Pamella Roland Dress

This is one of my favorite dresses ever. It has so many different features and I was very challenged while working on it. And I absolutely fell in love with the look of the dress on the model I decided to go with a black lightweight wool fabric as well.

I was absolutely thrilled by the deep V decollete and kind of jacket lapels. I loved that you can have two dresses in one- from the front it looks like a more strict and classic dress (besides the deep V which I reduced quite a bit), and from the back it is so flirty and romantic!

 

With this dress I had so many "firsts" (this is also the reason I chose this dress, I don't like to be bored while sewing, I need challenges). One of my firsts was the jacket type lapels on the dress. Because I have reduced the deep V decollete, my lapels are slightly smaller than on the pattern but I am pleased with the result. The second first was adding horsehair on the back of the dress. That was quite easy and I love the outcome- it is not too ruffled and the dress doesn't look like something from the Dancing with the stars (not that it is bad, just not for this dress).

 

 

 

 

And here is the beautiful dress on me!  

 

                                   

 

 

 

Blouse #106, Burda 05/2013

Wow... this project was one of the most frustrating for me so far...But let me explain why. I absolutely fell in love with the look of this blouse on the model. I was thinking about making it for a couple of weeks, and finally I decided to start working on it.

Cutting out the pattern details didn't alarm me yet, and only after my fabric was cut out I decided to search through other peoples blogs on how they succeeded with this blouse. Let me tell you I wasn't impressed. The references I read explained that the collar is not attached to the body and is loose (basically like a scarf), a lack of darts on the bodice makes it hang shapelessly and it is quite tight on the hips... wow... remember that my fabric is already cut out.... And it is pure beautiful silk fabric...

           

So I started to work on adjustments as I was sewing.

1. First of all I don't need a blouse with a scarf, so I decided to attach turtleneck to the bodice. But as the silk is not strechy I wouldn't be able to get it over my head.
2. So I opened up the seam on back and attached a 50cm long invisible zipper.
3. On both the front and back I added darts to give it some shape.
4. As it was too narrow on my hips I made side slits about 5cm up the seam line.

 

And here is the outcome after all my frustrations. I am still not fully happy of how the slit on the front bodice is laying, but I am absolutely satisfied with the overall shape of the blouse. My next project is going to be a dress. I am done with blouses for a while :)

Silk blouse #112, Burda 09/2012

Besides my love for creating dresses, sometimes I am making other things. This time it is a silk blouse. As I love fitted garments I choose pattern #112 from Burda 09/2012. This blouse has princess seams and darts, so it should be pretty fitted on me.

In a local fabric store I found an amazing silk fabric. It is light silver/grey with darker grey spots- a bit like animal print but not completely. But as I know grey doesn't look fresh on me I decided to add some colour to it. Why not go crazy and bright? Coral pink is my pick (it doesn't look as bright and lively in picture as in real).

 

 

As I started to work on my blouse I faced some difficulties. Silver silk fabric is so fragile that even basting leaves a hole in the fabric, so that means I can't go with a completely fitted blouse :( To strenghten my seams I am sewing them as French seams. Now I have to put my two colours together. I decide to make the collar and cuffs as well as the front placket in coral pink. As the pattern doesn't have separate a placket I just created one myself and sew it on the front.

 

 

And finally here is the beautiful result! I prefer to wear it buttoned up (I sewn on beautiful silver/gray buttons) and maybe coral lipstick can add some glam to it as well :) I am absolutely pleased with the result. Maybe I will have to try another blouse?? :)