The Sewing Place

The Emporia => A bit of a 'do' => Topic started by: Francesca on October 04, 2018, 12:03:44 PM

Title: Roman Statues Dress
Post by: Francesca on October 04, 2018, 12:03:44 PM
I haven't finished the first dress yet but I'm already planning my escape/freedom.

My next dress will be for a 25th wedding anniversary party at a hotel (boyfriend's aunt and uncle).

No particular dress code but I figured it's a nice party so nice dress it is!

I've had this fabric in my stash for yonks. It is a black sateen panel print with this amazing print of marble statues. It was sold as "seconds" and I got it dirty cheap. Supposedly there are points where the black ink didn't take so there are small bits of white on the surface but I absolutely cannot find one? And at worst if I did I'm thinking I can cut around it or put a drop of black dylon on it.

The statues are pretty large, I'm expecting them to take up at most of the length of the skirt, aiming to have them "finish" a few inches below the waistline. Then I will cut out the bodice from the black portion of the fabric so it's all black on top.

The pattern I'm using is a Vogue Kay Unger one. I'm hoping it won't be too difficult to adjust. I will need to do an FBA and take some height out of the bodice, I will add boning to the bodice just like I did for this current party dress I'm working on as it's really easy to do. I am also going to try and increase the depth of the cap sleeve things as they look a little narrow for my liking.

https://voguepatterns.mccall.com/v1392

I haven't decided on lining yet. I may just self-line again as I think I'll have enough fabric, and doing so gives the boning something to really support properly vs a silky lining.

(https://trello-attachments.s3.amazonaws.com/5a4e35b8a9434b16920623d7/5a4ff454c815c682cc46bce7/fcc40ecb91296a17033e3eff77b1e94b/collage.jpg)
Title: Re: Roman Statues Dress
Post by: BrendaP on October 04, 2018, 15:41:48 PM
That should look stunning!   0_0

If you do need to disguise a tiny blob of white on the black use a sharpie pen - much easier than messaing about with dylon.
Title: Re: Roman Statues Dress
Post by: Fiona M on October 04, 2018, 17:03:44 PM
Is it my imagination, or is there a bit of ... erm ... 'groping' going on in there?   0_0
Title: Re: Roman Statues Dress
Post by: Francesca on October 04, 2018, 17:08:40 PM
Haha I actually think it's a bit of self grope!

Though this is suspicious...
Title: Re: Roman Statues Dress
Post by: Tamnymore on October 04, 2018, 17:28:16 PM
Looks fabulous - grope or no grope!
Title: Re: Roman Statues Dress
Post by: Nevis5 on October 05, 2018, 13:24:47 PM
I'm sure he's just helpfully holding her tunic on in case it falls off  :S  lovely fabric, though @Francesca , it will look spectacular! 
Title: Re: Roman Statues Dress
Post by: Fiona M on October 05, 2018, 16:50:38 PM
I'm sure he's just helpfully holding her tunic on in case it falls off  :S 

I think it's her that's interested in what's under his toga, actually, but as you say, it's going to be a stunning frock - and a great ice breaker!
Title: Re: Roman Statues Dress
Post by: Francesca on October 09, 2018, 11:54:33 AM
I've started looking through the details of the pattern to work out what I need to do for this garment. I'm going to have to do some basic adjustments to make the pattern a little bigger (I always forget that Vogue comes up small for me).

The current core measurements are 46-39-48, with 2.5" ease at the bust and 8.5" at the hip (I'll need to check the pattern for the waist finished measurement).

I'll need to do a 1" FBA which is a nice low number, just need an extra 2" overall. I will wear my corset so should only need a tiny bit at the waist and might be able to get away with just cutting wider side seams. I'll add 3" to the skirt for more wiggle room though technically I will fit in the skirt as-is, so I'll split this down through the front pleats and back darts.

I also want to see how the pattern piece looks once laid out and decide whether I can make the sleeve caps a little thicker with more arm coverage, though not by much.

Definitely will be making a toile for this one.
Title: Re: Roman Statues Dress
Post by: Francesca on October 23, 2018, 12:50:03 PM
After melting a hole through my red top I decided to focus on this for a little while.

I traced off the pattern last night. There are soooo many pieces.

This is only the second time I've made a Vogue designer pattern (and only the first time making a slightly "evening-wear" one) and I can tell why they're popular. So many nice little details. For example, this dress is fully lined and also has a petticoat (though it's really only a thin layer between the lining and main). It also has little elasticated arm straps that sit inside the sleeves.

I've traced it all off as a size 24 and written down my measurements and the difference between. I seem to have managed to lose 3" off my waist since my last measure-up in the Spring, not sure how that's happened at all. But remain the same on bust and hip.

The hip has a roomy 8" ease but I will still need to increase it to fit, but will probably work with about 5" ease on the hip instead. It's a drinks and dance party, so not much sitting down.

I'm going to do a 3" FBA to add the bust room I need. I'll have to take the same approach as when I did my last grown-on sleeve job as the front bodice is constructed with the strap that wraps all the way around to the back. Hope I can get it working OK. I'll also have to mimic any big changes onto the front facing.

I was originally going to pull the extra 3" down into the waist and also add some more room at the back, but considering my new found waist measurement I'll actually just add a tiny waist dart to take in the waist a little (I only need to grade up 2" instead of the expected 5'). So I'll do 1/2" waist darts to remove a little from the waist.

For the hips I plan to add a little straight down through the front pleats and back darts, evenly distributed at 4 key points. I want to add 3" to the hip, so 3/4" at each back dart and each front pleat.

I'm also going to shorten the skirt by 1.5" as it looks long on the models.

I'm loving the stash-diving for this project, I'll be using some old bemburg I have in stash for lining. I did buy the petticoat fabric (silk organza) and the pattern though. But I already have the boning and elastic required and only need to pull the waist stay from my stash (I'm adding this in, I loved it on my last dress).

ETA: Picture to make it slighty more interesting than all my waffling.
Title: Re: Roman Statues Dress
Post by: Ploshkin on October 23, 2018, 14:27:14 PM
Gosh, that all sounds very technical.  It makes me realise how fortunate I am to be able to pretty much use patterns straight from the packet.
Title: Re: Roman Statues Dress
Post by: Francesca on October 23, 2018, 14:35:40 PM
Yeah, it's very frustrating. I've got the hang of knowing what I need to do now at least. But nothing would ever fit me out of the packet. Even when I was slimmer. Shortwaisted and narrow shoulders have always been an issue for me.
Title: Re: Roman Statues Dress
Post by: Francesca on October 25, 2018, 14:56:26 PM
Finally got through adjusting all the pieces. Taking up length on all (1.5" on all the skirt pieces, 1" on all the bodice pieces) and my FBA.

I'm going away from this evening until Sunday so I'm really going to be racing against time AGAIN to get this done (we leave for the party on Friday night, staying with family then the party is on Saturday). I always underestimate how long things take and the weekends creep up on me. And no chance to sew this weekend as I'm away!

Anyway... let's see if I can get the toile cut this afternoon then I can probably fling it together on Sunday night when I return from France and that'll give me 4 evenings to sew the thing together with Saturday for handstitching in the car if needed!

Edit: just remembered I have a half day on Wednesday as we're going for afternoon tea and then home afterwards, that gives me a few extra hours!
Title: Re: Roman Statues Dress
Post by: Francesca on October 31, 2018, 10:45:16 AM
Well I've shot myself in the foot again by not getting round to this in time. I've been away in France and then came back with a horrendous cold and ear infection and haven't felt like doing anything...

I suddenly felt a lot better yesterday and am back in work today for a half day, but not sure I'll finish. Still I'm trucking on. After all I've started it now might as well finish it, I can always wear it to my Christmas party and I have a backup dress in the cupboard anyway (another home-sewn dress I wore to a wedding in 2016).

But maybe I'll be able to finish it. I would like to. I've cut everything out (lots of pieces, as it's got both lining and a petticoat). I've also interfaced the pieces that need interfacing. It should hopefully be quite a quick dress... it has got pockets and fancy bits and the like but it's really just darts, pleats and no sleeves or anything.

So I'm going to truck on with it. I might make life easier for myself and hold the unhemmed organza "petticoat" together with the skirt outer and just sew the pleats and such with the two fabrics held double so I don't have to stitch the pleats in twice... if that makes sense. Save a bit of time. I've read through the instructions quickly and there's not much that surprises me it seems quite straightforward.

I'll be away from Friday night but I can always hand sew in the zip and even handstitch the hem if needed.
Title: Re: Roman Statues Dress
Post by: arrow on October 31, 2018, 15:42:03 PM
I can't recognise the sculptures in the print, but it got my attention; an Aphrodite or two, a bull, soldiers? The one in the middle is not Roman, much later. Where did you find the fabric?
Title: Re: Roman Statues Dress
Post by: Francesca on October 31, 2018, 16:33:18 PM
A very long time ago on The Textile Centre. A few years at least! It's interesting. Probably incorrectly Roman as you say but it made sense to me  0_0
Title: Re: Roman Statues Dress
Post by: arrow on October 31, 2018, 16:50:58 PM
Nothing is incorrect at all, I just noticed a various collection of classical sculptures, some ancient, some less.
Title: Re: Roman Statues Dress
Post by: Iminei on October 31, 2018, 17:18:56 PM
Im (still... I wrote this once before before it got lost in the ether under the curse of mousepadFnF10) so envious of you being able to make something useful to wear ... I love the idea of this dress ...

Moons ago, (many, many, many of them) I had Fabulous Roman fabric from Timothy Fowler which I used to make up into striking waistcoats for peeps ...

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/D_TDM0940azXMQYpSSEqlgelrWXy48S53gIIiOyeaoBd2fPKijWZpxE9edmRT99IpAWXM8PGRemMeDOmFUP6JhidT7PauztD2kmgPTAfSrgUEW6NIcbW-YAF1jsRqi2hLBKpprnW0FONowA3Lgaex8-FQ8uL6SU2UEH8XJHQzFN6gNdHxnqZqDrtkeYWSOhv60TvVnY119VSmeOcBl2G9tBaYKBEj87vfHaxn6D6YjQ2y5ZxHWKcGiwDU7XMAlc5lt03Td83CApP5rj6F8s0ArDjQg9Rt3Mgl6i_aUeuJUck03m2j5PoS09tD7SHcgu5BXixQmR4wWO8pFrybX3xypBlvAkrtqsDZiwz3SAkUNygH_uVvTkDQCq-_dAheVpL7cx6qpbmCsOOOjksPMx0iPhqn5WTwh8VXK-LwFo-GzIaPO7V0pDtk6duaycTBVP36zqSl0oxWlf3ahC6Soze8NUQ493zp1lT4GlFzemanJcSP7uf-tE0L9QJdziKUKTkbRxS4dDgwwr4uSG_bHly731OomyyqT3ozFhfNEKIzcK9cU9npOK6NZtoz-r40lIHZywP23SFooeVpK7cxwF0qKlGe7hyoejC79-qZ2c1AzvpZDbD78YbMy1LDPERdsYL2RFx0WrnirvSAnbbYm2NlGseqvlnE0ZPoLNHKJV-rxQVISU7RgnF_RWKjYbwGYR-hmTvd3gCNeNq=w1037-h774-no)

One day as I was finishing the buttonholes on one such waistcoat my quick unpick slipped ... you can guess what happened!!!

I was aghast ... but I was a quicker, cleverer girl in those days and modified the waistcoats with some silvered clasps ... which peeps seem to adore! Phew!

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/2hkbAS6-tjE1UW2LVPgR2g_XSCmJ3_IFs6BijFXGUx_hXep9nfCkaDc8dl08uG7tn876qJ7zIzIMW8v2EqRRtnB6s5beF9RxPrwAr8h-W7b7LyACRGsUqtjJUGZZ1hVbioL0-ptEL17mUpn_vPMOO9YdI7XVyQMzVQvYqaKYn-R8znJmmBrqO5W7YRH8Ca5VazEicabByLLQWa-wcLbdYNu2T_NzQmtT9D44aqQRLYZVHdRJxYJA8C0hgX7Jue_g63F_5S5IHu0hz7trEd6upw3OHZCpOWcYFhnpF_UbG2rfHXN2KnuX6F-iJ_W69RG_CyWnCQyascXzpd5VkVKSDtv2RsT7vXkEg8O4mFIrXHl05eotnUjqF5vYF5MJ_gylTRuI1NakQR78CndzfXlMf8wr90UBZFVflYXnib4n63kS9KQRaFXW7LRr21y77jo7ls0ITLzLBWp9UXe2TAUiKQW5EuER2L4Fw8URFuh0XTfOdGWlYzfTEjO3jrabo_cN-FYnMtFHNyqt6oZz5lhu_kF3WXNAIDC-U5w9Q24AjN1p4c1TrvgeSV_cdV6_gBYazGrUrJF96cGPS7KLEXdNTYb9gyElGSLGB1e3BcGwMe8TJOa1RMazE_4U-UkiVl--Yqe4jxNnBxVRNx_thQK5l5lgvy-p125ZQs3rhsTocj5EnG08633f-Q1r8XHWcAAUgummz5WEscH4=w624-h774-no)

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/iNXjc6hL17ZAbLk1Lyo-1Xr5EgKWzVO5BkiI4occ9G_KZQxBIuZ7NUqtCV4aO6-TVTUp2iCu0y6nPiesn0TdDoinv_f9i2gCGCOK2kShVDbSLRTLN0r6ljIMHqyyiwCczW2uyLnqxp_46YRtgARBZq67AMJo2iLi4sk1h2pMQ4HokKJTTnx9MIKMkRS0uQ_vNj9ZhlVvT3I_FXgTUgbM8ovK3wQk-iFuaCAWnUTMKw3l4h9S3PVjM63goXaI4auO-sw-QrLOw-22JGUsy1Xn-Aq3oHWnXOl8lpNl7fxHStkF8y3GZ9EPEx6G19zX470kZVKCn4MwJBk4ivRg5CuIoaRBy4v8An8xTOhDs2cU1QG27otAhvGOyPvLm992o7xYgtc3dzj6xlocA0I9EkOGY7LG3p4q9ufXSPPLI9rlcEXFP8snyEIsSWK5cbIwy-_5DQYNxUkjIr2U2Ypn2-9NVMzjk1hBmASJcS89q_cIeV7niWFhv2BA86zsHHzg3MSf_97I3oS1xB7_olXZhhsQUyKl71LnrVvP03cMReRA78PalG0HTW84Xg34EhUi5Gz1ZoK7RflXT-8gnH8o6l8666RO4bryjGIxQ4AhLKJ-z9aRi4g7BN_0sSq8mGpUmLCBJVGNqyEKS0Fa9xEjLV9SO5NHdkZaGyMiY_De3GgUSbbMDkBU2m9-lc0qF-u5El9KcnhF7uGNsfWU=w573-h774-no)

Title: Re: Roman Statues Dress
Post by: Francesca on October 31, 2018, 22:44:17 PM
I can't see any of your pics Im...

Well, this dress is done for. I spend all evening labouriously putting together the bodice to get it to the first try-on stage and.... it's gonna be one for the bin.

The fit is TERRIBLE. Unwearable and almost unrescuable I think. The bodice fits fine except for being a little too big on the waist but the sleeve parts hang about 6 inches too big round my shoulders. I have no idea how. The pieces of elastic meant to hug over the arms hang limp. The actual sleeve part hangs even limper. I don't understand it. I know I have narrow shoulders but I've got big arms too, certainly bigger than the fit model for this, so I expected it to balance out but somehow the neckline is designed for someone with a giant set of shoulders. I don't get it.

I'm so gutted I didn't make a toile. I convinced myself it would be fine as I'd done flat-pattern adjustments and those are all fine (the bust and waist is good) but I didn't think there would be such major problems with the sleeve part. This'll be the last Vogue I ever buy, the fit is HORRIBLE and I should've known their patterns are not designed for me but instead for giant-shouldered tiny-waisted 8ft women?

Gutted that I have used much loved stash fabric that I've held onto for four years, an expensive piece of silk organza and gorgeous bemburg cupro lining that I was saving for a coat but decided to use on this instead. All wasted.
Title: Re: Roman Statues Dress
Post by: Iminei on November 01, 2018, 08:11:30 AM
Make a skirt!!! Top it with something plain and voila!!!
Title: Re: Roman Statues Dress
Post by: Acorn on November 01, 2018, 09:33:18 AM
Yes - or make a new bodice from a T&T pattern in a toning fabric.
Title: Re: Roman Statues Dress
Post by: Samantha on November 01, 2018, 09:56:43 AM
Oh no how disappointing! I hope you can rescue it at some point.
Title: Re: Roman Statues Dress
Post by: Nevis5 on November 01, 2018, 12:52:16 PM
Oh @Francesca , how disappointing for you :(  Hopefully you will be able to rescue it when it's been in time out for a while.