Vogue 1175: Donna Karan Bubble Dress

Over the last few years I have found that my impulse projects are generally my most successful projects. Doing the research gets me excited about the project and helps keep me motivated to finish (deadlines don't always keep the mo-jo flowing). I always check out what other people have done with a pattern on pattern review and it helps me plan and anticipate problems. I also love going out into the Garment District to purchase all the materials for a project at once. 

Last September, my college roommate got married in Nova Scotia. I don't get many opportunities to wear, let alone make a fancy dress, so this was the perfect excuse to make a pattern I had bought on impulse with no idea if I'd ever have a good reason to make it.  The dress turned out so great. I loved making it and didn't run into any problems due to my research and good luck. So here is my super late project blog post. 

Pattern Description: Vogue 1175
Close-fitting, above mid-knee length, pullover, lined dress has contrast bodice back, seam detail, pleated front and back, side front in-seam pockets and puffed hem.

Pattern Sizing: 14-16-18-20
I chose the size 14 based on my over bust measurement and did a full bust modification to make this work, which I will go into detail about below. First I traced off the size 14 bodice front and back (and CF skirt) to made a muslin to see if I was even close to making the right choice. It fit pretty well around my shoulders and back. I was definitely mashed in the front, but that was expected. I also saw that the my bust point is at least an inch lower than the pattern, which is no surprise since patterns are drafted for for someone 5'6", not my 5'10.5". I had read in the other reviews that the neckline and sides of this pattern are kind of low, but on me it didn't appear to pose a serious threat to my dignity (although I might have found a skimpier bra) and I decided to leave it alone.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes, except that I added an additional dart at the center front as part of the FBA.

Were the instructions easy to follow? Yes, but I wish the diagrams were bigger, especially for the construction of the center front. I would recommend making a complete mock up for anyone who is unsure of their skills or how the style is supposed to come together.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
I like how unique this design is. It was a puzzle to put together and I had fun making it. I don't usually go for voluminous bubble styles, but I felt really special wearing it. I really love that it has pockets!

 I did not like that the fabric requirements listed was 60" wide. I found my fabric in the NYC garment district so I had lots to chose from, but I found that there really is no such thing as 60" taffeta. I was worried about having enough to fit the large pattern pieces. As it turns out, even if I had made a larger size, I would not have needed fabric that wide. My fabric was 54' and it was plenty wide.
Fabric Used: Silk taffeta, silk organza (to underline the back bodice), silk charmeuse (back bodice) , silk cotton batiste (lining). I found some really great sales on 39th St and was able to get all my fabric for under $40! 

One thing I wish I had done was to serge finish the seam allowance of the bottom hem edge of the taffeta. With all the handling of the dress it had unraveled quite a bit by the time I got to the hem.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:

I made a full bust modification following TiaDia's lead. I did mine slightly different though because I am tall and the bust point was already too high on the unmodified pattern. For my FBA I added a second pleat below the original which had the added benefit of lowering the bust point.

 I was a bit stumped on how to modify the lining since the obvious slash and spread to the CF pleat would interfere slightly with the construction which already was tricky due to the lack of clear diagrams, but it worked out fine in the end.

My only other modification was that I eliminated the CF seam on the front skirt piece.
Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? I won't sew it again because one party dress in this style is enough for my closet, but I definitely recommend it if you like the style. It wasn't terribly difficult to put together and I am immensely pleased with the results.
Conclusion: 
I made a this party dress for roughly $40, not too much labor, I had fun making it, had more fun wearing it, and I got lots of compliments on my sewing skills. I win!

Super Nova Scotia Wedding

Back in the beginning of September, I went to Nova Scotia for my dear friend Amber's wedding. I had an absolute BLAST. I'll just share a few of the highlights that I actually have pictures of.

There was ocean views outside of the cottage I stayed in.

There was dockside yoga every morning (including the morning of the hurricane that knocked the power out for all of the day before the wedding), a candle lit rehearsal dinner, and tipsy mid-night photo sessions on the eve of the hurricane with new friends who were totally game when I suggested that we pretend we are dead!

The highlight of the weekend was when Amber got married
and I got to wear (coughshowoffcough) this dress:

It's the dress I made specifically to wear to Amber's wedding. I am mighty thrilled with how it turned out. I would go one, but it deserves it's own post so I will go into more detail on that later.

Avacado Star

Way back in March, I received a huge compliment that came with a wicked awesome box of free yarn! Lion Brand Yarns is without a doubt one of the main reasons I am such a crafty knitter today. I was very surprised and delighted to learn that not only are paying attention to what people are doing with their yarns, but they really appreciate their customers on a personal level as well. 

So what did they send me in this awesome swag box of yarn goodness? 

1. A congratulations card with a picture of knitter on it, which lives in my cubicle at work.
2. 2 Skeins of Woolease, Navy and Burgundy - my go to yarn for gifts and for washable knits.
3. 2 Skeins of Lion Organic Cotton, Vanilla and Cypress - I think  I'll make some luxe washcloths with these.... not dishtowels mind you! For the bathroom.
4. 2 Skeins of LB Collection Pure Wool. The Lion Brand team has noticed that I like to dye yarn and as soon as I decide on a color scheme (oh the endless choices) that is going to be a fun experiment.
5. 2 Skeins of LB Collection Organic Wool, Avocado and Toffee. Toffee is not one of my favorite colors, but I think it will be fun to try to over dye it with purple and let some of the brown show through. The Avocado is a gorgeous shade of green that isn't really anything like the refrigerator we had in the 80's. It's a bright, cheery shade that looks like it belongs on a tree at the end of summer. To date, this is the only skein I've knit with from the swag box, but I have plans for the rest!

So the hat.... It's a Marsan Watchcap. I had to knit it longer than the pattern called for because the super stretchy rib would pull a shallower hat right off my head. This yarn is perfectly suited for this pattern. It makes a nice squishy rib that is dense enough to keep the wind out. I made the man size and it stretches REALLY big to accommodate even the roundest bowling ball shaped head I can find. 


Also... that cowl.... that's Lion Brand Yarn too. It's Amazing. I modified it from, wait guess..... a Lion Brand pattern! It's the Port Chester Cowl but I made the entire thing in ribbing so it would be reversible. I also used and strand of Puno alpaca instead of 2 strands of Amazing. I switched back and forth between Grey or Blue alpaca held with either Wildflowers or Arcadia. It's a stripey 2x2 rib and it's long enough to wrap double around my neck or drape down loosely.  I like the amazing yarn... I keep thinking about what else I'd like to do with it. I think it looks great held double with a solid; it mutes the color changes even further.