Friday, April 2, 2010

Maxi Dress With One-Shoulder Strap


I did something I very rarely do: made two of the same pattern - in peach and in black.

The dresses I made have more gathers in the bust area than the original one, and I prefer it this way.

Material: black rayon jersey, 10 oz weight (my estimation); very lightweight

Although this is not intended to be a tutorial, here are the basic schematics and construction details for the dress:

  • Bodice: Both back and front are made from two pieces: the outside piece is cut with the to-be-gathered edge alonfg the crosswise grain, while the inside piece with the to-be-gathered edge along the lengthwise grain. The two pieces attach at the line where the schematic points at attaching elastic. The elastic is sewn in the seam. At the end of the post there are some sequential photos of the process.
  • Skirt:
Other notes on construction:
  • The seam that attches the skirt to the bodice is reinforced with 1/8" elastic (sewn into the seam;
  • Breast pads (from a swimming suit) inserted in the bodice (between the two layers). The pads from the craft store were too rigid and left a rather visible outline;
  • The shoulder band is attached only to the seam that joins bodice with skirt.

Monday, March 29, 2010

My DVF Allen Pants



I posted about the DVF Allen pants one year ago, after seeing it in a magazine. It was for sale later on net-a-porter.com. Somehow I never got around to making it last year.
This pant is NOT to meant to be worn when pregnant, but it could be (provided you find the right top). As a matter of fact, it looked much better on me 3 weeks ago when I finished it and my "waist" was almost 2" smaller.

The original pant is made from a silk-blend (92% silk, 8% spandex). It has elasticated bands at hem, front pleats, side-slit pockets, and simply slip on. The elasticated casings at the waistband and at the hem are attached, not turned under. Also, the entire pant is constructed with French seams.

I decided to stick to the original as closely as I could, including the construction methods:

- French seams throughout:

- Attached WB and front pleating:

- Front pocket:

- Elasticated cuffs, turned up: