Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Evening Gown Update and an Expert's Take on Fashion.

Even though the weather was beautiful (at least that's what I've been told) I never set foot out of the apartment today as I was busy working on the evening gown that I need to have this May for The Wedding of the Century (not mine! I will most likely be barefoot the day that happens!).

You should be able to click on these pictures for better details.

This is the bodice underlining for my dress. It's just a pricey sateen cotton muslin.

This is before I added boning to the seams.






I love 'sew in' boning because it's very user friendly.

I just place it into the vertical seams (minus the seam allowances at the above and below intersecting seams) and zig-zag it in place. You don't even realize you're sewing over it, it's that easy.






Here is the bodice with the boning in place.


I didn't worry about thread color as this piece of fabric will be sandwiched between the fashion fabric and the lining.








This dress has a midriff band.

I basted it to the interfaced muslin 'underlining, 'wrong side' of fashion fabric to 'right side' of muslin.

The actual lining, next to my body, will cover the raw edges of the underlining when all is said and done.





Sally Stitch, my slightly (very!) smug dress form (so what if her butt is smaller than mine!!!!) is modeling the bodice of my dress.

I still need to line and bind the bodice but here it is for now.








This is a such a bad picture (just don't tell Sally) but it's all I have at the moment.

Anyway, the dress still needs to be lined, the bodice still needs to be bound at the top, and actually the back center seam will end up getting ripped out. This is because I'm using an invisible zipper, and I use the Islander technique that calls for the the whole zipper seam to be open during the installation of the zipper!!!!

Go figure! But I've used this technique before and it actually works!!

I tried to put Hans to work at the end of the fitting process but what can I say.
I had the dress on, and all I asked was that he tell me if the seam allowances in the back would 'abutt' each other as this is where the zipper will be placed.
After a bit of monkeying around (really while I waited for him to make sure his online poker hand was stable) he assured me that everything was A-OK.

So, hoping that Hans knew what he was talking about I took the dress off, placed it on Sally Stitch, and proceeded to take pictures. During this time I was wearing nothing but my strapless bra, Victoria's Secret panties, and a pair of heels.

Okay, I realize it wasn't a pretty picture but when I was finally done Hans' remark was, "No wonder all the men who design fashion are gay otherwise they'd never get anything done."

I Thank God that man is nearsighted!!!

8 comments:

Cyndi said...

Laura, that dress is going to be gorgeous! I hope you're going to "model" it for us once you are finished. And what is wrong with Hans? You - as adorable as you are - standing around in your bra and panties with heels on - and you were able to get work done on your dress? That man really needs new glasses! LOL

Have a great day!

XOXO,

Cyndi

Gretchen the Household Deity said...

Very pretty! I love that it's a print, you will definitely stand out.

Katie Alender said...

The bodice is beautiful! The whole thing is going to be lovely.

gwensews said...

Your dress is coming along really well. Nice sewing!

laura said...

Thank you so much for the positive remarks!
Cyndi, Hans knew better than to 'pester' me while I was trying to get this dress together. And I prefer him to remain near sighted since it has the same effect as dim lighting in a dressing room. I want to live in a world of illusion.
Trena, I used your swayback adjustment for the first time in my life. We'll see if it works.

laura said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Two Pitties in the City said...

Oh, that looks amazing! How did you get Clorax to give up the material?

laura said...

Schwang, she finally fell asleep on the very edge of the fabric and I was able to work around her.