Butterick 4386 Is a Winner - Easter Dress 2011

Every year I make my DD an Easter dress. This year was no exception. I picked the pattern; she picked the fabric.

We were lucky. The sky was clear and sunny. Perfect for pictures outside.

B4386 View B

Pattern Description: MISSES’/MISSES’ PETITE DRESS: Semi-fitted, straight dress in various lengths has back zipper closure and back seam slit. A: self bands. A, D: sleeveless. B: contrast collar and bow. B, E: cap sleeves. C: below elbow sleeves and self sash. D: patch pockets. F: long sleeves and front drape.


Pattern Sizing: 8 - 12. I used size 12 with modifications.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Pretty much. I made a few small changes.

Were the instructions easy to follow? There was nothing difficult about them. Typical instructions. The dress went together with no problems.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I like the retro look of the collar and bow. No dislike.

Fabric Used: Silk Dupioni and Ambiance Bemberg Lining. Both fabrics are a dream to work with.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:

Alterations:

-I did a pigeon chest adjustment on the front bodice and facing. I also folded out a small tuck(not pictured) at the neckline to eliminate the gap at the neckline.
-Added an inch to the length.
-I made a small sway back adjustment.

Construction changes:

- The front and back dress are underlined with bemberg lining.
- Single fold bias tape was added to the hem.



- Double fold bias tape was added to finish the armholes.



- I prefer the invisible zipper



- Added a straight eye about an inch above the slit.



Design change:

- For the bow, I sewed the two pieces together to create a wide bow instead of the narrow one for view B.

Caution:

- There is a lot of ease in the sleeve cap. So you may want to remove some of it for a smooth finish.


Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? I don't know if I will sew it again. But I do recommend it. It a great wardrobe builder.

Conclusion: This is a great little dress pattern that is fast and easy. Just like the pattern says. A good wardrobe builder.

Thank you!

Everyone,

To all my faithful readers and commenters, thank your for continuing to stop by. The Haute Couture Show was a great success and I am looking forward to trying something new for the 2012 show.

Ann Steeves has published an article on Threads that showcases some of the beautiful garments modeled from this year's show. Take a look.

Enjoy!

Cennetta

The Ladies - Breakfast at Tiffany's - LBD's

My sister, DD and I all modeled dresses for the Breakfast at Tiffany's - Little Black Dress segment.

DD's Dress -

S2248

Pattern Description: Misses Dress with sleeve and back variations. Project Runway pattern.

Pattern Sizing: 4 - 20; I used size 12.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes. it did. I made the chartreuse version on the envelope.

Were the instructions easy to follow? Typical simplicity instructions for this type of dress. Nothing confusing about it.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I like the neckline and the back yoke of this dress. No dislike.

Fabric Used: A poly blend jacquard from New Rainbow Fabric and china silk for the lining.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: This one was easy to fit. Aside from the sway back adjustment, I tweaked it as I sewed taking a chance that it would fit okay. Size 12 is a little too big for DD from bust line through the hip area. I added about 1 inch to length for a slightly deeper hem. This dress has front and back facing, which I do not like. I lined the dress.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? I don't think I'll sew this again. I have hundreds of dress patterns. Seriously, hundreds.

Conclusion: This is a fairly easy pattern to sew. I chose this silhouette to contrast the other two LBD entries made by yours truly.

My Sister's Dress

Wouldn't you it? I do not have a deceit picture showing the front of the dress. Sorry.., If someone gives me a better photo I'll post it later.






B5277

Pattern Description: MISSES' DRESS AND BELT: Semi-fitted, lined dress, mid-knee has raglan sleeves and back zipper. A: self-fabric belt with buckle. B: attached mock front belt with buckle. C: collar with purchased pin.

Pattern Sizing: 6 - 22. I used size 12.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes.

Were the instructions easy to follow? No problems with the instructions. Easy breezy.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? My sister and I liked the collar and thought this was a good basic dress pattern for her. No dislikes.

Fabric Used: silk dupioni from New Rainbow Fabrics and china silk for the lining.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: My sister is easy to fit. I only made two changes: Added about 2 1/2 inches to the length and used size 10 at the waist. Design change: I hand picked the zipper and added glass beads.




Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? I may make this dress for myself. The view in green.

Conclusion: This is a basic shift dress pattern that is easy to sew.


My Dress - New Look 6824 hounds tooth

This dress was completed in November 2010. So there you have it. Three LBD's for the Breakfast at Tiffany Fashion Show segment.

The final outfit modeled was I faux leather outfit that I made 2007. My sister did the honors since I have changed sizes again. sigh, sigh.

Happy Sewing!
C

Claire Danes Inspirational Dress - B4941

This is one of two dresses my DD modeled in the show. It was inspired by a dress worn by Claire Danes. Her dress is a sheath. But I decided to use a shift dress pattern by Butterick. The goal was to create my own version of the pocket embellished dress.




Review:

Fashion show segment - American Beauty

Pattern Description: Career Casual Wardrobe pattern - shift dress, bias long skirt, princess seam jacket with collar, and slim slacks.

Pattern Sizing: 6- 22. I used size 12.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes, except for the pockets and the piping that I added.

Were the instructions easy to follow? Yes, I really didn't use them. I basically followed my own method. I didn't use the facings because I prefer to lining my dresses. So I only used the front and back for my dress. More on that later.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? This one has been in my collection for over fifteen years. I needed a simple pattern to create the "look" of the inspiration dress. This one fit the bill. No dislikes.

Fabric Used: Wool gabardine for the dress and china silk for the lining, both purchased at New Rainbow Fabric on Roosevelt.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:

Alterations - Pigeon chest adjustment

This time I decided to try a pigeon chest adjustment hoping for a better fitting dress. In the past I had a few challenges trying to get the best fit for DD. Last time I measured her, it dawned on me that I should try a pigeon chest adjustment instead of a mini FBA.

Design Changes - Piping was added to the armholes, neckline, and pockets to copy the design elements of the inspiration dress.

I used an invisible zipper instead of a regular one.

The facings were omitted. Instead I used the front and back dress pattern to make the lining.

Pockets:

Here are the steps that I followed to create the pockets.

Step 1 - For the pocket, I used the pocket pattern from S2508, pieces 15 and 16. The pattern was scaled down to fit the size of the dress. Here you can see how the piping is pinned to the pocket. At the curves I clipped the allowance of the piping to ease it as I pinned it to the pocket.



Step 2 - I sewed the piping to the pocket using black thread on top and red thread on the bobbin.



Step 3 - I place the lining (cut crosswise) over the pocket. Then stitched. At the upper edge, I slightly pulled the piping to curve it at the seam allowance.



Step 4 - At the top, I stitched the opening about 2 inches on each side leaving an one inch opening to turn the pocket.



Step 5 - Turned pocket.



Step 6 - Press the pocket.



Step 7 - Using a slip stitch and sewed the opening closed.



Step 8 - Make a bow. Fee Style. I didn't use a pattern to make this box. It was sized based on the size of the pocket flap for the dress.



Step 9 - Follow steps 1 through 7 to complete the flap.

Step 10 - Attach bow to flap step 11 - Test positioning flap and pocket on dress. When the position is right, stitch to front of dress.



Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? No. I'm going to make a matching jacket. If others want to recreate the Claire Danes dress, this is one approach. It depends on what the sewist/design wants to create.

Conclusion: I'm satisfied with my copy of the C. Danes dress. So this project worked out well for me. And DD likes the dress. I can't beat that.

V2237 - Fashion Show Dress

I was not able to take pictures at the show, too busy. So, for this review, I'm using the garment review photos. Ann and Summerset's suggestions worked like a charm. I was able to sew through the mylar dots with no problem. The rest of the dress was pretty easy to put together. This is the third time I've made this dress.

Review V2237

This piece was featured in the Red Carpet segment.

Pattern Description: A floor length, close-fitting, straight, and lined dress has boning, foundation, inside belt, shaped back hemline and back zipper.

Pattern Sizing: 8 -18; used size 12

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes.

Were the instructions easy to follow? No problems and nothing confusing.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? The simplicity of this pattern was perfect for the fabric that I selected. Anything with too much structure would have made the piece too busy. The outer dress was two pieces, front and back with three pattern pieces for the foundation. Simple. No dislikes.

Fabric Used: Sequined, knit fabric (mylar dot). This fabric was the devil to sew. I tried stretch, ballpoint, and sharp needles. None worked. So, I posted my woes and several ladies posted recommendations. THANK YOU. I tried Ann's and Summerset's suggestions. Both worked like a charm. Ladies, if it were not for you, I would have given up on putting this one in the show.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: Alterations - I lengthen the dress. My sister is 5'10". I added straps and installed a invisible zipper.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? The fourth version is hanging in my closet. I was supposed to wear it to my Pastor's Annual Banquet last year, but I ended up wearing something else. So maybe I'll finish it this year. Yes, I do recommend this pattern to others. It's simple enough to make and it's a classic evening gown.

Conclusion: This is a simple evening gown that you can easily jazz up using a fancy fabric or adding embellishment. The community of sewists/designers helped save this dress from the trashcan.

V1216 - Asymmetrical Jacket

I really like the design of this jacket. The back has a dramatic affect. The center back piece is triangle shape that starts at the base of the neck. There are side slits (right side has buttons and left side has buttonholes). I didn't do a FBA, because there is enough style ease to compensate. This jacket reminds me of a poncho shawl combo with sleeves.

This photo was taken at the garment review on March 26, 2011. I call this the upside down jacket because the sleeve design appears to be upside down. When I put it on, it almost feels like I'm putting it on upside down. Chuckle, chuckle.

Anyway, Sandra Young was the inspiration for making this piece for the show. And I'm glad I did. It went together with no problems. It's very comfortable and stylish. Something a little different to add to the wardrobe.

Review:

Vogue 1216

Featured in - Dr. Zhivago segment

Pattern Description: MISSES' JACKET AND PANTS: Very loose-fitting, unlined jacket has patch pockets, extended side back cut-in-one with turn back collar, sleeves are turned back (forming cuffs), wrong side will show. Pull-on pants have unfinished straight leg and elastic waist casing, above ankle length.

Pattern Sizing: sizes 10-22; I used size 14.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes.

Were the instructions easy to follow? Pretty easy to follow. No problems.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I like the unique design of it. No dislikes.

Fabric Used: Boiled Wool from Mood Fabric. This online fabric store has beautiful fabric. Check it out.


Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: I added two inches to the length.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? Yes. My sister would like one. Yes. I do recommend this pattern.

Conclusion: This is an easy pattern to sew. It only took me about three hours to sew it together. Easy pattern, great style.

BWOF 10-2010-128 - My First Garment on the Runway

This is the first of several reviews of the Haute Couture Fashion show 2011 garments made by yours truly. First, I'd like to say it was wonderful participating in the fashion show this year. It allowed me the opportunity to experience the formal steps involved in getting my creation on the runway.




Last fall, my sister and I sat down to look at possible fashion show outfits. This Burda dress was one choice we thought would be great for the show. It had incredible lines and gave me a chance to use something from my many, many BWOF magazines. I started on the dress in January.

My first challenge with this garment was tracing all of those pieces. Man o man. This step took a lot of time. The second challenge arose when it didn't fit. Burda magazine patterns run are larger than the big four. Ie., McCalls 12 is Burda 10. Finally, I tried tracing a smaller size and re-cutting the pieces of the dress. Here is the review.

Featured in - Out of Africa segment

Pattern Description: funnel neck knit dress with side panels and flared sleeves.

Pattern Sizing: sizing 72 - 88. You know BWOF has some special sizes for tall or petite pattern. The size I eventually selected was equivalent to size 10.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes, but the sides in the magazine appeared to be more tapered at the waist. I think Rosy said that Burda probably had the dress pinned at the back to give the tapered silhouette.


Were the instructions easy to follow? Well, the instructions were typical Burda instructions. Several bloggers helped me with interpreting the instructions. Thank you, guys! See this post for details.

More details can be found here.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? Sis, DD and I liked everything about it. The style of the dress and the two-tone, two textures. I can't say I have any dislikes. I had a little trouble with sizing and construction of the two textures, but no real quarrel with the dress.

Fabric Used: Faux suede and a stable knit from Hancock. Both fabrics handled well.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: I didn't have to alter any of the pattern pieces, which was nice. The only change I made was using faux suede instead of leather.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? Yes. My daughter and sister want would like this dress in another color. And instead of faux suede, they want leather.

Conclusion: This is a very unique dress that will definitely get a lot of attention. It looks complicated, but it was easy to sew once I got past the challenges. It’s a great look. Try it.



Here is my flickr set on this project.

Haute Couture Club Fashion Show 2011 - Big Success!

I'm back! The fashion show was outstanding! Hooray for Hollywood was our theme this year. The segments included: Out of Africa, Wall Street, Dr. Zhivago, Going My Way, American Beauty, Around The World in 80 Days, My Fair Lady, Some Like It Hot, Devil Wears Prada, Breakfast at Tiffany (LBD's), The Time Machine, and The Red Carpet.

The spectators were excited and awed by the designs. With more than 90 garments in the lineup the creative ladies really strutted their stuff down the runway with pride. There was a little bit of everything, from classic sophistication to Nouveau riche chic. All in all a great show.




What made this show extra special for me was Ann, Liana, Kay, Nancy , and Patti Ferguson were there. It was wonderful to have these special ladies in the house. Jackie Hamb was also in attendance accompanied by her daughters. Sadly, I didn't have a chance to chat with her.

I thank you all for coming to the show. Next year... Yes I'm already thinking about next year. I'm encouraging you to attend. You'll like it. wink, wink. While in Chicago, take a look around. It's beautiful. There are countless restaurants, museums, clubs, and theatres to enjoy. Some of them are even free on certain days, so make it a mini vacation.

Now I can start to review my fashion show garments. I had a total of eight, six new and two I made before 2011.

Stay Tuned!

Happy Sewing,
C