I originally planned to make it for my grandmother-in-law's 90th birthday party, which changed at the last minute from a fancy dinner to a family barbeque, and somehow I didn't get around to putting on the sleeves, which have dozens of pleats, at the top, bottom, and lining. Every pleat and seam needed to be hand basted due to the slipperiness of sand washed silk charmeuse. (Greenfields, Surrey Hills - the lining is silk habuti from deep stash, possibly Gorgeous Fabrics.
This week, determined to clean up my space, I spent a valuable afternoon off work finishing up the sleeves, and discovered that this dress is mysteriously evocative of a sack of potatoes when tried on by moi ( the zip and hem are not complete at this point)
Eeergh.
See how lovely it looks on the twig like model in the magazine?
No? You can't actually see the dress in the magazine! How could I have missed this obvious reflection of the unflattering nature of this frock? Obviously I suffer from delusions.
There is a lot of work in this dress.
(Suzy sent me some silk thread in a giveaway, and I blessed her with every hand basted seam)
I had to be tough, very tough to fix this dress of doom.
Here is the bodice.
Here is my new, utterly luxurious, sand washed silk charmeuse petticoat, with a 4m hem.
I left the zip in, bound the waist with bias binding, then made an internal waistband with Petersham ribbon. I took the waist in by about 8 cm, adding extra pleats at the back, made a rolled hem, then zigzagged lace to the hem.
Now I need a scratchy wool winter dress so that I can fully appreciate my new lingerie.
Whew! Getting rid of that dress and the reminder of how I have wasted that fabric is a great relief.
23 comments:
Oh my goodness - what a pity . It must have been heartbreak getting those scissors out and cutting into your hard work. The colour is gorgeous BTW.
You are a brave, brave woman. But what a wonderful petticoat! Your sewing on the dress was wonderful, but I think you've got it right--the style itself is just a little too blousy for the soft fabric. The line drawing sure is cute. I can definitely imagine being led astray by it myself.
Great save. Too bad the dress didn't work out as the line drawing gave the garment much potential.
What a shame the dress didn't work out, but how clever to save something from it!
What a disappointment, but what a lovely petticoat. Damn Burda anyway.
Sorry about the dress, but well done in the end. A lovely slip you will wear!
Good save! That is too bad, though.
Oh, what fortitude you showed. I am impressed, and love the slip you made from this. You must have been quite emotional :-)
Oh wow, I would have banished it to a corner in the closet and cried. But your slip is wonderful! Too bad the dress didn't work out. I think that it could work but only if it were very, very short. I think the proportions would be better that way.
I love that you made a petticoat from the dress of doom.
Oh dear. It just goes to show that you can't judge a book by its cover really. What a shame! Is the bodice salvageable in any way? Perhaps you could add a peplum in a coordinating fabric! At least you managed to rescue the skirt.
That is too bad that the dress did not work for you - it does look like a great pattern. I am glad you were able to make something from the fabric in the end.
Such a gorgeous slip and so glad you could save at least part of that gorgeous fabric.
I liked that pattern based on the line drawing too. Fantastic colour fabric, and now you have a silk petticoat, ready for a dress to wear it with.
The colour has a beautiful richness to it. Can you not salvage a camisole top as well...just to make use of the beautiful colour?
I agree that you've done a great job salvaging the fabric. Wow! I never would have considered going that route, but I'm glad you shared this with us!!
Boo to the dress fail, but that does look like a luxurious petticoat!
Oh what a pity! but that is a terrific save. I would have tried hemming it just a bit shorter, to just above the knee, always worth a try. Managed to save a few disappointments that way :)
I'm always wary of garments that picture the model with the skirt raised seductively up her leg slightly, thus making the dress appear a lot sexier than it really is.
I was tempted but also mystified by the photography of this black model. Maybe they didn't want us to see too much! You've done a terrific rescue of such lovely fabric, but I can guess this has been painful. I think "puffed sleeves" and automatically Anne of Green Gables comes to mind.
Anyway, a noble effort. XX
Well done! The dress doesn't look that bad in your photos but I'm impressed with your decisiveness!
-Sewingelle
I am sorry that the dress did not work out for you because I have made that dress and personally know the pain of those sleeves and getting the overall fit right. I also used heart-breakingly beautiful fabric.
Now in my case overall I was quite pleased with how it turned out at the time but once I hit my 40's I just found those blousy sleeves and the pleats at the shoulder seam a little frou frou for me. One day I intend to either a) sew down the shoulder tucks and resew the sleeve as a modest cap or b) cut it off at the waist as you did and wear it as a pleated skirt.
Not sure, as now that I have recovered my mojo (school being the wonderful thing that it is) I may get round to it sooner rather than later.
In the meantime, you may be interested to learn that I sewed a full test garment coat. Now that was serious sewing investment for little wearable return! I did discover some really useful things though, so all is not lost - as you have found with this beautiful silk petticoat.
I can feel your relief! Like others have said I don't think it looked like a sack of spuds, but we all know its how it makes you feel that is so important, and with all that work you'd invested I can understand why it took so long to draw a line and move radically forward. It'll be such a positive experience, wearing it as such a cute and decadent petticoat!!
You are an amazing seamstress!!!
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