Burda 6779 navy lace dress

[SkoutSews]

Several weeks ago the postie brought us an invitation  to a 21st party  .....but... dress code - black tie 

All very lovely, but I haven't done black tie for years and wouldn't have anything to wear.  Then I remembered that I had bought a Burda pattern for a lace dress in one of the half price promotions, Burda 6779.  It is a simple style and the scalloped edges are used as the hems for sleeve and dress, so no hemming required.

I set to preparing the pattern and did my usual 2cm FBA on the bodice while I waited for the ebay fabric to arrive, navy lace from one seller and two colours (royal and navy blue) of satin lining from another, so I could decide which I preferred.  Both fabrics were very cheap.  £5 for the 2m of lace and about the same for my 2 x 2m of lining.  When the lace arrived, they'd sent the wrong fabric, but the seller put it right immediately and didn't ask for the 'wrong' one to be returned, so the stash has grown again.

 I used the lining as a toile to check the fit, using the chainstitch on the coverstitch machine, then adjusted as necessary and french seamed the lining. It was a pig, light and slippy, and took a lot of patience, particularly with the narrow machined hem.  There has been a lace dress thread on TSP recently which was helpful and also I have Claire Shaeffer's 'Fabric Sewing Guide' which also had tips for sewing lace.  As I needed a quick make, I used a narrow zigzag to sew the seams on the lace, then trimmed the seam allowances together with the overlocker when I was happy with the fit.

There were moments of mild panic and despair (often a feature of my dressmaking!) when I thought that the lining was going to be far too light and I would have problems with static.  I had seen a much heavier satin locally and wondered whether I should go for that, but figured it would be far too warm.

It turned out well and I'm pleased with the finished dress, pics below. [Having a nightmare trying to insert pics for some reason, going to try the gallery instead]. As always, it was a learning experience.  I'd worked out that the finished length would be decided at the cutting out stage and lengthened accordingly. That could have been avoided by choosing view A, which would have allowed for some adjustment when attaching the lower section. I hadn't allowed for the stretch of the lace, so the outer is slightly longer than I would have chosen and hangs a bit too far below the lining.  There are a few drag lines where I haven't managed to secure the two layers correctly (that slippy lining again, the zip was a fiend to insert), but again not too noticeable in wear and nothing as bad as wrinkles and tugs to be seen on RTW dresses on the night. I got compliments!  Way-hay!

Next time I might make the top, view C, which won't be so 'black tie'.

[SkoutSews]

Ha! Worked  it out.  My buttons have turned green, sub due this month.  I'll pay up and post photos when they've turned red again.

[SkoutSews]

Photos in the gallery now.  They won't load here.

[Samantha]

Very nice! I do like a lace dress. Yours looks lovely 

[Vezelay]

That looks lovely @SkoutSews - perfect for your black tie party.  Changed times -  for 21sts in my day it was faded blue denims  .

[SkoutSews]

Thank you both for your comments.  @Vezelay yes, my 21st wear was jeans and a cheesecloth shirt - changed days indeed!

[SkoutSews]

Thanks, Fran, but if I can do it then you most certainly can!

I love the idea of the colour-changing lipstick, not sure about the pitcher of blue lagoon 

[mammafairy]

Lovely dress! I love lace dresses but could never muster up the courage to make one!

Ah go on- it was not nearly as difficult as I anticipated. Give it a go!

[wrenkins]

I have no idea what I wore to my 21st (which jeans I mean) but I do know that I was affronted that someone brought some old people!!! I think one of them was 28!!!!! 

[Silver Rose]

Lovely dress, enjoy the party, I wouldn't be brave enough to make a lace dress. I don't remember what I wore for my 21st, well it was 1963! except that my then husband bought me a gold Accurist watch suitably engraved. The watch is so tiny I can't see the time on it nowadays, I still have it in my jewellery box.

[SkoutSews]

The party was great  and the oldies were considerably older than 28!  There was one of those moments when a friend said, "There aren't any oldies here."  Meaning Grandparents.  Then it dawned on us that of course we were the oldies   
 
@Silver Rose , it's a case of blissful ignorance here.  I just thought I'd like a lace dress and soldiered on with TSP advice from the 'sewing lace fabric' thread started by @mammafairy (whose dress was far smarter and more polished than my simple shift).  The fabric was cheap so all I was going to lose was my time.  It's far from perfect, but it did the job. I've learnt a lot, too.