Velvet Dress Finished!

As I mentioned yesterday I finished my velvet dress. It’s first outing was to Florence and the Machine. Whilst the dress is not perfect, nothing in life ever is, so I’m very pleased with how it turned out. Here are some pictures:

    

I wore it with this necklace that I bought from Tiger Eye Beads in Wellington (check them out – they’re pretty cool).

In order to get the dress finished on time for Florence, I had a mad rush of sewing the zipper in and slip stitching the facings down. I did a slack version of a lapped zipper where I just lined the zipper up off to one side of the centre. If you want a tutorial on how to do it properly Gerty has written a great one or here’s my slack one:

Somewhere along the line I forgot that my Sewing Class tutor had suggested that I only put in half the darts as there were eight in total. Whilst this seemed a good idea at the time, it meant that my dress was MILES too big for me!

I was in quite a hurry by this stage, so I decided, that rather than doing it properly and sewing the other FOUR darts in I would take it in on the sides and whack off the excess from the sides (I know, I know – slacker!).

I’m very pleased with how the dress turned out and will post photos of me wearing it soon. For now here’s one of me and my Lovely at the concert:

Velveteen Stress

I had a huge stress today as I read on Gertie’s blog that velvet is not meant to be kept folded up as ruins the nap. Naturally I freaked out and texted my sister who was home at the time:

Velvet is now safely hanging int wardrobe:

Phew that was close!

My Inner Julia Child

As you may have realised in may last post I have chosen come more challenging fabrics this time around than in the past. I like to think I’m channeling Martha Stewart when I sew (though I would never liken myself to her demi-god status). However,  I’m probable more of a well if it works out that’s a bonus type when it comes to sewing. Which means Julia Child is who I’m actually channeling  – and that’s even better as far as I’m concerned.

She’s a feel the fear and do it anyway type. I like that in a person. Julia Child’s TV persona is truly endearing.

It seems to me that Julia Child never thought things needed to be perfect.

So when I attempt to sew velveteen (which I hear is slipperier that a bar of soap) and sheer fabric (of which I have read equally doomsday-ish reports – to quote – can get “swallowed into the machine”) I will be channeling Julia The Fearless, and they will call me Penny The Also Fearless.