Wedding flowers

It's the second last day of the year, the last day of work for the year and hence the last day I have internet access for the year and I have been reflecting.

Mostly on how little I have written in this blog despite last year's best intentions. 

It's the taking photos, then the editing, then the writing, the adding all the links, it all gets a bit too hard. But I'm not giving up quite yet.

(I'm better on instagram) 

I have made a lot of things in the past year, including some that I am very proud of - two pairs of jeans. I had never made a dress until 12 months ago and now I have made seven. 

I have also joined real-life sewing group (possibly the reason for less blogging?) this year and met a lot of lovely people who speak the special language of sewing.

(Two of them kindly pointed out the foot I have been using to sew on invisible zips was no, in fact, the invisible zip foot at all. My invisible zip insertion has improved greatly, my last one was actually invisible.)

The first was a Grainline Alder - basically just a lengthened sleeveless shirt.

This was the second and I bought the silk, a lovely Autumn floral pattern, from Tessuti when they had their In Season silk competition, when the silk was on sale for $20/metre, to make a dress to wear to an April wedding.

I had the pattern, Vogue 8241, bought for $5 during a very rare Spotlight pattern sale.

I bought the silk in plenty of time, I shopped for lining and matching thread. I carefully traced the pattern. I made a calico toile two weeks out from the wedding and created a dart fix the gaping armhole at the front, then traced my changes back onto the pattern. 

And then I had a fit of lethargy in the week before the wedding and didn't start cutting out and sewing until the Friday after work, for the 1pm Saturday wedding the next day. 

I got it done, just in the nick of time. Was madly hemming at 11am when a friend called to see if I could pick him up early, so he could collect a missing part of his suit (I think the waistcoat, or maybe the tie) on the way to the church.  I texted back 'sure' and hit the pedal at top speed. Did my makeup in record time then threw myself in the car with a plastic lunchbox of toast and peanut butter (I hadn't eaten all morning and it was a Catholic service). Then drove through and around and across the city as it started to rain.

We both made it, well on time and all correctly attired.

(Outside the church)

(At the reception)

What can I say about this dress? Despite the vogue brand and the slinky lady on the envelope, this is a very basic sleeveless dress with an elastic waist. The armholes gape and you might need a dart or a gathering stitch around the armhole. The armscye is also cut in which looks nice but can lead to bra-straps popping out. 

The pattern included the odd direction, which I didn't follow, to cut the waist elastic to your waist measurement plus two inches. How is that supposed to work? It wouldn't gather would it, or nip the waist in at all? My elastic is quite a bit shorter than my waist measurement.

I learned that silk is nothing to be scared of and fairly straightforward to sew. It also irons well but does not crease much with wear and has a lovely texture.

 I did enter in the Tessuti comp, didn't win (there were some truly gorgeous dresses in the comp, this one was my favourite) but I'm happy just to have made it. I have worn it twice since, once out to dinner and recently to my work Christmas lunch. It's a good dress.

Cost:

Silk: $40 + $10 postage

Lining: about $20 I think, from Fabulous Fabrics.

Button: no idea, from Textile Traders

Total: ~ $70