Sunday, November 7, 2010

From Homecoming to Party Frock

Emily asked me to make her a dress for Homecoming last month.  Though I got within a couple hours' work of completing it, we decided to not rush it that day and go with Plan B.  She looked smashing in her black wrap dress that night.  
But with the invitation to a fancy birthday party at a restaurant, interest was renewed in getting this Asian style dress completed.  We had bought the pattern, McCalls 5002 three years back, so I think it's OOP.  The fabric we used was a rich brown crepe-back satin with a Chinese medallion design embellished with vines, flowers, and, if you can believe it, tiny little bats flying about.  What a perfect combination for my girl who loves a touch of goth in her look.  Emily found it in my stash, and I have no recall how it got there. (Not a good sign.)  But there is probably enough left for a skirt, which I'm sure I'll sew up in my copious free time.*
The short version, View A, which Emily chose, has piping around the mandarin collar and keyhole opening and around the vented hem, and a side zipper.  I added the cap sleeves, too, from View C.  After inserting the hemline piping and twiddling with getting the lining to fall correctly and not sag beyond the piping, I gave up, ripped out the piping, and settled for a regular hem and tacking the lining at each hem corner.  I made the piping with a silver crepe back satin scrap I got in a Freecycle acquisition back in Virginia.  
She got many compliments on it, and I think the color really suits her.  And it stood up to a night of dancing and running about at a very frolicsome event.
I suggested wearing her hair up with this and was vetoed, but I think the collar/keyhole (with vintage pearl and rhinestone button closure) would be more dramatic without hair tumbling about. . . maybe next wearing.
These pictures were taken after there had been much sitting about in the dress -- so it's slightly rumpled, but I think the fit turned out pretty well, though I should probably shorten the fisheye darts on the back next time to remove a little creasing at the waist. 

*As to copious free time, I start my first full-time job in 7 years tomorrow.  So sewing, beading, etc. will be intermittent at best in the coming months, but I'm hoping that once I get in the swing of things, I'll have the energy and focus to be creative again.



3 comments:

Reva said...

Wow! Looks fabulous and Emily is just stunning in it...

Cannon said...

Pam - it looks amazing!

Erzulimojo said...

Thanks Rev and Jeff -- it's been a long time since I sewed anything for her so I was really happy to see her happy with it.