9.8.09

A springtime dress


I wanted to show you photos of my new dress, but my camera doesn't want to play today. Groovy effects, though. Does anybody know what all these stripes are from? Perhaps the kids have dropped the camera.

This fabric is actually a bright blue and black print on ivory, purchased from a local fabric shop. I have only visited this shop once or twice, and mostly it is not to my taste, so I was quite delighted with this find on Saturday.

There will be other versions, so let me tell you about my plans instead. Next year, when all my children will be locked away in the education system, I am thinking about producing my own patterns. Design-wise, I want to produce simple patterns to serve as a blank canvas for gorgeous fabrics or creative expression. Construction-wise, I want to choose techniques that allow for a lot more fit-on-the-run. Size-wise...I am still gathering data, but there is a good chance that my size base will be more pear-shaped than the major pattern companies (let's face it, pear-shaped is what I know). I have a lot to learn, about a lot of different things, but it should be fun.

I have about half-a-dozen styles in mind, including this dress. I haven't got this dress just right yet. For the next version, I want to play around with the neck-line and strap width. I'm still trying out different pocket ideas. It is hard to see, but on this version I have gathered a larger pocket shape onto a smaller pocket. This makes the pocket sort of bubble out from the dress. It also means that you can't see the stitching, so it is sort of a floating pocket.

Here is another photo, which doesn't show you much other than the fabric colours. Also, I am wearing a shorter version of my vest. You can't see the detail, but it has real welt pockets (Mary Nanna, I am talking to you!). I am coming to love vests, I think I will make more.

Now, what to do about the camera.

7 comments:

Mary Nanna said...

blimmin 'eck - you're making spring time clothes that would be our summer's kit but I swear I never saw a winter's outfit the whole season!

Love those pockets - real welt and all - I'm jealous - can't make nice welt pockets, only ones that look real "I sewed it."

Can't wait to see what you come up with when your designer's pencil gets to play!

The fabric on your dress is very cute and fresh. Yes very spring like.

Bernice said...

Cute dress. Once you perfect the pattern I'll have to try it out on my Bird Textile. Does it have an opening or just slip over your head?

Shannon said...

I love the dress - great fabric! That first photo is so cool!

Tamara said...

Very cute dress! I love the fabric. The photo effects are actually very cool. They look very artsy.

Naomi said...

Love the idea of producing patterns which are easy to fit-on-the-run. Nothing more depressing - especially for someone who doesn't sew very often - than making up a pattern and at the end finding that it doesn't fit well. Those sad clothes that look OK on the hanger, but never get taken out to wear.

Hope you're all going well.

xx
Naomi

Sew-4-Fun said...

Oh dear. :( I know all too well about those camera stripes. The same thing happened to my camera three to four weeks ago before it totally died. With mine it meant the computer chip was on the way out. A costly $230 repair later my camera is as good as new. Make sure you ask if you chip is covered by the recall that was issued recently. The chips in three different camera brands were recalled and will be replaced for free if your camera is fitted with one. Unfortunately mine wasn't.

Nice dress though! :)

Kristy Chan said...

I had those stripes too on my camera after I dropped mine (I can't even blame it on anyone else) - the lens is dislodged, and will possibly cost more to fix than a new camera will cost if you're talking a point & shoot type camera. It is a good effect though, just pretend you're an uber cool artsy photographer!