The Sewing Place

James Bond dress

Francesca

James Bond dress
« on: July 08, 2019, 15:13:08 PM »
I really need to get on with this even though I'm not in the mood because the event is the weekend after next.

I'm going to Secret Cinema Casino Royale and have been given the colour "gold" to wear. The identity I've been given is MI6 agent Juniper Blackthorn which sounds a bit like a prostitute but never mind.

I've decide to make a separate top/skirt combo in the hopes I might actually wear the top again and the outfit won't be a total waste. Also as I have decided I'm not keen on my original plan of a figure-hugging dress. I just don't think I'll feel comfortable with something clinging to my belly in a bright gold foil...

The fabric I've bought is this lightweight jersey with embossing. It's pretty cheap but that's OK for a costume.

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I've bought the P4P Wiggle Dress as my plan was originally to make the fishtail of the shoulder version but I just don't want something so close fitting. So I am going to make the top part only. I may actually wear just the top a second time. https://www.patternsforpirates.com/product/wiggle-dress/

And for the skirt I've been hunting for something slim fit but ruched. I need some ruching to break up the skirt across my stomach. I ended up stumbling on the Studio Faro site which has lots of "puzzle" pattern block examples utilising twisting and ruching: http://www.studiofaro.com/well-suited

I found this skirt pattern I really liked. However I would prefer the ruching go the other way (be on the wider part of the dress) but it seems it should be doable to flip it.



The block looks complicated so I'm hoping I can manage it! But I'm usually quite good with flat-pattern manipulation.

Catllar

Re: James Bond dress
« Reply #1 on: July 08, 2019, 19:32:19 PM »
Like the skirt - is that fabric going to play nicely or will it fray to buggery?
If life gives you lemons, add to gin and tonic !

Francesca

Re: James Bond dress
« Reply #2 on: July 09, 2019, 22:29:12 PM »
Started tonight and have hit a bit of an issue, that the pattern is simply too big for me to be able to handle!

The pattern is "one piece" which for someone as large as me means very very large. The first task was to chop one quarter off the front of the skirt and graft it onto the side seam. Then add the remaining front to the other side.

I know I will end up wanting to sew this skirt in more panels than just one piece as it won't fit on my fabric. That's fine, (centre back seam will be the one) but the problem is I do need to draft the full width of the skirt because I have to do a slash and spread with the darts with all pieces together.

Therefore I think I'm going to have to change tactic. I think I will try again to draft off just the top section (to just a few inches below the hip line where the skirt goes straight) so I can get the top gathered extension piece done. Then I will do the lower skirt (floor length, plus waterfall frontage) as a separate piece and then tape them together. Then I can cut down the back seam and have two pattern pieces.

Considering whether or not to sew a miniature to test it out first. Shame I no longer have my little mannequin.

Lachica

Re: James Bond dress
« Reply #3 on: July 09, 2019, 23:18:42 PM »
What a great project. Will follow your progress tho' sadly I'm too old &boring to get to go to such an exotic 'do'.
Mary
2020 stash: not gonna count, not gonna feel guilty.

Francesca

Re: James Bond dress
« Reply #4 on: July 10, 2019, 22:41:38 PM »
First part complete and first stumbling block hit!

In the pattern instruction, she closes the darts to create a curve that goes 90 degrees. When I close my darts, probably due to my extreme hip-to-waist ratio, the curve goes 180 degrees.

Luckily the lady who creates these patterns has a group and is very helpful so I've asked her opinion. I need to be able to close the darts in order to get the waist measurement correct. I am trying to do the mental maths to think if I did it the opposite way (across the tummy instead of gathering on the hip) would the curve be lesser but I am thinking it'd be exactly the same... I'm still closing the same darts afterall.

Also this is never going to fit on one piece of fabric so I will have to sew together the centre back seam but the CB is curved now due to the gathering. I'd have to hope it correctly "straightens out" when the gathers are in place. In theory it would, but I don't know if theory always works out how I plan when it comes to sewing...


Celia

Re: James Bond dress
« Reply #5 on: July 11, 2019, 09:40:35 AM »
Can’t wait to see this, that skirt pattern looks intriguing

Francesca

Re: James Bond dress
« Reply #6 on: July 11, 2019, 09:52:32 AM »
I heard back from Anita and her suggestion makes a lot of sense. Quite simply I am going to try and retain some of the darts in the pattern, rather than moving them all into the gathers.

I think I can keep the side seams as curved darts instead of moving them to the gathers, and also keep two darts in the back (currently there are 4). That means only closing two darts in the back and four in the front which might make a better curve.

I'm going to see if I can boot up Kris' PC to reprint my sloper at a half size just to text out how the shape looks without having to work on such a huge piece.

I really wish I could afford some proper pattern drafting software. I used CAD at school and uni and found it quite easy to use and I feel like pattern software would help me draft things like this much quicker than manual slash and spread. Might have to investigate if there are any cheaper home hobbiest versions.

Francesca

Re: James Bond dress
« Reply #7 on: July 11, 2019, 21:46:34 PM »
Just about to start the second attempt...

This time I will be leaving some darts open so I will close them as normal when sewing. The front darts will be closed by a combination of the side seam meeting and the gathers. The back and side darts will be as normal. I wonder how the curve will turn out this time.

Francesca

Re: James Bond dress
« Reply #8 on: July 13, 2019, 18:47:17 PM »
First piece of the puzzle... this represents the front slit, a closed front dart, round to a curved side dart, then a back dart, and the centre back.

I think it looks sort-of correct! The height would be gathered obviously until the top becomes level.


Francesca

Re: James Bond dress
« Reply #9 on: July 13, 2019, 21:27:28 PM »
Right, top part complete. My only concern is whether I can successfully gather that much fabric into that seam. I need to measure and find out how much fullness/ratio I'm working with. If it's too much, I may do a slash-and-spread and try to reduce the amount.

Francesca

Re: James Bond dress
« Reply #10 on: July 15, 2019, 11:45:28 AM »
Last night I finally finished the pattern.

I took Anita's suggestion and removed some excess from the side by allowing the edge to go straight rather than gather up. I ensured that the top line measurement is still the same, so the waist should fit but the gather is slightly reduced. I'm confident now I can gather that much into the side but I will have to gather the fabric tightly.

I drafted up the skirt portion with the waterfall front slit. I've only drafted up one side because they will both be identical, with a plan to just flip the piece over when cutting out because it's so bulky and annoying! I can chalk in the bottom line to keep it level.

Next concern: I realised that cutting the skirt with the stretch horizontal (so across the hips) probably isn't going to give a nice waterfall drape. I think to get the drape I'm going to have to cut it the other way. I need to test out how the drape hangs. There is a possibility that I won't be able to get the waterfall to work. If this is the case, I will just cut it off and have a flat slit instead. Running out of time to worry about it!

I've got Wednesday off so I can work on it then. Also got the top to make, but as a last resort I can just wear a black top with the gold skirt (my theme colour is gold, so I have to have something gold on!)

Hoping to cut the skirt tonight  :[

Elnnina

Re: James Bond dress
« Reply #11 on: July 15, 2019, 12:10:59 PM »
Please Fran what is the paper you are using to draft your patterns on, and where do you get it from?

Francesca

Re: James Bond dress
« Reply #12 on: July 15, 2019, 12:22:09 PM »
It's Roylsov tracing paper by the roll. Quite expensive but the rolls are huge. I tend to go for the wider width as it means I can get full skirt pieces on it but the narrow width works well if you sew more tops and trousers.

Elnnina

Re: James Bond dress
« Reply #13 on: July 15, 2019, 14:28:41 PM »
Thanks Fran, I will go looking.

fajita

Re: James Bond dress
« Reply #14 on: July 16, 2019, 10:59:17 AM »
Well done, Fran.
Love the cowl neck idea.