Yesterday I ordered the fabric for Abby’s gown and thread traced the first bodice piece for the lace overlay. The good news is that she is young with a dancer’s figure; the size 4 fits her perfectly and all I I need to do is adjust the length. I’ll post photos of her in the muslin as we just got her shoes yesterday. The muslin went together really fast and even though the pattern pieces are oddly shaped and bias edges meet straight grain edges this style is so perfectly drafted that I had no problem at all putting it together. I suspect RR’s pattern maker had a lot of input into the draft because the quality of the drafting exceeds anything I’ve seen in a regular Big 4 pattern.
Click for a closer view
Here is the front bodice piece. The lace is tread traced because the beads and sequins will need to be removed in the seam allowances so the gown can be sewn together. The process involves removing the beading/ sequins outside the tread traced seam lines and then cutting-on the seam allowances. I’ll save the removed sequins and beads and then re-embroider them onto the gown to fill in the lace after the gown is constructed. The beads/sequins in the darts will also need to be removed; the dart will be machined stitched, trimmed and hand fell stitched so no lace shows underneath the finished darts.
I bought the fashion fabric yesterday, Gorgeous fabrics has a nice polyester crepe backed satin that will work well. I just can’t justify making this gown from silk when Abby will likely wear it only once and it won’t fit her after a few months because she’s still growing. Ann gave me this lace (Thank you Ann!), and from what she tells me it was originally outrageously expansive but someone gave it to her and she passed it on to me. So I don’t feel the least bit guilty about using it!
No sewing today, its my birthday and we’re heading up to NH to see my niece Jackie’s dance recital.
Happy Birthday! And have a wonderful day!!!
Happy Birthday!!!! Hope your day is fabulous! I cannot wait to see Abby in this gown. The lace is spectacular. I don’t have much experience working with beaded lace so I’m anxious to see your progress.
Happy Birthday !!!!! Have a wonderful day !
(wow that lace is spectacular….!)
Happy birthday my dear!!!!
Happy Birthday! Have a wonderful day.
I really am impressed with your thoughtful posts. They are a combination of interesting material and practical insights – I enjoy them and learn something which is the ideal combination. When you get to the darts, could you make sure you detail the flat-felled approach so the lace doesn’t show?
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday and wishes for many more.l
Happy birthday. The lace is gorgeous, enjoy the sewing progress.
Happy Birthday! The lace is so beautiful, and I agree – nice fabric, but inexpensive is the way to go with the young.
Belated happy birthday, Phyllis!
Hey, maybe sometime you could post about when to thread-trace. Adriana just wrote about how she thread-traced her silk pants (http://theprincessseam.blogspot.com/2009/06/silk-pants-and-top-ohhhhhhhhhh-luxury.html) so I’m curious to learn more about this process.
I’ve done this so many times….you are so good to do all that beading work…most people don’t realize just how much is involved in doing a very simple-seamed bodice when it’s a beaded fabric….love how you centered/arranged the fabric so that the blossoms are “bust bull’s eyes” and you are sooo good to Abby!!!
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Cheers! Sandra. R.
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