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My Help Cometh From the Lord!

Monday, February 14, 2011

Two Seconds! - Simplicity 2403

It's been somewhat of a heat wave around here lately - 51 degrees yesterday and 42 today.  Today was a very windy chilly 42.  I wanted so to take pictures outside in the sunshine yesterday but it just didn't work out that way.  This is the second of three dresses cut in October.  Remember those?......"The Bold and the Beautiful" Vogue 1189, one I called "Gray's Anatomy" which is forthcoming and the last, "It's a Jungle out there" - which was the original name for this dress.  The second of the three dresses cut in October and the second to be finished on the list of unfinished projects Praise God!  TWO SECONDS!  I didn't really want to include this dress as "unfinished" however since it wasn't done at the end of last year and since I'd started AND finished TWO projects since beginning it Vogue 8696 and McCalls 2562 (OOP), I knew I'd have to count it in.  Twas the right thing to do!

Side view
I made some changes to the original design and as a result there really isn't much animal print fabric left on the dress.  The original dress had the skirt in the animal print fabric as well.  I didn't like it so I detached the skirt and cut a new one out of this red crepe back satin.  At one point I'd considered using the crepe side out.  That would have really been a mixed effect in terms of fabric choices.  Satin bodice and sleeves, crepe skirt and faux fur front band and collar!  Hmmm perhaps............nah!  Virginia and my husband seemed to like the faux fur skirt better - well so did I, after all, it was what I had originally planned - but something happened.  You know how it is?  When something just......happens? Anyway....I will be using the original animal print skirt of this dress with a different bodice - so stay tuned!  Perhaps that shall have something to do with the jungle!
  
Will probably wear this dress the majority of the time with some type of layer as pictured above with this jacket.
How this dress became an unfinished project -  The collar!  OMGoodness!  Due to the pile of this fabric, I think it's called pile, EVERY time I began stitching the collar using a single seam, it shifted to uneven heights!  After multiple attempts I decided to give it a rest. UGH!
Inside Back

How I corrected the problem - When making Virginia's bed jacket I used a technique that Nancy Zieman calls the "wrapped collar" technique.  I'm sure a lot of you are familiar with it but for those who are not -   Instead of stitching the collar as a single seam where you must pivot at the corners, stitch the outer edge of the collar first.  Grade and understitch the seam allowances to the undercollar.  With right sides together, fold along the first line of stitching.  Stitch each end of the collar from fold to raw edge.  Cut the corners and grade the seam allowances....and VIOLA!   When the collar is turned it's perfect!  I'll be using this technique from now on!.  Thank you Ms. Zieman!

Changes  -  1)  The pile of the animal print fabric made it difficicult to make button holes - that looked good.  The small width of the front band didn't help this matter either.  After a few failed attempts using scrap pieces of faux fur  I decided to nichts the button holes and use the buttons decoratively.  I used snaps as closures.   2)  I added a facing to the back yoke on the inside of the dress - I am wondering now if this affected the fit at all.  Something strange is happening accross the top of my back in terms of fit.  3)  Satin fabric is "ALL showing" if you know what I mean so I lined the skirt.  I used a red tricot nylon found in Virginia's stash.  It feels really good against the skin and it's a good weight for the satin.  Had I thought about it first I would have cut the lining to include the pocket facings.  Instead I cut the lining using the same pattern as the skirt and then had to cut facings to complete the lining....a one time duh moment for me!

Inside Front

NOT crazy about -  the fact that this dress is sleeveless can you tell by the look on my?-Lol!).  I REALLY wanted the sleeves in this dress.  Originally I wanted to make the sleeves with the elastic and then I changed to the sleeves with the cuffs.  Unfortunately I did not like the way they set in the dress.  UGH! None of the reviews on PatternReview.com mentioned the sleeves as being a problem so I'm guessing it was just me.  I tried several times to make it happen but it just was not workin'.  Did I mention that I SO envisioned this dress WITH sleeves.  The fit across my upper back is not cool either.  Do I have rounded shoulders in this dress?  Is it too tight?  If I push my chest forward and bring my back together they go away some what.  Is the bodice not long enough?  Not sure.  Gotta check this out when I can.  For now, however, it shall remain.

Front View
"Rear" View.  Satin is just so shiny - LOL, This is not my favorite pic by the way!
What I love about the dress:  I LOVE the comination of faux fur and satin (and sometimes wish I had incorporated the crepe).  I like the ruffles, I like the way the dress feels on, it has a nice hang to it.   I like the fact that although satin can be a very formal at times this dress is not and I didn't want it to be!  I intend to style it lots of ways to get my wear out of it.
LOVE that collar!
Well that's it for now.  Next up......Simplicity 2443!  Thanks for the visit......BE BLESSED!

5 comments:

  1. The dress by it's self is beautiful, but paired with that jacket it becomes such a classic (with that animal print accent). You look great in it too.

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  2. Pretty dress and I like the mix of the satin with the fur! Bravo for being fashion forward. I think it looks great with the addition of the blazer.

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  3. Thanks Ladies! That jacket saved the day! LOL! Thanks again!

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  4. WOW! I a in love with this dress!!! So stylish! I, too, love the mix of fabrics and the colors...plus, it looks great with or without a jacket. I have this pattern, I must get to work on it~ I just hope mine will look as great as yours! :)

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Thanks a bunch for stopping by! BE BLESSED!