Thursday, November 16, 2006

Party Dress - It's Party Time

Actually it's "gnash your teeth out!" time.

I've decided to wear a western party dress to the wedding I'm going to in India in December. I was going to wear this to the Scooter holiday dinner, but the dinner is the night before we leave, so we might skip it this year. I'm making this dress:

B4919

Isn't it gorgeous! It is not, a halter dress as the illustration seems to indicate.

That gathered midrif band is actually a tie that wraps around from the back, across the front, and ties in the back. Sounds complicated? Here's the back bodice pattern piece:

Butterick4919_pattern_back

I had to hang it on the wall to be able to photograph it! Luckily, I shouldn't need to make an adjustment to the back because it's sleeveless.

More complications, I cut out a size 14. Because I cut out this size I need to do a full bust adjustment. The complication is that this bodice doesn't have darts!

Front pattern piece:
Butterick4919_pattern_front

I flip open Fit For Real People to refresh my memory and lose my nerve. I decide to trace the pattern onto plain tissue and cut into that.

and cut I did! After doing a really rough tissue fitting (there are no side seams on this dress to pin together!) I did the standard full bust adjustment cutting and filling with tissue.
Butterick4919_pattern_front_adjusted_slash
(sorry this is so dark. Click on this or any of the pictures to go to the full sized version)

But since this wraps around and has no side seams (!) I had to rotate the bust dart! So, I rotated the dart to the waist where it would be covered by the ties:

Butterick4919_pattern_front_move_dart

Oh, and to make this dress even more complicated, I'm going to make it in plaid taffeta (one of the fabrics that Butterick deems "unsuitable" for this pattern.) Hey, this taffeta was cheap, it's midnight blue and black with silver also. And it is darn hard to photograph well:
Butterick4919_blue_plaid_taffeta

I'm going to make a muslin (out of a Christmas taffeta because that's the only scrap taffeta I have.) and I'll post that when I'm done.

8 comments:

Marji said...

that is going to be really pretty. I remember looking at that pattern and thinking it very odd that the illustration indicates from the front that it is a halter - there is no way that neckline would do that if it weren't a halter, so the illustration is misleading.
Def muslin this - and if it gets too frustrating, try overlaying the bodice pc from the Vogue 9668.
I can't wait to see it, it'll be gorgeous.
you mentioned wanting a source for dotted swiss. Eunice Farmer Fabrics in St Louis MO has always carried real dotted swiss. It's pricey, but v good quality.

vespabelle said...

Thanks Marji, I've made the bodice of my muslin but don't have enough fabric for a the skirt to match.

Bedsheets, ahoy!

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devinemom said...

i can't wait to see the end results. it looks like an amazing dress. enjoy

Anonymous said...

I can't wait to see your finished dress, I love the way it looks on the envelope and I love your fabric choice....I think I'll have to get this pattern too...good luck on the project from Henriette

Anonymous said...

Vespabelle, I've been holding my breath for a few days now....any news on the finished? dress? Pictures? (yes, you guessed right, I'll be making this too....)
Many regards from Henriette

vespabelle said...

ack, I abandonded this when I realized I wouldn't have enough time to finish it before my trip, also, I realized that I needed something with sleeves. So, I copped out and bought something for the wedding.

I will finish this though. I hope I get invited to a formal winter wedding!

Anonymous said...

Oh no...well, I guess, I'll just have to make mine without inspiration from you...when I find some nice fabric....Actually, I am invited to a wedding this summer....wouldn't you wear it for a summer wedding too?
Many regards from
Henriette