Making a Dress-Part Seven

How else is a dress going to stay on.  I am at the second to final part of a dress.  This was a challenge of the day; the zipper. Kate came over to assist this time and I learned to press and pin over and over again.  The lining and the fabric from my dress was hard to line up and keep every thing straight.  

I start to sew and very slowly to make sure that it is straight so I will be able to zip my dress.

 Installing a zipper foot and it was a something that I am happy is over.  After two hours of  screaming, pressing, cutting my had from a rouge pin.  I was happily zipping my dress up and down.

The finally step is the hem which I am sewing by hand to hold the horse hair in place.  I need to hurry Depeche Mode is less then two weeks away.

Making a Dress-Part SIx

This session I was flying solo.  With Kate instuction via phone; I was given the challenge of pinning in the skirt linning.  In patterns we find stitch makers which is what easily guided me to pinning the skirt. 

I started to sew the lining carefully had to walk the sewing needle over the boning on the back and try not to have this stitch show. 

To make sure I don't lose my slip when I am dancing the night away.

Here is a close up of the back and in which I sewed in the boning.

Making a Dress-Part Five

Bodice attached and boning goes in.

My Depeche Mode concert is only three weeks away and my sewing machine has been stitching like a happy believer that it will make a dress happen.  This pattern has been very challenging!!! Thanks to the help of Kate we were able to make it happen.  I have learned to hand gather and hand pleat.  Kate did most of the hand pleating; while I was on pinning I stabbed myself and almost got blood on my dress.

   The Boning in finally in and I had a good laugh when Kate said "Perla, we are boing! We are finally boing!!"  The day was one of the hottest days so far; which explains the lack of clothes and also I was in and out of them for the fitting of the bodice and the skirt.  

When the skirt was attached and I could slip it on just picture the way it is going to fall on my body and flow with the August wind I was so happy that I almost cried.  Final steps: attach lining for skirt, zipper and hem. 

Almost there!!!   If you are going to the Depeche Mode Seattle Show on August 1o, 2009 just look for the girl with the dress.

Making a Dress-Part Four

Once again Simplicity is really throwing curve balls at me.  And they are not ones that can be followed, they are ones that you have to look at and wonder who was not awake when they approved this pattern.  But thank goodness for the help of Kate, wine, and Depeche Mode to keep we sewing.

Earlier in the day my friend Becky came to drop off a gift.  I was so shocked when she handed me a copy of Depeche Mode 101.  Yes it's a VHS and yes I do own one.  But when I was a early Depeche Mode fan this was one cd I would play over and over so I could feel that I was at the concert.  But alas in a few weeks I am going to be at my own version of Depeche Mode and with one of kind dress.   But with this dress comes the challenges that make me happy that I have a friend helping me. Pinning a Bodice is one the most challenging that can be done and that have been making wish I just made a simple sun dress, but I am making it to the end.

I have started on the skirt which is going rather easy and I have to press and everything ready for me to start attaching everything.  Only 23 days till the Tour of the Universe comes to Depeche Mode and I am able to dance the night away wearing the dress.

Making a Dress-Part Three

Sewing has really become a talent that I am glad I grew up around.  This time I went over to Kate's home.  With my bag of sewing, my sewing machine and a urge to keep going.  This is also we learned that Simplicity can't make a easy pattern.  After changing and alteration we finished the bodice front and back. Gathered by hand and lost of pressing.

But we are half way there I now get to wait to add boning to the back of the dress.  And I have a skirt to make.  Only 32 more days till the big night of watching Depeche Mode live and wearing this great dress I am making with a little help from my friends.

sewing lining to the back.
Prepping for the Boning
Pressing the back
Bodice laying great.

My New Toy

I BOUGHT A SEWING MACHINE!!!!

After Kate left with her sewing machine.  I really wanted to keep sewing but also wanted really keep my mother's memory.  I saw one at the store for $200 but thanks to Craig's List I have the same one for $50!!!

I will be posting pictures soon.

Session two with Kate is tomorrow ...

Keeping you posted.

Making a Dress-Part Two

Time to layout the pattern, followed by cutting with out tears.

Sew I begin...
Needing to focus.  Plus I don't want to mess up.
This is going to make the top?
Bodice done.
After spending most of the late morning with Kate sewing and laughing.  It really reminded me of the all the Saturdays I would spend with my mother, I was the cutter she was the seamstress. Mother enjoyed to listen to Jose Jose, I was listening to Depeche Mode.( I am making this dress for them.)  But most of all I am happy that a friend was happy to help me and be my mother and show me the ropes.  

Next part will me the rest of the dress.  I hope I can really do this what out sweating and not messing up.  But this why they invented seam rippers.  

Till Next Time. 

Making a Dress-Part One

I'm going to see Depeche Mode with a friend this August.  We became friends because of my love of this band.  Since it being ten years since I saw then last and this being so close to my friends birthday; what a great way to enjoy a night in Seattle's Key Area.  So when you have to a date with the band that shaped your emotions all through out high school and my early twenties.  

You must look FANTASTIC! 

After trying to find multiple dress that where to tight, to expensive or just to tacky for me.  I was channeled by my mother and thought "I shall Sew a dress!"  In the Mill End Fabric store I was having flash backs to the when my mother would take me to the fabric stores, how happy she was when she would make a dress for twenty but looked like a $2oo.  I wanted to feel that same mag

ic.  

I did this journey the way I remembered it.  First find a pattern, that was easy it only took about five minutes. Plus it says SEW EASY it has to be easy. (Not quite)  Second look for a fabric that meets the standard of the pattern and your as well.  When you have a woman well in to her golden years tell you that a Eyelet would look nice.  I tried to not laugh at the women helping me; I think when she heard "I'm going to a concert August." Must have assumed I was going to be at the State Fair.  After walking away from her very country themed selections of Fabrics.  I was off to find the right fabric.  I finally knew what it feels like for a man to go show shopping for ladies shoes.  Everything looks the same or a l

ittle different. 

Then my husband found this fabric.

"Perfect!!!!" I screamed.

It was super 80's, Super unique at a price I could afford.  After leaving and getting home. I opened the pattern started to look at the instructions and saw that this was going to be a more of a challenge then it was going to be fun.  

Then I ran in to my friend Kate and that was more then happy to help in exchange for something knitted by me.  Sounds like a fair deal.   Next chapter laying out and cutting.