Hi All,
Having spent 3hrs in the fabric store yesterday, I felt I had to tell you all about it!
I'm off to my best friends wedding on April 23rd, it starts in church at
2pm, and continues with a reception and dance (a ceilidh to be precise!). In talking to my friend the other week, he told me he would be wearing a morning suit with tails, but was probably going to skip the top hat.So this means I need a posh frock - and I fancy a new outfit rather than recyling an old outfit. I have in the stash 3 and 1/3yds of 60" wide heavy weight cupro in a heathery-grapey kind of purple colour.
So having researched what I wanted to wear on the 'net (thanks to sewingpatterns.com), I decided on a two piece outit of long flowing skirt, fitted top, plus a cover up lacy or sheer blouse.
I ended up buying New Look 6428 - I'm going to make top A or C (haven't decided yet but I'm leaning towards A) and skirt D - although I may add some extra flare to it. I'm going to make this up with the cupro from the stash. I bought zips, thead & lining fabric to match.
I'm also picked up some sheer organza like material in a purple thats a smidge darker shade than my fabric, with which to make the over blouse - which will be made using a pattern from stash. It wasn't exactly what I was looking for, but was the perfect colour. I also bought matching buttons.
Whilst at the fabric store - I picked up 4m of navy blue courdery that was marked as slight seconds & going cheap - I could use a skirt and I know Mum would like one as well.
Very sensibly, I also picked up a metre of fabric with which to make a practice / fitting shell for my new top! It's not cupro, but was of a similar weight & feel. I definatley want to pre-fit this one before I make it for real - I have no spare fabric to allow for errors. It will also allow me to practise that tricky looking V split at centre bust!
The general idea is to wear all 3 pieces of the outfit in church, and then take off the over blouse in the evening for the dancing.
Having read the pattern directions,it looks simple enough, howver in one place they have you do something slightly odd. The top is made in three sections. They have you make the upper front lined, then the upper back lined, then connect the two together. You then make the lower front & back lined in one hit. The pattern then suggested that you sew the upper and lower sections togther with a single seam, and press the seam up.
This feels a bit strange to me - why go to the trouble of lining the top to end up with a wopping great big uncovered seam in the middle of it?? I think I'm going to sew mine together so that I do fashion fabrics togther, lining together, so I can hide the seam (I also think if you did it the way they're suggesting - it would itch!) - even if I Have to hand finish part of the seam - or the zipper opening seam.
The top has an under arm zipper to help you get in and out of it. I'm pondering scopping the back neckline lower and doing a centre zip or centre button placement although I would need to make the pattern peices for that.
Regards,
Sarah