The Sewing Place

A purple velvet ball gown, or, what was I thinking?

Catllar

Re: A purple velvet ball gown, or, what was I thinking?
« Reply #15 on: July 19, 2018, 22:29:21 PM »
I know this is nothing like you have been looking for but I couldn't resist showing you this pattern I have just seen. I have bought one of the Named patterns this evening and thought I would have a look at what other patterns they do (as I haven't used one of them before). But I saw this and thought I would give you the link. The models dress is made up in silk crepe for the bodice and velvet for the skirt. It is quite open at the back though. Just think it is a lovely pattern.

https://www.namedclothing.com/shop/elizabeth-gown/

That is gorgeous!
If life gives you lemons, add to gin and tonic !

elisep

Re: A purple velvet ball gown, or, what was I thinking?
« Reply #16 on: July 24, 2018, 10:01:35 AM »
That's a lovely pattern Lizzy... unfortunately not a flattering style for me, I'm better with a waist seam at the natural waist.
Stash Busting 2023
Used: 4 metres

Lizzy777

Re: A purple velvet ball gown, or, what was I thinking?
« Reply #17 on: July 24, 2018, 14:06:42 PM »
That's a lovely pattern Lizzy... unfortunately not a flattering style for me, I'm better with a waist seam at the natural waist.

Thanks elisep. How are you getting on with your dress?


lizzy

elisep

Re: A purple velvet ball gown, or, what was I thinking?
« Reply #18 on: August 01, 2018, 13:57:48 PM »
Right, progress continues.

I'm all toiled out and have decided on McCalls 7366, view A bodice (the plunging neckline one) with this Evadress pattern for the skirt. The skirt is cut on the straight grain so luckily I can just get it out of my fabric without having to piece it.

I'll be lining the bodice with silk satin but the fabric I've chosen to line the skirt is a heavy delustered poly satin. Sadly the closest colour match I could get to my wine velvet was "grape" but you'll not be able to see it anyway! I've cut and sewn the skirt lining as I used it to toile my bodice. It drapes beautifully, but I definitely want to hem it with horsehair braid to get a fuller look.
Can anyone recommend what width braid to use for a heavy satin? And do I use the braid in both my lining and velvet?
Stash Busting 2023
Used: 4 metres

Sewingforfun

Re: A purple velvet ball gown, or, what was I thinking?
« Reply #19 on: August 03, 2018, 13:02:44 PM »
That's going to be amazing!

I'd use about 4" (10cm) or so horsehair braid (crinoline or crin), I think. Narrower and it may not have enough body, while the 6" (15cm) might be hard to adjust to the skirt curve. Try to get the kind that has the string along one edge - it's more expensive but well worth it. You sew it to the hem along the unstringed edge, then when you fold it in, you can pull up the string to make the braid fit the curve of the skirt. The ebay ones are usually stringless - millinery suppliers are better, or dancewear fabric shops.

As to doing the lining or not, it would make it fuller for sure - you can also pleat or tuck the crin at internals and stitch it to the rightside of the lining like a ruffle for an even fuller effect. The alternative would be a petticoat, which are easily bought, and would help hold the upper part of the skirt out, too.

Whatever you do, if the skirt and lining are the same pattern, try to use a different application of the crin on the two layers - either different widths if you do both as a hem facing, or hem facing on the velvet, ruffle(s) on the lining. If they are the same, they tend to fall in the same folds and not have much motion. 
Dancing too much and trying to remember sewing is for fun! Used to be CarolC.

elisep

Re: A purple velvet ball gown, or, what was I thinking?
« Reply #20 on: August 04, 2018, 14:57:36 PM »
Thanks Sewingforfun! I've got time so I'll have a play around with the hem treatments.

Progress has been made - I've finally cut my fabric and started sewing (after spending a couple of hours practicing on the scraps!). I'm about 3/4 through the bodice. I'm learning a lot about sewing with velvet. Mostly about patience! There is no way you can rush the sewing. I'm forcing myself to go slow and enjoy the process of double pinning and hand basting! And it's paying off (the first couple of seams I did would have benefited from a little more patience).
I've also learned the best way to hand baste is to use a catch stitch and machine stitch down the centre. Before I figured that out I was using a diagonal running stitch (as I saw this on a website somewhere) and was still getting a lot of shifting side to side.
I hope to have the bodice basically finished by the end of the weekend, and then the skirt won't take long after that. Just need to make a few decisions on how to finish the seams in the skirt - hong kong seams maybe? Or just overlocked? And how to close the collar at the neck. I'd really like to use a self cover button and buttonhole, but I am not sure how a machine buttonhole in the velvet will look. Need to test it out on a few more scraps!
Stash Busting 2023
Used: 4 metres

Catllar

Re: A purple velvet ball gown, or, what was I thinking?
« Reply #21 on: August 04, 2018, 15:35:59 PM »
Can you not think about a couple of fine button loops made from thread?
If life gives you lemons, add to gin and tonic !

elisep

Re: A purple velvet ball gown, or, what was I thinking?
« Reply #22 on: September 02, 2018, 13:16:41 PM »
Well I haven't had much time online to update this post, but as my event has been and gone, I thought I should come in and share my photos!
I ended up going with a standard buttonhole in the collar. Not super happy with it, but it's not too bad.
I used 3" horsehair braid in the hem of the lining, and left the velvet fabric as is. I decided I didn't want it as full as I had originally planned so just the braid in the lining hem was fine.
The skirt was an absolute pain to hem (predictable) and I'm not sure how, but it ended up too short on one side, so that the lining showed. And not only that, but I had sewed the (white) braid to the wrong side of the lining, so I had to run down to the fabric store at the last minute and grab some ribbon to stitch down over the braid so that it wouldn't be super visible (just don't look too closely!)
The back gaped a little bit, I had planned to do a row of 3 or 4 self cover buttons up from the waist to make it sit better. I only had 1 button left in my self cover button kit - went and bought a new packet, same brand/size/style, and the horrid things wouldn't work  :angry: I'm actually rather angry about it, as this is now the 3rd thing I've bought of this brand (the only brand available at my local/chain store) that is really terrible quality. There was no time to go searching for a different brand of buttons, so the back just had to gape  :'(
I went with a gold metal belt rather than the self fabric belt as I felt it needed something to break it up and also tone it together with my shoes and jewellery.

All in all, excepting the hem mishap, I'm happy with how it turned out! As you can see the colour is decidedly burgundy, not purple, but oh well. I got some lovely comments on it and felt beautiful!





Stash Busting 2023
Used: 4 metres

Lachica

Re: A purple velvet ball gown, or, what was I thinking?
« Reply #23 on: September 02, 2018, 18:06:55 PM »
It's beautiful, you should be very proud of your skill.
Mary
2020 stash: not gonna count, not gonna feel guilty.

sdBev

Re: A purple velvet ball gown, or, what was I thinking?
« Reply #24 on: September 02, 2018, 23:34:35 PM »
It is lovely! So glad you persisted.

Alangus

Re: A purple velvet ball gown, or, what was I thinking?
« Reply #25 on: September 04, 2018, 21:26:17 PM »
Wow what a lot of work. It is lovley and you look really great in it, it suits you. Did you add any boning or bra cups to keep the top in the right place?