The Redemption Wedding Dress

Last year the lovely Leisl from Jorth and Nichola from Handmaker's Factory put on a special night called 'The Dressmaker's Ball'.

The evening was a fabulous get-together for seamstresses alike to wine, dine and make merry while wearing beautiful frocks that they had made themselves.

Of course I used the opportunity to get dramatic ... and make what is basically a wedding dress.

#divaforlife

THE DETAILS

Fabric

The bodice is made up of the most beautiful guipure lace that I purchased from Tessuti Fabric years ago and had saved for something special.

It has such a beautiful pattern that is a little different to the typical 'floral' pattern that a lot of laces feature. But the best part is the selvages! It has two different finishes; a beautiful scallop on one side, and a delicate fringe of lace on the other.

The skirt and the underlining of the bodice is made from a drape-y polyester/wool that I purchased from The Fabric Store which just seemed to match the style and the colour of the lace perfectly.

Racer back tan for life

The Pattern

The bodice is one of my own designs, with a lace back, and an underlined lace bodice front.

The skirt is Vogue 2931 from the waist down and fully lined. I've used the pattern before for the skirt of this dress:

The princess seams of the skirt add a flattering silhouette, while the low lace back and front adds drama and a little bit of sexiness.

Oh hey sports bra tan!

Construction
The seams of the bodice and lace are finished with bias binding. The dress is closed down the centre back with an invisible zipper
I added the long delicate fringe edge of the fabric along the waistline for a soft, dreamy look, which helps create a flow from the bodice to the skirt.

Conclusion
This dress turned out just how I hoped and I love the dreamy, bohemian feel of it.

I got married back in 2011 just after my two year sewing anniversary. At the time my sewing was still pretty green so I purchased a wedding dress and made a dress for dancing in at the reception. Our wedding dance was a salsa routine so there was no dancing in a full length wedding gown!

Though I loved my wedding dress, there was a little part of me that was sad that it wasn't made by me.  It's like a rite of passage for seamstresses and usually the most special dress you get to make. I was still pretty new to sewing then and hadn't yet developed my style, so it was probably a good thing I didn't make my dress!  This dress is in a way my redemption wedding dress, five years later.

Nettie Bodysuit by Closet Case Patterns

I'm not going to lie, I almost called this post Nettie Spaghetti. This top has nothing to do with pasta but I'm partial to a rhyming post title.

Though one thing spaghetti and the Nettie both have in common is that they are both simple and delicious. How's that for a segue? You're welcome.

The Pattern

A zillion years ago the incredibly talented and total MINX Heather Lou from Closet Case Files emailed me to see if I would be interested in testing her new pattern the Nettie bodysuit.

Recently I had found myself wishing for the perfect bodysuit that didn't make me look like I was sporting four bum cheeks. I had literally purchased two bodysuits the day before her email where I was forced once again to cut ugly slits in the bottoms. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the new sewing pattern. Clearly Heather Lou is a wizard (and possibly a mind reader).

Fabric

The garment requires a four way stretch/knit fabric for movement and a nice close fit. I made my Nettie with Ponte which is only a two way stretch and quite thick. It's not the ideal fabric for this top and you don't get that really fitted second-skin look, but I still love how it turned out.

What I love
Firstly, there are two different neck versions depending on how much boobage you want to show. Then there are three different variations at the back from high to low. On top of that you also have the option to make this bad boy into a dress. So many possibilities. I made mine with the scoop neck and the medium scoop back.

The real genius of this design comes in the low cut bottom for extra comfort and the elimination of the dreaded pantyline. I can't tell you what a difference this makes! How has no one thought of this before?

The bodysuit also comes with a bust-shelf option for those wanting to go bra-less.

Oh and it takes only a few hours to put together! Emotional!

Styled with

Skirt and belt from Alannah Hill

Personalised necklace from Strangely Yours

Lipstick - NARS Matte Multiple in 'Siam'

Shoes 'Piccola Italy' from Joanne Mercer 

I am loving this fabulous pattern and the fact that it's quick and easy means I can boost my wardrobe with many and without too much effort. LOVE!

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!