twistedangel.us.com

So I know this pattern has nothing to do with practicing for my wedding dress, but I went a little crazy over this issue and had to make something RIGHT AWAY.  It was my first issue of my subscription from modeinfo.com I let my fiancé pick one out - and he likes me to wear girly stuff - which really isn’t my usual style.  I did think this will be really cute for my Hawaiian trip (I went to Waikiki for my birthday).

The dress is actually a very complicated piece.  I am going to recommend this pattern for ADVANCED sewers, only.  There are really two dresses here.  There is a simple under-dress which has a cute buttoned sweetheart neckline and ruffle at the bottom, and then another dress of very lightweight cotton over it, which is fully draped in the bodice and extremely full and gathered at the bottom.  The closure is a hidden side zip with and an attached belt that buttons at the side.

I picked a fabric for the outside dress from ones I bought on my Paris trip (this time last year … still haven’t written about it … It’s on the agenda).  The fabric is labeled as ‘coton soie’ - or ’silk cotton’ - which I believe means ‘cotton lawn’.  It is very, very fine and truly feels like silk.  It is slightly transparent and not too unlike the cotton muslin called for in the design.  The inside dress is simply some purple broadcloth from my vintage stash.  I was lucky to find an exact match of purple in the JoAnn’s button aisle.  Choosing these two fabrics was not an easy task.  I kept pulling fabric from my stash until I settled on something - leaving a huge mess to clean up!

For those of you who may embark on this pattern, here is my translation and notes:

Warning!! I believe the sloper has changed!  The patterns are not as “long waisted” as they used to be!! (gauging from this time last year)

Supplies:

• 2.35 m (2.56 yards) of 1.40 m (55 in) wide of print cotton muslin
• 1.00 m (1.09 yards) of 1.40 m (55 in) wide of solid color cotton

Additional supplies, not mentioned:

• One invisible zip - measure your pattern for accuracy.  I used an 18 in. invisible.
• Three buttons for center front (under dress)
• One button for belt
• Interfacing for the bodice drapes (i didn’t use)

Pattern pieces

1. Bodice front [drape template].  Cut in paper only.
2. Bodice back [drape template].  Cut in paper only.
3. Bodice front drape.  Cut 2 in print cotton.
4. Bodice back drape.  Cut 2 in print cotton.
5. Outer skirt, right side.  Cut 1 in print cotton.
6. Outer skirt, left side.  Cut 1 in print cotton.
7. Outer skirt, back.  Cut 1 on fold in print cotton.
8. Inner bodice front.  Cut 2 in solid cotton.
9. Inner bodice back.  Cut 2 in solid cotton.
10. Placket (inner bodice front).  Cut 2 in solid cotton.
11. Belt.  Cut 2 in solid cotton.
12. Inner skirt, front and back.  Cut 2 on fold in solid cotton.

For ruffles, cut the following:

• Of the print fabric, for the outer skirt ruffle, Cut strips 12 cm wide until you have a total of 4.20 m. altogether.
• Of the print fabric, for the inner skirt ruffle, Cut strips 24 cm. wide until you have a total of 1.40 m. altogether.
• Of the solid fabric, for the straps, cut 2 strips 8 cm. wide by 35 cm. long

Assembly:

1. Apply lightweight interfacing to the plackets, belt, drape facings, and straps.  [I skipped this step]
2. For the drapes, fold the facings under along the lines indicated on the pattern.  Baste.  Iron.  [I did a narrow roll hem because this was not a good idea for my transparent fabric]
3. Overlaying the front drapes onto the templates, form little pleats along the underarm to align the drape to points K-J.  Baste.  Repeat for the back drapes (points X-Z).  Similarly, gather or pleat the lower edge of the drape to mate up with the template. Baste.
4. Sew the right sides together of the outer bodice (completed drapes).
5. Mark the center front [and back] of each piece.  Overlap each the fronts and backs to match the center front and center back points, respectively, at the lower edge.  The front should have the right side over the left, and the back should have the left side over the right. Baste.
6. Sew the sides of each of the interior and exterior skirts, leaving an opening (as marked) for the zipper on the left side.
7. Piece together the ruffle for the outside skirt (the narrow one) into one long strip. Finish both edges with either a serger or a narrow roll hem foot. Gather the strip 1 cm. (3/8″) from one edge to match the outer skirt markers A-B.  A is on the front right.  B is on the front left. Apply with a top-stitch along the gathered seam.
8. Sew the fronts together between markers A-B.
9. Gather the upper edge of the outer skirt to match the upper edge of the inner skirt.  Sew together.
10. Sew the darts in the inner bodice front.  Gather lightly Between markers C-D to meet up with the placket. [you are supposed to finish the upper edges on this after applying the placket, but I did this with a narrow roll hem before].
11. Apply the placket to each side. Place the right placket over the left placket.  Sew in place along the bottom. Form the buttonholes and sew the buttons.
12. Close the center front seam.
13. Sew the right sides together (front and back interior bodice)
14. Finish the upper edge with a narrow roll hem.
15. Piece together the ruffle for the inside skirt (the wide one) to form one continuous loop.  Finish both edges with either a serger or a narrow roll hem foot.  Gather to mate with the lower edge of the interior skirt.  Sew in place.
16. Unite the skirt with the interior bodice along the waistline. Sew. [I included the outer bodice, as well.
17. Finish the armhole edges and outer bodice with bias binding.
18. Sew and turn the straps. Apply to the dress and sew in place through all thicknesses.
19. Apply the zipper.
20. Sew and turn the belt.  Apply the button and buttonhole.  Topstitch to the left side seam, at the waistline.

Finishing details.

My dress was even MORE frothy and cupcake-y than my picture when I was done.  I went over the finished dress with a vertical steamer in an attempt to make it a little less like a quinceanera dress.

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I previously posted that I got a Bernina 1300mds (2/3/4/5 thread combo coverstitch serger) for a Valentine’s gift.���He bought it on sale - 25% off - I think.�� It was on order because he wanted me to have a brand new one in the box, and not a floor model.� We picked it up from our local dealership - Sew Hut in Clairemont - about a week ago.

I took some pictures of it when I got it home; After all, I’ve never had a BRAND NEW sewing machine/serger in the BOX before!!� I even took a picture of the box … It came with three other feet (other than the one on it) that I have no idea how to use, or really what they do for that matter.

It took me almost a week to even turn it on. I just didn’t want to be disappointed, and I was enjoying that “new” smell. That smell is so intimidating, you know? My issues with “new smell” go back to childhood. I rarely got anything new. Most everything was from a garage sale. So when I got a new doll or other toy, I would leave it in the box for a while. Then I would carefully remove it, but still wouldn’t play with it. I would make it clothes, and dress it up, fix any stray hair, and carefully line up my prized posessions on a shelf. I even went through a similiar issue when I got my first “fancy” undergarments from a department store (I was around six at the time) - I would go count and refold them for weeks before I wore them!

I’m finally wearing my “favorite” clothes and shoes, what good are they if they aren’t worn? Mostly because my metabolism seemed to slow this year and if I don’t wear them now, I may never fit into them again …

Oh yeah … back to the machine … It runs like a dream, so quiet, and well designed. I figured out the coverstitch, after about a day of twiddling, and was so impressed by how resiliant the machine was to my numerous errors. The thread did not break once!!

I put the old machine on ebay - Babylock BL402 (Protege with Differential Feed). It is now sold and getting it’s final tuneup before going to it’s new home. I had to sell it right away, or else my hoarding disease would kick in. So let’s send it a fond farewell, and give it an “honorable discharge”.

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