When I make a new dress the first thing I do is take it on a "Test Drive" This is to make sure that the dress can hold up to everyday life and helps me sort out things like too short hems and dodgy zips. Typically we go on the weekly shop, mainly because it requires a whole range of movements and lots of walking but it also shows me how badly the fabric will crease when I'm sat down in the car. Now typically I spend most of these test drives wondering if anybody has noticed the step in the waistband or if they can see I've hemmed it a touch on the short side.
But this time, Well this time I was worried they'd notice it was curtains!
Yep this dress was once a pair of chintzy floral curtains hanging in my Aunty Shelia and Uncle Gordons house. Now I'm not silly I know they look like curtains but that said I really really loved the big floral print which meant I had to work really hard to make them not look like curtains. Plus we've met me right? I loves an upcycle/free project!
First off all the more pieces the better [well in my head at least] that would give me a chance to make sure there were no huge chunks of pattern, so for the top I opted for the GBSB corset top from the third book. That meant the bodice was made up of 12? pieces [I have no idea I think there's 6 pattern pieces for the bodice which would make 12 sections but my book is all the way over the other side of the room and would require me moving to check and EURGH movement!] Anyways to try and make the print look a bit more rtw I also decided to do flat felled seams and to use purple thread and a triple stitch. [triple stitch is where your machine goes over each stitch three times, Its very sturdy and shows up well for top stitching but it takes three times as long!]
Mines a bit wobbly, I'm not sure I'm patient enough for triple stitch and going around those curves was hard!!! The bodice is also lined to make it more comfortable it also makes it easier to get a nice finish on the inside and of the straps.
The skirt was a box pleat skirt from the 2nd GBSB book, I liked how the pleats looked with the style of top like a modern dress that you might find in topshop!
The zip was recycled from an old onesie. I love the bright purple I really think it brings out some of the other colours in the print and it looks good with the top stitching too. It also reaches the whole way down the dress. I love this feature because it feels a bit saucy! Like you can completely zip me out of this dress! Which I was very grateful for after a day of wearing it in the baking sun we had a few weeks ago! Pulling a sweaty dress over your head is not the one. [Not that I sweat, I perspire like a lady]
Speaking of saucy can we take a moment for the back! I was a complete dolt and placed my straps in the wrong place and then tried it on and was like "OMGOSH my whole back is out! That's kind of cool!" I love love love an open back! I mean granted it means this dress now has to be worn with a strapless bra but its definitely worth it! Next time though I think I need to take a bit off the straps because they were slipping off my shoulders and the idea of them slipping to far and a boob falling out fills me with a horror I can't describe.
All in all I LOVE THIS DRESS! it just feels so nice to wear! It makes me feel a bit a dressed up but in a casual way! I am definitely going to make another version as well and I'm going to make the same mistake with the straps. In fact I'm wondering how this would look in a dressy scuba as a going out dress? I mean I don't get out much but a girl can dream eh?
In other news!!!!!
I'm actually managing to keep on top of the housework! I mean not the washing and ironing but the other stuff like not having a sink full of dishes and making the beds and hoovering and stuff! I mean you can't have everything right!
I've also officially cracked my sewing and not ironing problem! I listed not pressing my seam as one of my sewing bad habits a while ago and touch wood I've been doing really well! I guess pressing does make a difference after all ! And after reading a fairly terrifying article about a lady inhaling a pin I've officially stopped putting those in my mouth too!
Much Love
Frankie
xxx
