I Did Actually Sew Those Dresses....

You know. The ones I talked about sewing a gazillion years ago? Okay, well, in January. No one can say that I am not thinking ahead. Ahem. Anyway, I said something about cranberry dupioni silk. Yuk yuk yuk. I ended up sewing a Matron of Honor dress for myself and a cute little dumpling dress for the baby using, get this, acetate taffeta. So I plan ahead, but I have more money in my fantasy life than I do in real life. Actually, I decided it made good sense to use less expensive material, as I probably won't wear this dress over and over again- I'll want to sew another one!  Here is the low down on the hoe down:

Simplicity 5343 copyright 1963

Simplicity 5343- My Version for 2011

That's my big sissy Jessica and I walking together as Matron and Maid of Honor

Yeah, it was "snowing a little down south" as my MIL said they used to say back in the day. Or, in other words, my crinoline was showing. Whatev. I won't beat myself up over that, and it's good it didn't show any more than that, as it was a last minute Franken-petticoat I made from netting from an A-line wedding slip and an old half slip.

Speaking of last minute, did you know that once people know you can kind of sew, they will show up places and expect you to make dress repairs and alterations at the last minute?

Brat! Me 'n my little sis pre-ceremony. Ain't she cute?

Here we all are in our Ladies' in waiting glory....

All of these beautiful ladies are my sisters.
 I have 5! Aren't we lucky?
Yes, my dress looks like a different color. That is because I am the only one in  shiny, shiny taffeta

 And here is the pattern for the baby's dress- Simplicity 9191 copyright 1970. It is the same pattern I used for her Easter dress. I knew it fit.

And in the year 2011 it looked like this...

Her dad put her hair up, but she pulled out the ponytail in a nanosecond.  Later she decided she'd had enough of tights. 

And here is the Couple of honor, my other lovely sister and her husband.

Dashing, aren't they? 

I successfully sewed two formal dresses, one rather large, and one very small. Now for the dirt and details on the construction...in other words, if sewing isn't your bag, you are gonna wanna dip out now.

The fabric: I wouldn't say it was "from hell," but it certainly didn't come from that other place. It was a pain in the tush. It creased badly, marred easily, and it was difficult to press because of water spotting and changing color. And it was slippery. But on the upside, it cost me under $35 bucks for the fabric for these two dresses, and I still have some left. Tha's pretty sweet, right?

Adjustments: I made a size 16. I shortened the bodice by one inch and removed an inch at center front and center back at the neckline only, tapering to nothing at the waist. I have since made sense of the seam method for pattern alteration- the waist on this one was short because I removed the fabric at the waist instead of over the bust. I think I've got it now, doh.

Pattern Instructions: I have gotten pretty bad about reading these at all. I did refer to them many times to figure out those tucks. Those blasted tucks. Those tucking tucks. Shucks, those tucks were a pain.

So, I winged it. Wung it. Something like that. I underlined the bodice in a tricot interfacing. This worked very well. I used the glue method Gertie blogged about here to no ill effect. It was fast and the result was a less creased and wrinkly bodice. Actually, underlining made the fabric behave very nicely. I also lined the bodice with self fabric. I hand picked the zipper. I serged all seams, and I did a narrow hem. I wanted a deep hem, but I would have had to underline the entire skirt to hide the stitches. And I didn't do that. What I did do was mark my hemline, serge it, and turn and stitch it. Not the traditional method perhaps, but it worked out fine.

Problems: The blasted tucks. Did I mention the tucks? And the creasing. Wah wah wah! Actually, that was the biggest headache. I flew with hubby and baby to Maine for my sister's wedding, and I packed a separate, hard sided vintage suitcase for our dresses. I stuffed them with tons of tissue, and I wrote a sweet letter to TSA begging them not to wrinkle them all up.

What I love about it: I conquered that fabric and pattern. It was not easy, but I did it. I also practically applied my hobby to save us a good deal of money. Bridesmaids dresses are often expensive and ugly. Nuff said there. I got to make and wear something special and personal to a most special and personal occasion. You've got to admit- that does rock. And I learned a ton. I don't get sweaty palms thinking about slippery fabric. I made my own cording for the waist. And underlined. Oh, and I made those little flowers on the front from scraps and pearl beads.

What I would do differently next time: sew with a fabric I can press and steam like we're on a train to hell.

Me and my man on the dance floor

That's us at the end of the night, and this is the end of this post! That was fun, but I am tuckered (DOH!) out! Goodnight all!

Easter Day, Pattern Score, Coloring Eggs, More Potted Luggage, the Sew-a-thon....

Today is Easter, and tomorrow my hunny goes back to work, as his spring break is coming to a close. We three have had a great time just spending time together- sharing meals, talks, naps, thrifting, and snuggling. Only a bit over a month and he'll be home for the summer. 

We have had family visiting, and you'll never guess....we went to the BILTMORE! Ha ha! We are getting our money's worth out of those season passes. I won't post a gazillion pics of flowers, just a few more neat vintage luggage shots. 

On the way over there we hit some secondhand stores, and a thrifting/sewing dream of mine was realized when I happened upon a shop that had a whole bunch of 40s (most in my size) patterns as well as some very cute 50s/60s stuff for $1 each. I bought twenty some-odd patterns- quite a steal! (It's a slightly better view anyway, Portia! It's okay- I like to see the goodies you hunt out too!)

The next day, we colored Easter eggs. I haven't done that in years, and it was a lot of fun! 

And, as if there weren't enough going on, I decided to sew new dresses for the bunny and I! I had already begun her dress, but as for mine, I disassembled a dress I found thrifting, recut the fabric for my new pattern, and decided to fully line it. 

It began life as a Jessica McClintock for Gunne Sax style 80s does 50s dress

Add McCall's 9746 from 1969 (borrowed pic- buy this pattern here)

And we ended up with this! 

This dress has a "bra top," it is interfaced, lined, and fitted very snugly. As I said, I decided to line the whole thing, and it was my first time doing a fully lined dress. I also made fabric covered buttons for the front. I like the style a lot, and the empire waist/a line combo allowed me to cram in the maximum amount of my MIL's yummy Easter food! Gremel's little dress has lace on the collar, bunny applique', and I hemmed both dresses and inserted the zippers by hand. In fact, with the lining in mine, I did a fair amount of hand stitching, and all in all it came out pretty well.

Seems harder, but it's actually easier for me to get a nice, unpuckery result

The pattern for Bunny's dress-
I used an applique from another pattern that I found yesterday thrifting- what luck!

Excuse the wrinkles, I took this after she wore it

Yeah, it was kinda crazy. I sewed until late last night, and then I woke up and sewed for a few hours today!  It was fun though, and well worth it because we got some really nice Easter family photos. 

I really hope you had a wonderful holiday as well- with loved ones, in your part of the world, with your special traditions. Now to rest my hands and arms up for some more stitching, gardening, and baby hugging. Goodnight!