Oh the excitement of planning and looking for the perfect fabric...
And then reality dawned once again... after all, who can expect there to be smooth sailing when learning a new technique... and why oh, WHY did I think a complicated formal gown was the best first project to choose?!
5 mock-ups, 4 weeks, and 65 sewing hours later...
I decided it was worth the hair pulling and aggravation.
Just before the first snowfall, and with nearly the last bit of fall foliage, I snuck in a quick photo shoot. The mixture of vibrant and dull colors made the perfect backdrop and I was ecstatic with how well my first attempt at finger waves turned out (at least on one side ;) :P) I think some hair spray would have tamed it sufficiently had I a working bottle on hand. :D
The diamond creates the shaping for the bodice, so there was no need for darts, which tickled me silly! :D Although the process to get it to do so was extensive and exasperating at times!
Our
fist location didn't have nearly as much "fall" as we wished, but I
still really like how the photos came out in this spot! Being on the
upper slope of the hill from the camera made me look a little taller and
give the more classic 30's vibe... I'm pretty sure the illustrators of
the decade thought legs were a good 2 feet longer than humanly probable!
:D
See
my little bee "friend"? He must have thought I was a lone flower
amongst the grassy fields. After quickly snapping this photo my brother
moved him to a nearby dandelion.
Another favorite detail was the strap design, starting at the armscye seam in the front and crossing over in the back to form the edge of the v-neck.
The
long row of fabric buttons and loops down the back were yet another
favorite design aspect. I was pleased with how well it worked in
function as well as design.
We
spotted a new location across the yard with some delightful foliage
remaining and had to snap a few more photos there. I'm so glad we did,
though I was frigid and shivering by this point.
My
brother caught me waving my arms and laughing as I tried to warm up and
relax so I wouldn't look stiff and icy for the photos. :D
I just love how the red dress looks framed by the yellow, orange, and brown of the leaves and brush.
Crazy beautiful -- how was it for wearing? Do the straps slip off or not, do you have to tug anything when sitting, etc?
ReplyDeleteThank you! The straps stayed on great, though I did raise the neckline from the original draft, so that may have helped keep the straps in place. It's been a while since I've been able to wear this one. I don't remember feeling frustrated having to tug for sitting. I'm sure it did wrinkle some with sitting though, given that the bodice extends below the natural waist. The only discomfort I remember with the gown was being chilly in the fall weather and worrying about putting pulls in the satin fabric. :)
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