Draping

A few of my dressforms

I am taking a draping class.  It has been not just a learning experience but a lot of fun.  It is hard but in just 3 classes, I can drape no less than 10 bodice darts.  Fun!

I also have a use for my dress forms other than modeling my makes.  I have something on which to practice. 

Now I need a duct tape dress form of myself so I can start draping something that will fit me.  I am excited!

Problems

The Mint Chip Dress came along swimmingly over the weekend. However, I perceive some problems on the horizon. First, I cannot figure out how to completely attach the bodice to the skirt. It appears that some directions are missing. There is an explanation of how to attach the back bodice to the skirt but not the front bodice. Maybe it is supposed to be a modified wrap dress? I am flummoxed to say the least. I also think something is missing because there is an instruction 17 and 17a but no 17 b. Second, the neck hole is teeny. I could barely fit my head through and my head is on the small side! I have never seen a neckline so small outside of children’s clothing. Third is a problem of my own making. I do not like how one of the insets is a little off center…must fix….will go crazy if don’t fix.

Here’s a look but please forgive all the threads.


 There is a lot of basting and stay stitching in this dress and I have not yet removed any. In fact, there is too much topstitching for my liking and all seams except side seams are basted in first! However, I will admit that I like the look and it didn’t take too much extra time. So next time I poopoo basting, I need to be reminded of this experience.

I also really need to pad out this form to be as busty as I am!

Eye Candy

Since I didn’t have time to either sew or post last night – really need to get the dumb taxes finished before the 15th! – I thought I would share some eye candy. This is the skirt of last year’s Halloween costume.

No you don’t get to the see the whole thing….yet. May need to use it for future eyecandy posts!!

As you can see, these photos pre-date the acquisition of the dressforms

Sewing Did Happen

Easter just got the better of me but sewing is now happening.  Though those tucks took forever and a day to get the way I wanted them to look.  It’s just too bad that in this picture you really cannot see them!  After all of that effort I wanted to record them for posterity!

The dress is now a little wrinkled.  I ironed it a couple of time but getting the skirt onto the ancient Wolf dressform resulted in many more wrinkles.

Nevertheless, I am happy with the way this dress is turning out.  The waistband and facings are on tomorrow’s agenda.

Ah.......Sweet Completion

Both View A and B of McCall’s 5357 have been completed!  A miracle I know.  

The pesky bodice of View A I finally manipulated to work so that I could insert the zipper.  Oh look how that waistline matches up.  There is a funky bit at the top of the zipper, but hey its under my arm so if anyone is looking that closely and DARES make a comment they had better watch out for my swinging elbow.  No telling what I might accidentally hit.

I am just so happy I have completed this project.  It will be better once I get the pouffy petticoat under View B.

So whats on the agenda now you might well ask….Ask away, a decision has been made.  A 1918 dress, a hopefully wearable muslin before I tackle it in silk made out of this wonderful 1 $ a yard cotton which is actually a much richer color:

Dressform-a-pa-looza

Wondering where the sewing posts have gone.  Well wonder no more.  Last Sunday I received boxes of vintage sewing paraphernalia from a friend’s grandmother’s basement.  This grandmother was a professional seamstress and no one in the family sews.  The boxes were basically just dumped in my living room along with 3…count them…3 vintage dress forms.  There are 4 more dressforms to be delivered at a later date.  Obviously, some of these forms will need to be sold, I just don’t have room for a jungle of dress forms.  But they are fun!  Look at them:  

A vintage Wolf form! One is made to meet the measurements of a certain woman and shows all her of her curves.  They are awesome.

The boxes were dusty and filled with stuff.  From old pattern book from the 40’s and 50’s to loads of vintage buttons!  Alas,  not a pattern to behold.  It is taking more time than anticipated to go through everything!!  Not to mention the dust!   So much dust!!  None of this stuff has been cared for.  Not to worry, it is now in a loving house!

Dressforms....who wants a dress form?

A friend has just informed me that I will be getting some "vintage" dressforms.  His grandmother was seamstres and ages ago I asked about any patterns or fabrics she may have left.  I was told, no there is nothing..........until last week.

Last week I got a call saying do I want the dressforms in his grandmother's basement?  Hell yes!!!!!!!!

Apparently in cleaning out the basement 6-8 dressforms have come to light in addition to pattern books and other sewing paraphanalia. 

Here you can see one of the dressforms taken out of the brown paper wrapping but look closely....you can see at least 3 others just in this picture.

He brought 3 dressforms and some pattern books home with him and the others will appear on different trips.

Can you tell how excited I am about this!  I have a funky dressform I got at goodwill which falls over a lot!