Lady Danger - Vogue 1426 and 2931 Mash Up!

It happened to me; the moment every seamstress dreams of – I got invited to a wedding and the dress code? FORMAL!

Happiness levels to the MAX!!

After lying on the floor in a pleasure stupor, my brain short-circuiting with non-stop ideas of sequins, tulle, floor length gowns, diamonds and our Queen Beyonce, I slapped my self across the face and started to focus my ideas.

It was always going to be this; a floor length, fishtail, red strapless gown.

Please say hello to my little friend, lady danger.

DETAILS

Pattern

This dress is the lovechild of two Vogue patterns. From waist up it is Vogue 1426 and from waist down it is Vogue 2931

Why? BECAUSE THESE TWO WERE MEANT TO GO TOGETHER!

Fabric

A wool/polyester blend that I purchased from the Fabric store. It is soft but with a medium weight and has a lovely matte finish which I think adds a sophistication to the look.

The dress is lined with this stunning fabric that I bought from the Alannah Hill outlet in Brunswick Street for $5AU a metre. I basically want to line everything I ever make in this stuff because … ballerinas.

Construction

This bad boy is made up of an interfaced outer fabric + lining + foundation for the bodice with boning. I’m pretty sure you could throw a rock at my stomach and I WOULDN’T EVEN FEEL IT. #sewingarmour

There is an invisible zipper down the centre back and a hook and eye to close.

Changes

I had to move the princess seams slightly on the skirt front to match the bodice seams and luckily the back matched up perfectly!

I made this dress in a size 14 and didn’t make a muslin first. GASP!!! Scandalous I know! I don’t normally cheat on something like this, especially something so formal but having a 3 year old and a baby means all my good planning usually ends up in the ‘leave to the last minute’ pile.

PLUS I figured that regardless of the many layers to this dress, it was in essence a simple princess seamed dress and they have to be one of the easiest things to alter after it has been made.

I did end up taking in all the seams a LOT and really should have cut a 12 or even a 10 (hello weird post baby body shape) which is why muslin's are important but hey, who doesn’t like to learn a life lesson when they sew? I also removed a lot of excess fabric in the bust area which has to be the first time I've ever done a small bust adjustment on these girls.

I then took in the skirt at the knees to exaggerate the fish tail shape, but still giving myself enough room to be able to move.

Here are some movement shots to show you just how awesome this skirt is. You're welcome.

Lastly I added horsehair braid to the hem of the dress, which I blind stitched in place. This just gave the hem a bit more form and helped it to fan out more once again emphasising the fish tail shape.

Features

When I first saw Vogue 1426 I was instantly drawn to the shape of the bodice because what I liked about the neckline was that it was sweetheart shaped, without being too sweetheart shaped, youknowwhatimean? But I wasn’t the biggest fan on the skirt. Then I saw Vogue 2931 and I loved the skirt but wasn’t in love with the bow halterneck bodice. Then the idea to merge the two hit me and I couldn’t get it out of my head.

I love how the shape emphasises the female form and does it with flattering princess seams. The foundation with boning gives great support and helps maintain the shape.

Problems

If I was ever to make this bodice again I would make it slightly tighter on top as the ever so slight looseness meant that the bodice slid down a little during the night and I felt like I was forever readjusting so I didn’t keep exposing my bra.

I would then close the dress with hook and eye tape to relieve pressure on the zipper.

With a more fitted bodice I would also be able to add bra cups so that I could avoid a bra all together.

Conclusion

I finished the dress the day before the wedding and luckily I love how it turned out!

A dress like this is a statement dress and I definitely felt like a bit of a rock star wearing it that night.

And so another me-made dress now hangs proudly in the closet.

Until next time folks! xx

THE BIG REVEAL!!! - Mad Men III

If you stop and listen carefully you might be able to hear it. A faint high pitched squeal that's not dissimilar to the sound a jacket potato makes when you put in the oven to bake and forget to poke holes in it (really creepy if you've ever experienced it). It's the sound of me squealing with excitement all the way from Melbourne, Australia. Why?

It's MADMEN III REVEAL TIME!

EEEEEEeeeeeEEEEEeeeeEEEE!!!

If you've been following on Instagram you may have already seen me reveal a few gems.
But now it's time for the whole ENCHILADA!

So sit down, put on some red lipstick and enjoy!

Click on the buttons below to see all your inspired creations for each character:

Is your outfit missing? Please email me if your outfit is not showing!

Stay tuned for next week's blog post; we have some fabulous vintage brooches from Ruemiraldi to give away. 

It is FREAKING ME OUT how awesome these creations are! This is always my favourite time of the year and I'm continuously inspired by this community. Thanks to everyone who took part in the challenge; you all look fabulous!

Project Sewn Week 1 - Little Black Dress

Ladies and Gentleman I'd like to introduce you to my entry for Project Sewn's Week 1 Challenge: The little black dress.

Project Sewn is a wonderful online blogger competition with six contestants. Each week there is a different theme and one contestant is eliminated until there are only three people left. I've loved putting my dresses together so even if I get eliminated in week one I'll still be sharing them with you guys here!

Voting
Who stays on in the competition is decided by public vote. So if you like my dress, I'd love it if you'd show your support by voting!

CLICK HERE TO VOTE :) (Scroll to the bottom of the post for the voting)

And make sure you check out the other contestants fabulous outfits. They are simply amazing!

When I think little black dress I think, classy, sexy, alluring and timeless. I feel like I could fight crime in this dress. On another note, how awesome would a couture super hero be?

My dress was inspired by my recent trip to Italy. Everywhere you looked you were surrounded by beauty; it was almost overwhelming. I purchased this stunning black lace while staying in Florence, and I knew it would be perfect for this challenge.

I wanted the lace to be the focus of the dress as it is so beautiful. I made a low back featuring the scalloped edging of the lace.

I underlined the front bodice with a cotton lawn and added a detachable lace dickey for extra modesty. Check out my tutorial here on how to underline fabric.

The skirt is a silk that has been blended with polyester for extra strength. It is such a forgiving and structured fabric and beautiful to sew with.

The dress is closed with an invisible zipper down the centre back, and the armholes are finished with bias binding. 

 

I styled the dress with a belt that I bought when I was in Italy. I've always been a sucker for bling and I like the little something extra it adds to the outfit. Below is a picture without the belt. I think it works both ways.

This is the first evening dress that I have made since giving birth to my son eight months ago and wearing it is like a breath of fresh air. It's so nice to feel a bit fancy-pantsy and put on a frock that makes you look less like a mum and more like a minx. It sure is a nice change from my pyjamas. Now I just need somewhere to wear it!

If you like my dress you can vote for me here! Voting closes this Thursday.

Thank you Project Sewn for asking me to be part of this fabulous competition. I am honoured and excited to be included amongst such talent!