Vintage simplicity dress

Black vintage shirtwaist dress I made from an old simplicity pattern. The fit is great and it is fascinating to see that a 38" bust was a size 18 back in the day.
I added pockets to the side seams of course - seems like such a waste to have all that skirt and no pockets hidden in all the gathers.
It was made for a friend and of course I had to try it on once I was done. It is so comfy and cute I had to make one for myself.
I think that this may be the next candidate for mutating dress, the bodice is so simple and there are so many things one could do with that skirt. Stay tuned.......

This is the pattern - I love that it cost 35 cents.

Root Division Auction 2010

I donated last year to Root Division and am looking forward to the auction again this year. Who can possibly hate on arts education for everyone - children and adults? I can't and I love what they do so I am throwing a little pro bono work their way. Last year it was a short fuzzy frivolous cape, this year a long practical wool cape.
It is perfect for chilly evenings here when the fog rolls in and I have one similar but mine is without handholes (I keep meaning to add them but garments and alterations for me always get put on the back burner). It is unisex and about calf length (unless you are particularly tall or short) and is fully lined. I know a certain unnamed friend (and high bidder from last year) will be very jealous of the eventual owner.

Illuminating Halloween

This is the beginning of a safety fairy costume. The cincher is made of glow in the dark and reflective fabric and the skirt is made of stretch satin fabric and reflective tape. I need to find a way to photograph it in low light while it is glowing.

Halloween!

Oh Halloween, the time of year when I could be making just about anything.....
I was commissioned to deconstruct an 80's prom dress and turn it into a reasonable facsimile of the dress Molly Ringwold wears in Pretty in Pink. Not exactly spot on, but a fairly faithful reproduction, in spirit anyhow. This one is quite a bit shorter but I hated the length of the actual dress in the movie. It's an updated homage to the dress.....






*update*
Here she is wearing the dress....

Wedding dress

I will update with photos from the bride when I get them......
This is a sheath dress of dupioni and antique
lace.











Its a really sweet story, the grooms grandmother wore a beautiful lace dress when she got married. The dress looks like it is from the thirties, it had a very long gored skirt and really great chevron shaped waistband piecing with long sleeves and at one time had self covered buttons all the way down the back.




















His bride didn't quite fit into it so it was remade into the back panel on the dress including covered buttons and a shrug to go over it in case it gets chilly at night.

mutations 4 and 5

The vintage dress pattern from previous posts has mutated again twice.
The fourth mutation manifested as as a tank dress with bust darts and gathered side panels and a bustle at the back. The lining has an attached row of pleated taffeta, and it will eventually have a taffeta underskirt.
































The fifth is an asymmetrical button-front dress with gathered side panels,
pockets and a square neck.