So, Elsa needed a new posh frock.
She loved the look of V9076
Her inspiration was a beautiful dress she found on Asos and asked if we could make something similar.
The fabric is a beautiful rayon crepe I purchased on sale from Spotlight.
Elsa measured a size 10 in the bust and waist and a 12 in the hip but I figured as the skirt was so full I could cut a straight size 10.
To make sure the dress would fit (and to work out how to sew the fiddly front and back panels) I made a wearable muslin blouse from some nude coloured crepe from my stash.
The fabric is surprisingly lovely to sew. I have a 20+ metre roll that I picked up from a boutique on Chapel Street in Melbourne, when it closed. It is sort of a nondescript type of fabric that looks a bit 'blah' on the roll but make a lovely garment.
I think there will be many, many wearable muslins from this cloth.
The fit was perfect so I dove in with dress!
The dress design is not lined but Elsa requested the bodice and skirt of her dress to be.
I lined the bodice panels with the same crepe I used for the muslin blouse as I was concerned if I self lined, the print may show through.
I basted the panels together and then treated both fabrics as one.
For the skirt lining I used a Bemsilk as I felt the crepe was too 'grippy' and Elsa wanted swish!.
The bodice and sleeves fasten with elastic roulette that is stitched into the seam allowance. It is more flexible than self fabric loops. The buttons are dove grey satin covered shank buttons I purchased from Eliza Fabrics.
There were a lot of buttons, Elsa needed some help getting them all down up.
The finished dress is so beautiful on her.
I was concerned it may look a little 'Nana' but absolutely not!
It is swishy...
Pretty...
And so elegant.
~My Verdict~
I sewed this dress for Elsa to wear to her boyfriend's sister's wedding. It was touch and go whether they would make it as many borders are closed in Australia due to Covid, South Australia is currently Covid free, but if they quarantine for two weeks when they return, they can go.
Elsa and Zara turn 21 this week, so the fabric, pattern and sewing was also part of my gift to her (along with some g o r g e o u s boots)
I am so glad I muslined the blouse.
It wasn't just for fit, it was a chance to work out out to insert the gathered bodice panels. It was not a difficult sew, per-say but it was a comprehensive sew.
The instructions were very, very good, not wordy but everything was there. It just required reading a few times. Definitely not a rush sew.
There were not directions to line the skirt so I simply made a second skirt from Bemsilk, trimmed the plackets back and hemmed them, put the skirts right sides together and gathered and sewed them as one.
The lining placket hangs free.
I made the cuffs twice as deep as the pattern piece required but didn't need to shorten the sleeves.
Elsa requested the cuffs to be quite loose so they would fall down over her hands (you could sew the buttons further into the cuff and that would tighten them or you could narrow the cuff)
I would love to sew this again. I think it would be lovely in a very sheer fabric (similar to the inspiration picture) with a lined bodice and skirt.
Thank you for reading xx Nicole
PS Please excuse the clunky blogpost, Blogger has changed its interface to a crap load of code and to say I am struggling is an understatement.
