Saturday, September 29, 2012

Yellow tweed sheath w/ tie collar

My newest dress is in a beautiful yellow Oscar de la Renta tweed from Mood. When I saw this fabric online, I knew it had to be mine. It's mainly yellow, has loads of texture and sequins, and a total lux feel to it. I set about finding the perfect pattern to showcase it and had a bit of a roller coaster along the way.


My first pick was McCall's 5972, the curved collar design. I made a muslin but could not get the skirt portion to fit me. Fine. I'll just use my TNT straight skirt pattern for that part, McCall's 5972. Of course I did not muslin the collar. Those never give me fit issues. I finished the entire dress plus the lining before trying it on and guess what? I hated the collar. My fabric is really thick and the seam along the edge kept rolling out. Ugh! What to do? Take off the collar and have a plain sheath dress? Find another pattern with a collar I liked better? Did I mention I was totally out of fabric? I decided to make another collar using NewLook 6968, but had to wait another month to use my September Mood fabric allowance.

Yes, these shoes were the wrong choice. I should have chosen my brown high healed loafers. Just look at these pictures with your thumb over the shoes, okay?

This fabric has subtle horizontal stripes, which I was careful to line up along the sides.


The collar on the NL pattern was cut on the bias so there was no seam to roll to the outside. That pattern has a back zipper and the collar relaxes on either side. Mine already had the side zipper per the original 5972 pattern, so I sewed my back collar pieces together.


Isn't the texture of this fabric pretty?


You may notice that the front tie of my dress is a bit different then the front tie on the pattern example. Because my fabric is thick, I thought I might need some extra length when I was tying the long tail of the collar, so I lengthened it by 4 inches. That turned out to be entirely too long. I tried looping it around another time. I tried tucking it in rather then looping it. I thought, "Holy smokes! This is another dud collar!" Then in a moment of divine inspiration my hands suddenly knew what to do and I tied it in this perfectly lovely single knot. It made a well fitting dress in a pretty fabric become something really interesting and special.


The full lining is made from bemberg Ambiance, also ordered from Mood. The armholes were finished with bias tape as per the pattern instructions. Can I just tell you how much I love this method of finishing sleeveless lined garments? I am pleased that pattern companies are starting to incorporate this technique in their instructions. The neckline is also finished with bias tape, but that is because I removed the original collar after the armholes and lining were completed. That was kind of fiddly to do since there were 3 layers of thick fabric, one layer of lining, and one layer of underlining, all to be graded and tucked under a narrow strip of bias tape.


The entire body of this dress was underlined with polyester organza. I needed something to sew the outer fabric to so that it had some structure. Also, the loose weave of the tweed unraveled just by looking at it, but behaved itself much better after being stitched to the organza. This is the first time I've underlined an entire garment and I really liked the process and the finished result. My bottom hem was easily slip-stitched up to the organza and is invisible on the outside. I added a pretty lace hem tape to keep all the strings tamed inside.


Dressform pictures:


Here are all the patterns I used for this truly frankenpattern dress:

McCall's 5972
McCall's 3830

This dress was a LOT of work, and a bit of drama, too. It was totally worth it, though. It feels expensive, you know? Heavy and substantial. I think this must be what a designer dress feels like.

67 comments:

  1. This dress is spectacular. The work is flawless and it fits you beautifully.

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  2. That is some seriously beautiful fabric! I love it. I love the dress too, very cute. Great job. I'm jealous :)

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  3. Great job. The dress looks fantastic. Lots of lovely pics to show the finished product...inside and out.

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  4. This is absolutely stunning! I love that binding technique for sleeveless armholes too.

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  5. Amanda, that dress is so beautiful. Great you stuck with it. So worth it.

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  6. Holy cow, this is spectacular! You look gorgeous! Great job!

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  7. Wow!!!!!absolutely gorgeous. Great details and great job . You look do beautiful in this priceless dress

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  8. Stunning Amanda, epic save and truly beautiful fabric!

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  9. Gorgeous dress; great fit. Love this fabric

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  10. What a fantastic dress! I'm in awe of all your detailed work- the underlining, lace hem tape, etc. Good job.

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  11. The dress is spectacular. As usual you did a fabulous job.

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  12. Lot of work and worthy admiration result!

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  13. As usual you did a fantastic job. I love the fabric choice and it fits you perfect.

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  14. Gorgeous dress. The fit is sensational.

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  15. What a fantastic job! The fit is amazing as are all the details! I´ve been working with tweed lately but never thought of using it in a dress. Fantastic!

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  16. Absolutely beautiful and your work, as ever, is awesome! Now where are you going to wear this dress?

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  17. You've done an amazing job with this fabric and made a special dress.

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  18. Lovely dress! It fits you like a glove! I did not realize the fabric incorporates sequins here and there before I saw the last few pictures!

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  19. Beautiful inside and out! And in your signature yellow too!

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  20. I'm in love with that bias binding and lining at the armhole!!! I've got to try this :) It's a gorgeous, gorgeous dress and looks lovely on to boot!

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  21. The dress looks sensational on you particularly because the tones of the fabric do not compete with nor overshadow your own skin tones. And, I actually like these shoes with this dress, because the focus comes back to the dress and your pretty skin and face which is where the eye should be drawn.

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  22. What a lovely classic and a great color for you!

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  23. Oh, this really is spectacular! Beautifully executed and it is just so perfect for you. I'm envious!

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  24. Gorgeous dress, Amanda. And great job using several pattern pieces to get the look you wanted!

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  25. Great Frankenpatterning to get the dress you wanted. I could imagine Catherine Middleton wearing this too.

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  26. I just want to sneak into your house and steal all of your clothes. This is so well done. You're right. it's looks heavy and expensive. Wow.

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  27. what a successful dress - I have used that pattern too and I really like the way you lengthened the collar to work with the thickness of the fabric.
    I also really like the yellow on you. My coloring is similar to yours and I am not as brave wearing yellow, maybe you are inspiring me to try. Then again maybe your dark irises are part of the overall color palette that I don't have. At any rate, I am gob-smacked as usual at your beautiful work!

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  28. That is a beautiful dress. I have never seen the bias tape finishing for a lined dress before, and like how neat it looks.

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  29. Striking and sophisticated!

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  30. That's a beautiful and very expensive looking dress - what an achievement!

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  31. Gorgeous dress. Stunning work on fitting and combining patterns to the result you want.

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  32. You look like you stepped of the set of Mad Men. A brunette Betty Draper, my favorite character. Your dress is gorgeous!

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  33. wow. absolutely killer. who's looking at your shoes in that dress?!

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  34. This dress is exactly why you were picked for the "Mood Sewing Thing". This makes me want to get out the hellafied, ravelistic, do everything to the insides, heavy but beautiful boucle I have in my stash! LOL!

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  35. Amanda,
    That is just STUNNING!!!!! It reminds me of an anthropologie dress that came out last year, but yours is so much better. The fabric is to die for. I am happy all of your hard work panned out and Congratulations on the Mood Sewing Network.
    Rachel

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  36. Amazing! Looks so fantastic on you, and so beautifully made. I love the colors and textures of that fabric, and you did such a great job showcasing it!

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  37. Your work is always spectacular. What a beautiful dress you've made!

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  38. It's stunning. Very Jackie O. Oh you are way to young for that reference.

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  39. And it looks expensive. That's a beautiful dress. As always, nice work.

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  40. Sigh...so, so very beautiful. One day when I'm a grown up I'll be able to sew half as well as you.

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  41. This fabric is to die die die for, and the pattern is inspired. Don't even get me started on the pretty, pretty guts...

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  42. Amanda, this dress would retail for over $500. Excellent fabric choice. You make us proud here at Mood!

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  43. Beautiful dress!!! The fabric is gorgeous. I also like the binding technique around the armhole.

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  44. o ja nie mogę!!!
    this dress is spectacular
    i love it.

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  45. As always, with everything you make, PERFECTION.

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  46. So, so stunning. It looks so expensive! The fabric really does make the dress. Beautifully done.

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  47. This is a gorgeous dress and you look lovely in it. What a great accomplishment with all the extra work of underlining , lining, bias taped armholes,etc.!

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  48. I absolutely love this dress.
    Really beautiful fabric and it looks lovely on you. Well done, and happy that you're back!

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  49. What an amazing dress! I'm in awe of your skills :)

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  50. Love this! It definitely looks expensive, as well as feeling that way. The fabric is luxurious and the fit is so spot on. The collar save was genius!

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  51. Oh my the fabric is divine! It really looks like an expensive dress, well worth all the work and franken-patterning.

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  52. Stunning! I love this dress. Thank you for the behind-the scenes pics and info

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  53. Wow! I love this dress...it is absolutely beautiful, inside and out...great job!!

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  54. Oh, Amanda! I think this is my favorite dress that you have ever made! EVER! The combination of the different pattern elements really works and the fabric is delicious for your final design. I love it. LOVE it!

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  55. This is by far my favorite thing you have made. I love everything about the fabric. The color the texture. I love the pattern also it is so vintage looking. Then there is the craftmanship. You do amazing work. It is absolutely beautiful. The whole package I'd say.

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  56. I love your dress! The fabric really looks gorgeous, the fit is perfect and the sewing is perfection, as always.

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  57. LOVE the fabric Amanda and you look spectacular in that dress. Gurl, you are working it. I can't wait to see what you make each month with your Mood fabric. Keep up the great work.

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  58. Love that dress. Great fabric. Very inspirational.

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  59. I like the bias finish at the armholes
    Can you tell me how it works to add a lining too?

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