inspired

As you may recall, I did some fabric shopping last month. But what I didn't show you was this trim I found:

I was also shopping for some *inspiration* I could use to make a dress for a wedding my sister and I have to attend. This trim simply caught my eye and reminded me of the Bollywood-themed engagement party I have attended early this year. As soon as I reached home, I tried it on Izzie (my dressform - I named after my maternal grandmother's first name: Isidra):

I thought of a column dress having the bodice covered with the trim, but my family gave a very cold response to it. Second option was, since I have a little *ehem* endowment, I was confident I could wear a very deep V-neckline dress. When my family saw this, they made faces as if they were watching a scene from horror film. Hence, both options were thrown out. Then this:

This made them smile - proved that this is the most appealing. So I went ahead, use my go to pattern for the bodice, bought meters of silk crepe and silk, and some notions needed.  After some hours of cutting, sewing and pressing later, the shell or base of my gown was made (I maybe sewing for some years but I still don't talk sewing fluently so I *sincerely* hope you get what I mean) and looks more like a long sheath dress. Eventually it will, after A LOT of patience and hand stitching:

The bodice has a cotton lawn or batiste (I really have no idea how to tell one from the other) underlining, the seams were pressed open, sewn with herringbone stitch. The padding was sewn together with a zigzag stitch and hand-sewn to the bodice with herringbone stitch.

The gown has a silk overlay to the skirt - so I did that first, before the trim was pinned and sewn onto the bodice with tiny fell stitches. If you notice the top bodice has an inch of seam allowance - this is folded and serve as facing. I used an old-fashion zipper for this since the bodice is quite thick for an invisible zipper - and is also hand-picked.

I sew some rigilene boning to the lining. I have made a couple of big projects  not knowing that this type of boning can or should be sewn directly to the fabric - lesson learnt! The lining is sewn with fell stitches and finished the neckline with pickstitches (around a quarter of an inch from the edge). I finished the hem both silk and silk crepe, and added a waist stay. 

Off to the wedding...!

 Thank you so much for reading!

Until then, 

xox