Project Sewn Fashion Icon Challenge

Project Sewn is one of my favorite opportunities to sew along. They always have such wonderful designers and great themes. And...each time I have high goals of what I would like to sew and then seem to run out of time. This challenge was no different. I started with the vision of a fit and flare dress for my brother in law's upcoming wedding and over the course of construction, this changed several times.

photo source 

I began with picking my fashion icon. Audrey Hepburn. Classic, beautiful, and elegant are just some of the words I would use to describe her style. I originally wanted to create a fit and flare dress with bold striped fabric as my piece, but the first roadblock was the fabric. I searched high and low for what I wanted and never found it, so plan b kicked in, and I purchased some textured lace at Joann fabrics for my dress. It is the Suedesays Fabric- Rosebud Lace in black and I also used a black satin.

Next, I picked a pattern. I went with Simplicity 1873. I was going to create view B with a gathered waist instead of pleated and I got fairly far along in the process. I first carefully cut all my pattern pieces out of the satin. Then placed them underneath my lace, hand basted the lace to the satin, and then cut out the pieces from the lace.

I had everything sewn together with an ambiance lining in the bodice when I decided I needed something different. I didn't love the way it looked on me, my gathering wasn't even and I decided to create something more versatile.

I tore the dress apart and decided to make a peplum top and a gathered waist skirt that could be worn as separates or together to look like a dress, by tucking in the peplum top. First, I created the peplum top, which was pretty simple and quick. I just used what I had left in the lace and satin and cut two strips about 7 inches long and twice the waist measurement. I then gathered the top of each and attached it to the bodice. I used hem lace tape and hand stitched the hem as well as all the lining on the interior. The top fits lovely and I look forward to pairing it with skinny pants and a jacket for another look. (All of which I would have loved to photographed but that whole time thing got in the way!)

The skirt was a different story. It was trouble from the beginning. After trying two gathering methods (a casing and also pre gathering and attaching to elastic), I decided it was just too much fabric. It was heavy, not flattering, and too much bulk for my liking. So...again, back to the drawing board. I settled on a pencil skirt with a vented back that I could wear underneath the peplum top to create the look of a dress. But I can also use the skirt on its own or with other pieces. I self drafted the pencil skirt and got to work. I finished the skirt in just enough time to snap some quick photos, but I plan to touch up some areas. I don't love the way the back is lying and I think I will change the hemline so the stitching will not be noticeable (more hand stitching...bleh).

Overall I am glad I created this outfit. It challenged me a little with insane amounts of seam ripping and rethinking, but in the end I have an outfit to wear to the wedding and will hopefully be able to wear the pieces separately as well. Now...will I have time to sew along in the next challenge???? That is yet to be seen. I have already changed my mind about seven times on what I would like to make, so I seem to be on the same path as usual! 

Shannon

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