A Long Evening Gown Takes a Long Time to Sew!

Marfy 2867 is finally finished!  It feels great to invest time and materials into a project and experience satisfying results.   

Over the summer months I documented the construction steps for this couture gown; see Tutorials in the upper right corner of the Home page.  I used five types of silk to fashion the gown itself.  The foundation is made with coutil and spiral steel boning.  Sewing the gown the way I did was time consuming but the result is a unique gown that fits perfectly and sits securely on the body.

The curved shape of the waist seam is far more attractive than the standard horizontal cut you see on most patterns.  The curve allows the skirt to fall softly over the abdomen which benefits all figures.

 The swiss lace does not support the gown at all.  The lace is anchored to the bodice top edges and its shape conforms to the body.  The gown is quite heavy and the lace would stretch out of shape if it was weight bearing.  The lace is an ideal solution if you love strapless necklines but want to be different or prefer slight coverage.

 So much detail to hold the observer's attention!   Eyelash edges on the shaped lace, beaded ruching, a deep sweetheart neckline, dimensional chiffon petals blooming on a three layer skirt.  I'm glad I invested the time and materials into this gown.  I'll let you know when I wear it!


 

The Traditional Tailored Shirt is Finished!

Sewing Level:  Easy to Intermediate

Finally the Tailored Shirt project is finished!  

Tailored shirt with biker jacket and zipper jeans

 My summer semester students have been working on this project since late June.  The project steps are illustrated in the three part Tutorial at top right of this website.  The most useful part of the tutorial is the explanation of how to modify the shirt collar and neckband patterns to eliminate seams and improve the quality of the neckline.  Instead of cutting two collars and two neckbands, you cut one collar and one neckband.  The modified pattern pieces are much easier to sew which means you are likely to succeed at this project.  I converted center front seams to folds which reduces bulk and improves the shape of corners. 

Modified Collar and Neckband pattern pieces; the right side of the pattern pieces is placed on the fabric fold

The one piece upper/under collar is cut with the upper collar on a fold, so there is a seam at center back on the under collar.  The one piece neckband is cut with the outer neckband on a fold, so the seam moves to center back on the inside neckband.  Here is the Neckband under construction:

Collar pinned to Neckband

You could modify the cuff pattern in a similar manner.  Here are photos of the finished shirt:

Simplicity 2339 Front view

Simplicity 2339 Back view

Collar rolls smoothly; there are simple methods to achieve this! 

A traditional placket adds value to a timeless garment

The three part tutorial will be available at the top right corner of the website through August and then it will be moved into the Archive to make room for new projects. 

Fall 2012 Embellishment Trends

Louis Vuitton Fall 2012 wool coat, dress and silk pants

I found this photo in the July issue of Vogue Magazine.  Louis Vuitton's Fall 2012 collection is full of sparkling beads and jeweled buttons.  The coat is what catches my eye; it is absolutely gorgeous and I am inspired to make something similar though in a different color palette. Hand beading appears frequently in couture collections for fall and I think the effort is worthwhile on an investment piece such as a coat.   This photo includes a coat, dress and pants.  I saw Karl Lagerfeld dress models in jackets, dresses and pants, all in one outfit in his 2012 Chanel collections and I don't care for the look at all.  A person of average height will look frumpy in so many layers. 

The side seam of the pants is also noteworthy.  The side seam is a vent rather than a closed seam, and there is a large bound buttonhole with jeweled button. 

Bound buttonhole detail

The bound buttonhole is a gorgeous detail and I could see that on a skirt or coat as well.  The welts appear large, each is perhaps 1/2" x 4".  Large welts are much easier to sew than traditional thin welts, so beginners should definitely try this.

Check back with me in the fall; my version of the coat and pants are likely to appear.


If you love embellishment, this dress, also from July 2012 Vogue, features lace and needlepoint detail. 

Dolce & Gabbana lace dress

If you are looking for a great summer project and you love vintage floral, create something inspired by this dress.  The ceramic earrings and necklace are perfect accessories.  From time to time I make jewelry with supplies from firemountaingems.com and it is likely they have suitable materials to create a similar look. 

If you love the vintage floral look but don't have time this summer, perhaps in the fall you can create an inspired garment with maroon velvet and black lace.  Referring back to the bound buttonhole above, I'd love to see the buttonhole welts covered with lace.  Enjoy these embellishment ideas.