This year's valentine's dress was so excitedly finished that I pre-emptively wore it a week early.
I'm a terrible outfit repeater, but I see different people every day of the week (part time job, class) so usually it doesn't really matter. Somehow I think people would notice if I wore the same dress two Thursdays in a row, especially since I received several compliments from my lovely classmates. Thanks, classmates!
This is version two of New Look 6145 previously blogged here. After I noticed the fit of the dress, I made a swayback alteration with the help of this fantastic tutorial but I still needed some help, so I went to my very first sewing class ever. I was so excited, and it was a great experience. It was a free-form, bring-your-own-project type class, which was really useful, because I was able to bring my pattern tracing supplies and get some individual help, as well as learning from the other students' questions. I got my pattern all sorted and cut out this lovely peachy-pink kona, and took it home to sew. It was.... better, but still not great. The back looked a lot better--I wanted it to remain zipperless, so I won't get that smooth line of a fitted dress, but it does look and fit much better. The front was still droopy, though, and that's what I really wanted help on. But I fixed it, basically. It isn't perfect, but I have cut and sewed and unpicked this dress too many times to do it again.
Somehow during these alterations, I think the hips got tighter? Not sure how that happened. I may just be the drape of the fabric? My last (hopefully) change to the fit will be to add a wedge to the front and back, starting at nothing at the neck and adding ~1" to the front and back center at the bottom. I think that will alleviate bunchiness at the torso and allow it to drape better for a better side silhouette, which is admittedly not super cute right now.
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| indoor mirror detail shot |
The extensive (for me anyway) hand finishing done on this dress more than made up for the lack of zipper: hand hemmed, hand finished bias arm holes, and handtacked-on lace and bow. It was a good excuse to watch lots of Dark Shadows on Netflix as I worked.
We startled a deer, who then startled me, while photographing, but this shows the shape of the dress to it's best advantage.
I look like a creepy doll. Perrrrfect.
If I wear these with cardigans I can stretch them to spring, and some colors into fall. This one looked cute with black tights and heels when I wore it last week. Do I want some white go-go boots? Wouldn't it look perfect with some Ferragamo Vara pumps? Exactly how many variations on this shift can I make and wear? What do you think?
