21 posts tagged “dress”

Finished my dress last night!  Just in time to see Wicked today.  People really don't dress around here.  I don't know why you wouldn't, it is so much fun to dress up when you are going to something like that.  Anyway.  Wicked was fabulous, and I was very happy with my dress.  I wore it with some fantastic shoes that didn't show up in the picture, some cream coloured oxford-style booties, they were different, not your typical heels, but I liked them :)  My hair looked better earlier.  These pics were at the end of the night after I had a hat on and everything.

The pattern and design were all my own.  Took me a while to figure out what I wanted to do with that gorgeous red velvet fabric and I think it worked really well in this dress.  Plus, I have a BUNCH left over, so I can make something else as well.  I don't know if you can see it in the pictures, but the velvet has a gorgeous pattern/texture.  I've never seen anything like it.  The top is made of a creamy silk and has some fantastic buttons on the sleeves (purely for decorations).  The skirt is floor length and has a godet in the back which makes a mini-train.  The skirt is also lined and makes a wonderful sound when I walk :)  The sash thing around the middle/top is a red and sort of sparkly sheer, randomly ruched and stitched up.
It looked more Edwardian than I was expected, but I love the way it turned out.  One of the first that I completely made the pattern and concept for, so I'm proud of it.   The thing fits like a glove, one of the perks of making your own patterns, and I love the way the skirt hangs.

Anyway, lots of fun! 

~Nikki

I've had these pics sitting around a while so I thought I would post them!  This is one of those franken-patterns.  Much adjusting was done, but it turned out just like I wanted it to when I bought the fabric.  The fabric is wonderful, btw.  Nice weight, texture.  I enjoy it :)  I wore it on a tour of the cemetary (morbid, I know) and got some comments on it.  Always a nice feeling when someone comments on your clothes or asks where you got it when you know they didn't know that you made it yourself!

For lack of a better name.  I bet you guys can't tell that I like Hawaiian prints, can you? [See: here, here, and here]  I know, I know, how cheesy.  But they just scream summer to me.

Just finished this one today!  It is from a Burda magazine pattern.  Oh, how I dislike working with those things.  Tracing the pattern is such a pain, and those instructions leave much to be desired.  But they always turn out cute! 

I had to have started this project about a year ago.  It just got stashed away for some reason and I never got around to finishing it until my recent 'finish started projects' quest I started on.  Perhaps the fabric was just too obnoxious to work with, or hand hemming a circle skirt was too daunting.  Or perhaps I thought the design was just absurd.  In any case, it didn't take me long to finish it, I'd picked it up and put it down so many times that it was practically done already!  I really love the fabric, and I love how it turned out.

I just snapped a few pics before I headed out for the night, so they aren't that great, but you get the idea :)

B4919

Here is a picture of the pattern, Butterick 4919.  It isn't a halter, though it looks like it in the picture.  The construction was incredibly bizarre, you have to hook the front part of the bodice around in the back (I used some stretchy bra back thing, worked great), then you have to zip up the back, over the hooked part (it isn't a halter, I know it looks like it on the pattern), then you have to take the side sashes, which are attached to the back (which isn't attached to the front of the bodice at the sides) and wrap them around the front.  Really strange.  I can't imagine that there wasn't a better way to go about that.
But other than that, my only other qualm was that it was very low cut.  Such that, I kept looking down to make sure I wasn't flashing anyone :P

Anyway, without further ado, a couple of pics.  I may have to take more, just for my 'records', that have better lighting.

First pic I have a petticoat underneath, I really love the shape with the petticoat :)  But for ease, I wore it without when I went to the concert.

Anyway, those are the only pics I have of projects for now!  I'm nearly down with a few more, starting a couple more, and have some that I haven't taken pictures of yet but are finished :) 

~Nikki

I'm terrible at coming up with 'names' for these posts.  Anyway, this is a dress that I finished about a week and a half ago.  I'm pleased with how it turned out, I'm honestly surprised at how well it ended up fitting.  I only had to take the top of the back in like, 2 inches to account for me (apparently) freakishly small back.  Is it possible that they account for slouching ease in patterns?  Because I don't slouch...That could be my problem.

Anyway.  Pics.

Ah, and does anyone remember that awful orange dress?  Well, I discovered/finally found the wonderful invention of elastic thread.  Now, I'm not saying it makes the dress decent, but it does improve it a bit.
Before and after shot:

Compare

Still working on that peasant shirt, which is shaping up to have more embroidery than I intended, though still nothing complicated.  I've also started on another dress, with some pre-pleated dark teal fabric. I have the bodice half way done and I really think it is going to turn out.  Which is always exciting, lol.

Anyway, that's it.  Off to...do something.  Work out, apply for jobs, have a mental breakdown, etc.

~Nikki

Most everything is in half completed stages.  But I finished two of them today, which is exciting.

First, a skirt.  I had a hell of a time with this one.  Not because I didn't use a pattern, but because I wasn't entirely sure what I wanted to do with it.  It started out too gathered on the top, I had to rip the thing apart countless number of times.  I got it to where it was 'all right' today but decided that just wouldn't do it for me.  I'm making it, I spent money and time on it, it better be exactly how I want it!  So, I ripped the completely finished skirt out and reworked most of it.  Added some pleats, some more darts, etc.  I like it now.  I had also stopped at Hobby Lobby to pick up some cord for the drawstring and bought some beads and little bells to add to it :)  It'll jingle when I walk.

Excuse the stomach shot please, I know it burns the eyes.  Anyway, the last two are comparisons of the two different finished projects today.  The first one is the last one I went with.  I thought all the gathers on the other was unflattering...  Anyway, I loved the fabric, it is a super comfortable skirt.  And it should be, it looks straight from the front, but the thing is made out of 3 yards of fabric for each layer.  It is a LOT of fabric.
I have some similar fabric that I bought at the same time, but it is maroon.  Anyway, I came up with an awesome idea on how to make that one.  It is going to be the same type of skirt (long?) but the construction is going to be very different.  And it will take forever.  Oh well :)

And this is the first pattern I've actually finished from the Burda magazine.  Construction wasn't too bad, but their directions are terrible.  I had a few problems with it.  All the gathering at the top made the seams really stiff and sort of stick out.  They are better now, or I've gotten used to them, either way.  Eek, another thing is that this dress is dangerously and uncomfortably low cut.  I've even sewed it up about an inch and it is still a bit too scandalous.  I need to find some way to wear it or I'll just be falling out of it all the time.
I still like it though.  I like the design and the fabric.  I'm sad that my bright orange lining doesn't get to show through though!

Well, that is what I did today after I got home.  :)  Productive or what?  Ha, not really, both were practically finished already.  Time to get started on some more projects!  I leave for Massachusetts in 2 weeks so I need some things to wear there.  Seriously, why don't they just add the bloody $15 on to the ticket?  Why do they have to charge you for baggage?  That is the dumbest thing ever.

~Nikki

I thought I needed a reminder about why I don't buy, or even look at, babydoll/empire waisted clothing.  Most of the time, they just make a person look pregnant.  I'm no different.

The biggest problem was that the gathers at the waist seam didn't just flow/fall straight down, they kind of bunched OUT.  Which, needless to say, isn't flattering.  Well, the picture on the pattern looked cute.  Maybe I'll save this as a grocery-shopping dress or something :P  Or a house dress.  It is really comfortable.  Maybe it'll grow on me, who knows.

I have quite a few projects going right now, always one thing left to do, I need to buy a zipper, or I need to hem, etc etc, but I feel like I dislocated something in my left back/neck/shoulder blade area and I don't really feel like sitting at a machine.  I made the mistake of cutting something out, where I sit on the floor bent over the fabric.  Not the best idea I had.  Anyway, I'm sure it'll go away soon.  In the meantime, I'll use 'in need of health insurance' as another motive to find a job.  I applied to like, 3 earlier today.  One that I was really excited about turns out to be an internship.  A paid one, but I'm going to leave that till the end in case I'm desperately in need by the time September comes around.  Which, holy crap, is fairly soon seeing as how 2 weeks of August will be spent wasting time in Massachusetts (without a sewing machine!)

Anyway, that is enough rambling.  I may watch Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna again tonight :P

~Nikki

Figured I would post these as well.  I wasn't terribly happy with the way they turned out.  I finished them quite a while ago but never posted them.  Couldn't hurt.

Maybe I never posted because the pictures turned out so horrible?  Even though I wasn't happy with how it turned out, the dress doesn't look this bad in person.  The fabric was a nightmare to work with, but the side that I used as a DULL satin, not as shiny as the pictures make it out.  The only shiny thing were the dots.  Since it isn't as shiny in person, it doesn't look quite a messy.
Still, I used this pattern and I blame most of my problems on the pattern.  After the first bit, I noticed my fabric stretched A LOT, so I stay stitched the edges, so it wasn't that.  The pattern pieces were just so awkwardly shaped and sized that NOTHING fit (notice the elastic in the back?  My addition)  Just....nothing fit were it was supposed to, the neck was about 5 inches too long, the back gaped, but if you tried to bring it in it stretched everything across the bust really awkwardly.  It as just a disaster.  I didn't give up on it though.  Until the hem.  I finished the dress and after I spent AGES putting up the hem, I realised what a disaster the hem was.  It was all puckered and bubbly.  It needs some hem tape very badly but I'm not really willing at the moment to work on it.  Maybe when I need something to do during a movie.  Anyway, This is my disaster of a Monroe dress.

Here is another one that didn't turn out so hot, another repro vintage pattern from butterick.  I'm almost unwilling to try the other ones that I have.  Anyway.  This is after I took it in about two inches on both sides around the waist.  The stupid thing fit like a mumu. And while I know wiggle dresses may sort of look like shift dresses, they aren't supposed to FIT like them!   The fit ended up being a little better, but it is still a little awkward and doesn't really fall like it is supposed to.  I tried taking it apart and ruching it on the side, but that didn't work either, though it would if I made my own pattern for it.  This one has the possibility of being wearable, but I'm not sure.  Eh.  Oh well, they don't all turn out.

I'm fairly certain those are all the disasters I have for now.  I'm working on a shirt that may end up in that category too...


~Nikki

I'm not clever with names :P  It's one of those Butterick repro patterns.  I made it out of a teal linen, fantastic fabric to work with.  Wearing it with a belt it absolutely necessary (I may make one from the pattern instead of the store bought one) as well as a petticoat.  Excuse the petticoat poking out in the pictures, it was made for a longer dress and I haven't taken it up enough yet.  I will though, before I wear it out :P

Anyway, not much to say on this one, fairly quick construction, only hiccup was that I ran out of fabric and had to run around trying to find the same one at all the Joann's stores in the area.  It all turned out in the end though!