Lois Goes to Seattle Frocktails
I recently blogged about my first Tessuti Lois that I'm madly in love with, but I've been needing just the right excuse to make it again in a fabric that was more special occasiony. So, when I purchased my tickets to Seattle Frocktails this year, I knew that was the perfect occasion!
This iteration of the Tessuti Lois is made out of a deep evergreen and black polyester brocade from Fabric Mart that has ZERO give, so it's a bit tighter than my first one. This one I have to really suck everything in to get the side zipper closed, where my first one out of rayon challis can be pulled on over my head and I don't even have to use the zipper. It's not uncomfortable once it's actually zipped, but if I make it again with a completely non-stretch fabric, I'll add a smidge more wiggle room in the waist.
I didn't change anything from my last version. I frenched all the seams, which was fun with the gathers and the way the front point works, but after my first try that didn't quite work out, I only had to unstitch a little bit to slightly adjust the gathers to get the perfect placement. I love it when the inside looks (almost) as good as the outside.
While I was sewing this version, I realized that I left out a few details in my previous post about Lois. The pattern has pieces for "vilene shields", which I'd never heard of before. When I first looked at the pattern and saw all those vilene shield pieces (front neck, back neck and front skirt waist) I felt a little scared off! But I read about what they were and chose to just use stay stitching instead. However, I appreciate the technique and might try it at some point in the future, just to try out something new.
I was so excited leading up to the day of the big sewist party! I actually even finished this dress almost A WEEK EARLY!! I don't know if I've mentioned how much of a last minute sewist I am, but I have a bit of a reputation among people I go to dance events with. I pack my sewing machine for events I drive to and I can often be seen in the ballroom hand sewing between heats, trying to finish the dress I'm planning on wearing at dinner that night! Although I do always pack a backup option, just in case. Finishing this dress so early was an unusual experience for me!
But, something just didn't quite feel right about NOT working on an outfit right up until the last minute, so on Wednesday I decided none of my current selection of jackets/sweaters/warmth giving garments was quite right to wear with this dress. So, I decided that I had PLENTY of time to make myself a new jacket.
I had this lovely black sequined and embroidered mesh in my stash that I wanted to use that went quite well with a crepe back satin I picked up from JoAnn as a backup fabric for a dress I was making to attend an "Emerald Ball" earlier this year. I didn't end up using it for that, although the dress I did make was a disaster, so I probably should have. (side note: I have a draft of a post about that disaster that someday I'll finish and publish, because I really would like to talk more about my many failures over the years in addition to the successes.)
Enter Seamwork Quince. I don't have any good photos of this lovely jacket yet, so I'll leave the details for a future post after I've gotten a chance to actually do a good photoshoot. I absolutely love the way it turned out. Here is a preview shot that my husband took after I Ubered my drunk ass home Saturday night. And as you can see, the two fabrics combined to create the perfect color match to my Lois! I'm just that good. 😜
I had a great time at Seattle Frocktails! I ran into someone I knew from ASG almost immediately, which did help this introverted girl not completely go hide out in a corner all night. Unfortunately, I didn't end up getting any photos at the event! Which is a bummer because there were so many great excuses to capture photos and even a cute photobooth setup! I found another lady wearing my same dress pattern, which would have made a fun photo and I met several ladies that I follow on Instagram and/or have designed some of the patterns I own. Oh well. Hopefully I'll remember to get photos next time!
This iteration of the Tessuti Lois is made out of a deep evergreen and black polyester brocade from Fabric Mart that has ZERO give, so it's a bit tighter than my first one. This one I have to really suck everything in to get the side zipper closed, where my first one out of rayon challis can be pulled on over my head and I don't even have to use the zipper. It's not uncomfortable once it's actually zipped, but if I make it again with a completely non-stretch fabric, I'll add a smidge more wiggle room in the waist.
I didn't change anything from my last version. I frenched all the seams, which was fun with the gathers and the way the front point works, but after my first try that didn't quite work out, I only had to unstitch a little bit to slightly adjust the gathers to get the perfect placement. I love it when the inside looks (almost) as good as the outside.
While I was sewing this version, I realized that I left out a few details in my previous post about Lois. The pattern has pieces for "vilene shields", which I'd never heard of before. When I first looked at the pattern and saw all those vilene shield pieces (front neck, back neck and front skirt waist) I felt a little scared off! But I read about what they were and chose to just use stay stitching instead. However, I appreciate the technique and might try it at some point in the future, just to try out something new.
I was so excited leading up to the day of the big sewist party! I actually even finished this dress almost A WEEK EARLY!! I don't know if I've mentioned how much of a last minute sewist I am, but I have a bit of a reputation among people I go to dance events with. I pack my sewing machine for events I drive to and I can often be seen in the ballroom hand sewing between heats, trying to finish the dress I'm planning on wearing at dinner that night! Although I do always pack a backup option, just in case. Finishing this dress so early was an unusual experience for me!
But, something just didn't quite feel right about NOT working on an outfit right up until the last minute, so on Wednesday I decided none of my current selection of jackets/sweaters/warmth giving garments was quite right to wear with this dress. So, I decided that I had PLENTY of time to make myself a new jacket.
I had this lovely black sequined and embroidered mesh in my stash that I wanted to use that went quite well with a crepe back satin I picked up from JoAnn as a backup fabric for a dress I was making to attend an "Emerald Ball" earlier this year. I didn't end up using it for that, although the dress I did make was a disaster, so I probably should have. (side note: I have a draft of a post about that disaster that someday I'll finish and publish, because I really would like to talk more about my many failures over the years in addition to the successes.)
Enter Seamwork Quince. I don't have any good photos of this lovely jacket yet, so I'll leave the details for a future post after I've gotten a chance to actually do a good photoshoot. I absolutely love the way it turned out. Here is a preview shot that my husband took after I Ubered my drunk ass home Saturday night. And as you can see, the two fabrics combined to create the perfect color match to my Lois! I'm just that good. 😜
I had a great time at Seattle Frocktails! I ran into someone I knew from ASG almost immediately, which did help this introverted girl not completely go hide out in a corner all night. Unfortunately, I didn't end up getting any photos at the event! Which is a bummer because there were so many great excuses to capture photos and even a cute photobooth setup! I found another lady wearing my same dress pattern, which would have made a fun photo and I met several ladies that I follow on Instagram and/or have designed some of the patterns I own. Oh well. Hopefully I'll remember to get photos next time!
This dress is an absolutely perfect fit on you. Really nice job!
ReplyDelete