A finished dress and a purse to go with it!

Ta-Da! I actually finished something! Well, I mean I finished a dress (BWOF 07-2007-120)for once! I always finish my purses.

Above is the dress with the purse attached at the hip so you can see it. Unfortunately it doesn't show up very well. It's the Small Slouch from, who else? Nicole Mallalieu, of course.

I decided not to make the purse totally out of the striped fabric. I thought that would look too much like a 'matching combo' that you might find in the little girls section of a department store. However this might not be much better, but I like it. I showed it to Vet Tech Girl (middle daughter) tonight and she said it's fine for summer fun but if I wear the dress for anything more formal then I need a solid black or brown purse.

I guess that means I might have to make yet one more purse!





Here's the inside.

Instead of a totally solid purse I added some cutouts for a little diversion. I layered the top (crepe back satin) over a piece of striped fabric and then pin basted in place. I cut out a random shaped paper triangle and then just stitched around it on the front of the purse. I then, very carefully cut out the fashion fabric within the stitching which then exposed the striped fabric beneath. It gives the appearance that the lining is showing but the lining is totally separate.

Does anyone remember about 10 or more years ago when everyone was stitching calico fabric underneath sweatshirt fronts and then cutting out intricate quilt designs? Then the fabric underneath was exposed and it looked like you had a quilt top on your chest? I had one of those once and I just stole that technique for this. I'm sure I could have been more creative but it was late and I hadn't even started packing for my trip to Annapolis. I was leaving for the Big City the next day (today) right after work so I could visit Vet Tech Daughter before flying to MD tomorrow morning.

Very typical of me.

This shows the paper rectangle pinned to the fashion fabric with the striped fabric beneath.

Now for something I'm embarrassed about. After making 4 of these slouch purses I just realized that I"m making the strap too narrow!

I kid you not!

I was looking at the pattern and realized that I was supposed to place the long edge of the strap piece on the fold, thus making it twice as wide! But you know what? I like the narrow look for the ones I've made. I will make a wider strap on the next one and see how I like that!

I did it wrong the first time and since I didn't realize what I'd done I just continued in my usual stupid way.

Sorry Nicole.

Anyway, I need to get up at 4 AM tomorrow morning (yes, that's 4 in the morning) so I can catch my flight to Baltimore at 6!!! I should be sleeping, not blogging!

But just one more thing! I see that Nicole Mallalieu has started her own blog and you can bet I'll be reading it. Some one who likes purses, designs purses, makes purses, and then blogs??!!

I'm there!! And I hope you are too.