Honeymoon Vogue 1353

Recently, Finished Items have been far and few between, as have blog posts about them. A little while ago I tried to concentrate on Works In Progress but two in a row turned into big fails so one weekend I exclaimed “harumpfh!” and clean slated my cutting table.

Then I picked out a new dress pattern, paired it with the fabric I bought with my Sewing Indie Month prize and got to work.

Crappy night-time cellphone photo, sorry

I still have WIPs but most of them can wait. I’ll just pick them up when the mood strikes and there is no guilt.

#SewingJoy

So, my new dress: I love it so much I immediately cut out a second one in a fabric I’m calling “hidden tigers“. I can’t wait to wear it and see if anyone notices.

Grrrr!

This is a Vogue 1353 Kay Unger in Cotton and Steel Honeymoon by Sarah Watts – Morning Dew (black) that I bought it from Blackbird Fabrics.

I love Cotton and Steel fabric.

The dress pattern features a scooped neckline with small pleats in the front, a princess seamed bodice, pleated skirt, invisible back zipper and is fully lined with a deep hem facing.

I have an extensive collection of “Big 4” patterns but it’s been a while since I’ve shuffled through them. I actually grabbed this out of the drawers after seeing Nikki’s and both of Sandra’s versions (1 and 2).

I underlined in a black cotton/silk blend.

My only regret is that I intended to ignore the instructions, which leave you hand stitching the lining at the shoulder seam, and use the “burrito” method to attach the lining. It’s a neat sewing magic trick I learnt courtesy of Colette Patterns while I was making my Birthday Rooibos. Google it 😉

Unfortunately after I tried the dress on for the first time I was so excited about how great it made me feel after a couple of sewing bombs that I just zoomed ahead until it was too late to turn back. Next time…

What I love most about this pattern is the deep hem facing, it’s about 14cm deep when finished.

This is the first time I’ve hemmed this way and it’s great! It adds weight extra and body to the bottom of this dress which really helps flare the skirt out below the pleats.

You are supposed to hand stitch the top of the hem facing with fancy thread but…bahahahahaha!

Nope.

THE DEETS:

Pattern – Vogue 1353 Kay Unger, size 14 graded to 16 at the waist

Fabric – Cotton and Steel Honeymoon by Sarah Watts – Morning Dew (black) from Blackbird Fabrics and black cotton/silk blend from The Fabric Store, Wellington

Other notions – Invisible zipper, interfacing

https://www.instagram.com/p/BCUoXKHw2FC/?taken-by=thecuriouskiwi