the colour.

I think I need to do something to make the curved waist pannel sit closer, and maybe just a little lower. Maybe a bit of a full bust adjustment, and a lengthening. And make the whole thing tighter tighter. Though thats my fault as at first I didn't think it would fit at all so I used less than the suggested seam allowance, but once I had it mostly put together I realised that it had somehow become quite baggy!

I wasn't feeling the flared skirt for this dress, so drafted a slightly gathered skirt instead, which took a lot less fabric and time. I quite like the look with the sleeve on, though I think its either on the wrong way around (I can never get the sleeves thing right!) or needs to be a bit bigger, as it pulls quite badly. 

My plan to finish it as something wearable is to:

• Sort the sleeves out and try to nip it in some more.
• Lower the neckline and put in an external facing in a darker blue,
• Add a band of the same darker blue to the hem.  
• Top stitch around the details with fluro yellow :)

I do quite like this pattern, so my plan to make something with it for the holiday season might just work. I also have a hen party on the 1st december- we're going to the Races in tropical dresses. 

I can see this with the flared skirt, in colour blocked tropical hues....

Christmas Party Planning

I think I want to make a dress for the christmas season... and I think I might use Style 1157.

I might try making one out of something easy to work with first, that I can wear to work during the summer, and them maybe if I like that one then I'll try with something a little slinky for the party season.

I'm also tempted by Collette Patterns Eclair or Parfait, especially now they are available online! So excited by that new option! But I already have this one sitting waiting to go, so I should probably give it a go before buying more!

New Patterns!

Since my stash of fabric is growing, I decided to treat myself to a few vintage patterns from BessieAndMaive on etsy.

Butterick 9804 - Since I decided I needed more easy wearing clothes, I thought this might be a good buy. 4 variations, which will probably get made out of cotton lawn or some of all the slightly shear poly I've been stashing (such as this one I got for $1 from the Salvos!). I love the neckline in view C!

Simplicity 8702 - I liked the simple lines of this dress, and it can be shortened into a top easily.

I'm thinking it might go well made from this slightly stretch cotton from the sale last weekend (I think it was about $3 a meter)

And then Style 1157. I loved the bodice on this dress- very different from anything I've made before. 

I love it in the mustard colour in the middle!  

And for this I might play with the direction of these oversized spots/scallopy stripes on the different pannels. $2.50 a meter! 

Or maybe some plain black with coloured/white piping?

Now the question is... which first?!

What would you do with these patterns?