A slip of a thing

What I love most about the old-time movies is all the gorgeous slips that the screen sirens wear.  To me, glamour is a drawer full of silk and lace slips.  I have been gathering supplies to make couture lingerie  since I read an  article on this topic in threads 135 (Feb/Mar 2008).  I was quite disappointed that Pattern Review was having their lingerie contest at a time in my life when I did not have time for couture techniques, so I put it to the back of my mind...but clearly not completely out of my mind, because just before lunch yesterday I found myself driving across town to get some silk to match a recent lace purchase. The competition was designed for completion on Valentines day, so no time for couture techniques, but I had a few other ideas in mind...

I spent the afternoon happily cutting and stitching, ignoring the stabs of guilt about all the work I was supposed to do for Monday (I guess Sunday will be a late night).  By school pick-up time I was really rather jaunty, pleased with the progress I was making and happy with the 1920's vibe of my slip.

By 5 pm I was downcast and downright grumpy, beaten by the bias and by delicate fabrics that would not hold their pins.  I was thinking that it was time to change my ways and become one of those people that make meticulous muslins, or, at the very least, prepare their patterns properly, instead of starting to snip with only a half-formed idea and not much more of a pattern.  I had to go out, so I left the slip to sit on my paper tape dress form overnight.  This morning I basted the 2 layers together and completed the sewing, with hours and hours to go before the deadline closes.

Project details:

Fabric:  Lace from EmmaOneSock, silk satin from Spotlight
Pattern: The underlayer is a self-drafted pattern, the over layer is based on the slip pattern that came with Vogue 2797.

My thinking was that silk bias slips are all very gorgeous, but distort so much over the hips (well, for some of us), so I would get the effect of the bias slip without the distortion by only having a front and back panel in bias.  The underlayer is cut on the straight grain.  Having a square neckline as well as the bias slip gives it a 1920's vibe (well, to me, I am no expert in period dress).  My lace did not have a pretty scalloped edge, so I have just turned up a hem and turned in the neckline.  The bias layer has narrow hems all around and is machine-sewed to the underlayer.