new pattern PARTY DRESS

 

Draped, quilted and  beaded, roomy through the body with a super short hem.  Wear tested and dance floor ready the PARTY DRESS sewing pattern is finally complete.  

The pattern is available in Australia sizes 8-14 from my Esty shop.  For international customers a size conversion chart can be found right here.

The Zebra print silk was found at Tessuti in Melbourne and the contrast yoke was cut from some left overs.  I purchased my beads from Maria's Beads and Trims in the Nicholas building.  If you've never quilted fabric or stitched with heavy top stitching thread you'll find a HOW TO here and here.

Party Dress wear testing

The PARTY DRESS has been in the works for a very long time, in fact, I made the first version way back when I was still a student.  It turned up by surprise in a clean out all musty and in need of repairs.  

The latest update is shorter and narrower, shaped, bias cut and with a more wearable back cowl.  The yoke is still quilted and beaded but with some added curves and not quite so spongy.  

The sample is made from a Liberty print silk crepe called Shinjuku found at The Fabric Store.  The sewing pattern will be available from my Etsy shop in the next couple of weeks but first some wear testing...

Experimental Dress Making part 2

Sewing without a pattern.

A second remnant only 108cm wide featured graduated elastic panels.  I'm guessing It's been designed for making tube skirts with centimeter wide stripes woven into the fabric to mark out the length.

With right sides together I formed a long tube the full length of the fabric piece.

Using the stand I worked out the armhole depth in relation to the overall length and...gulp, cut two identical openings down into the fabric.   These were then bound with bias binding and threaded with elastic.

The shoulder/ neck was then finished with french seams, hems were double folded and top stitched.
 

Mary Jane c/o Prada

The White Dress

Looking through some older collections I came across one from Chloé circa 2006; at that time the design team was lead by Phoebe Philo.

There's a group of styles all in white and trimmed with frills, lace and some incredibly pretty appliqués which I just love.  Look how great the flash of purple and pale beige looks against the white.

 Inspired I adapted the pattern for the POCKET TOP adding the straps plus a wide double layered hem frill (finished width 18.25cm plus 5.5cm of lace).  Instead of buttons at the front I inserted two lines of cotton lace.  The pattern for the POCKET TOP is now available in my Etsy shop in sizes 6 to 14.

The dress is made in a linen found at Tessuti in Melbourne and the lace was donated to the cause by a friend.

Hot weather dressing

The pattern for the BATHING SUIT TOP is tantalizingly close to completion and now that I'm finally in my new home I can dust off some of the projects I'd been working on prior.  A spate of 40 degree plus weather inspired a dress version.  The only alteration to the pattern was to add a 29cm wide hem frill which beautifully emphasizes the trapeze shape and uneven hemline.

 

It's also mighty good for spinning!  The pattern for the BATHING SUIT TOP will be available from my Etsy shop in Australian sizes 8 to 14 in just a couple of weeks.

The dress was made from a Japanese silk blend check.  I used a contrast spot for the reverse side of the ties and to form the casing around the inside of the neckline; both fabrics were found at Tessuti in Melbourne.