Sunday, September 29, 2013

Fall For Cotton : My Finished Project!

I know this is a really odd time for me to write a blog post, but I needed to get this project up to be eligible for the Fall For Cotton Sew-along.

Those of you that follow my Facebook page will have seen several sneak peaks over the last few days as I worked on, and finished the dress.  The last time I posted I had pinned the decorative pieces on the bodice and had started hand sewing them on.  At about that point I also decided that I would really rather pleat the skirt than gather it.

This is really for one reason only.  Basically I always get super stressed sewing a gathered skirt into anything because bits always get caught up in stitching and it takes me several goes to get it right.  And with the extra layers of fabric in the bodice and all the piping on the decorative pieces and at the waist line, I figured I had enough to worry about!  I thought that a pleated skirt would be easier to attach (and it was) and look better (which I think it does).

After I cut off the extra length from the skirt panels, I used one of them to make a pleat 'pattern' to use as a guide when I pleated the skirt panels.  After I worked out my pattern I attached the test peice to the bodice.


I was really happy with the way it looked, so went ahead and put the skirt pieces together and pleated them.  Oh, and I forgot to take any photos, but the skirt has POCKETS!!!!

But enough (boring) construction details - I know you want to see the end result!!!

Today I wore my gorgeous dress out to breakfast, and stopped at Bimbadgen Estate on the way home to take some photos.  I live just down the road from this lovely place and I can't believe this is the first time I have used it as a photo shoot location!

Just as a reminder, here is the vintage dress that inspired this project:


And here is my version, made out of vintage cotton dating from the 1950s:












What can I say - I love this dress!  Everything about it seems perfect for me!  And while it was a total labour of love, I think I could be persuaded to labour over another one!

Beccie
xxx

34 comments:

  1. Argh, you are so ridiculously talented, it looks wonderful. *Wants to be Beccie when I grow up.*

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  2. Really beautiful! The pleating compliments the piping lines superbly. No wonder you are so pleased with this - it is stunning!

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  3. Omg this is amazing! You and the dress both look awesome!

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  4. Beautiful! You've done an amazing job. The fabric is gorgeous and the style is so flattering. Love, love, love.

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  5. that fabric is awesome and you really made it shine with this dress. It's amazing. Love the waist details.

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  6. Amazing well done Vickie yass nsw

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  7. As usual, beautiful! I love seeing your dresses Beccie!

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  8. Just stunning!
    -Sandra

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  9. I love it. it turned out beautiful. and looks very much like your inspirational dress. nice job ☺

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  10. Thank you everyone for so much positive feedback :)

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  11. Omg sweetie-you did an incredible job! Its so beautiful! You are so incredibly talented!!!! Going to share this post on my pages too so everyone can see your talent!! xox

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    1. Oh Bunny that would be fabulous if you could share it! Isn't it just a beautiful dress!!! I'm so proud of it!!!

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    2. Splendid idea! I just shared on mine.

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  12. That is gorgeous! Love the piping detail and the fabric is great (obvs). I am also heartened to hear that you have trouble with gathered skirts too. Why is it considered so easy? I find it really hard to get the gathers even. If anyone has tips I would love to hear them!

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    1. My tip is to quit gathering and start pleating! I never want to do another gathered skirt again!

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  13. This is your best yet! This is a stunning dress, I hope you make more in this style. The pleats look perfect with the bodice detail. Can not tell you how much I love this dress!!!

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    1. I already have another one I'm going to make! But its really the fabric that makes this one...

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  14. Absolutely beautiful!

    I much prefer it to the original!
    And I'm 10,000% certain that the pleats look better, but I'm pleat-biased!

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  15. Uww uww, glee, glee. Clapping vigorously from the rogue's gallery. The blue is quite lovely and girl you are voluptuous!!! I love it. Can I be your sewing sista from anotha motha?

    Now Beccie, let me ask . . . are you wearing vintage or vintage style underpinnings? The girls are on point. I seriously need some that truly support for it makes the outfit, IMHO.

    Thanks.

    Lyric

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    1. hahahaha of course you can :)

      As for the underpinnings, ummm no I'm not wearing any... and I'm wearing a modern bra. To be honest, I'm just shaped like that. My waist is always much smaller than my bust and hips - I'm just lucky I guess!

      But I agree that the right undergarments can make or break the look of a dress, and for the times when I do want to cinch in my waist I wear a boned What Katie Did waist cincher :)

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  16. Wow. That fabric is fabulous and the dress is stunning. Congrats on finishing your project!

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    1. Thank you - for a while there I didn't think I was going to make it, but I did.

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  17. You wear it well!! Lovely in every way.Really like the beautiful blue sky in the background.

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  18. It turned out so beautiful and totally suits you! Wonderful job recreating the original dress.

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  19. you did it! you are amazing! and it looks absolutely phenomenal on you! YOU GO GIRL!!!!!!!!!

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  20. What can I say? A wonderful dress, and you really succeeded to make it look like the vintage dress you took as inspiration for your project. It looks gorgeous on you!
    I envy you that you were able to finish it on time. My broken toe is still causing problems, so I put my project for the sew-along away. It showed me that I probably should enter such sew-alongs only when I have a half-finished project ready. :)

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    1. Well I hope you keep working on the dress Doris, because I would really like to see it finished - great fabric and a great pattern :)

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