Two New Patterns For Sale

I thought I would finish these patterns over a week ago but I got distracted by another project.

Style 102

Style 103

To purchase these patterns please visit my blog store.

Patterns are $11.00 and are sold separately.

Even More Black Cocktailers

Here are the rest of the 24 black cocktailers I made.

If this dress looks a little familiar it is because it was inspired by this gorgeous DeaAnna Denton dress.

Image Property of Tonner Doll Company

When I cut of the bottom of the pleated skirt that I used to make the "Rear Window" dress, I knew I had to make Gene a copy of DeeAnna's dress. Of course it's not exact, but Gene loves her version of DeeAnna's dress.

I cut the scalloped part off of some lace trim and sewed it to the bodice neckline.

"Twilight Girl" is wearing a dress made with the same lace bodice and a full circle chiffon skirt.







Here is the same bodice with a lace skirt. I think the shorter skirt gives it more of a late 50's early 60's look.

I wish I had used red flowers instead of pink ones.

Another Black Cocktail Dress

While I was collecting massive amounts of inspiration in the L'officiel archives , I fell in love with this design by Jacques Heim, circa 1954. Lace and pleats in the same dress, j'adore!



Of course, I couldn't find prepleated fabric in white or cream, but I had bought some black pleated fabric years ago.





I couldn't tell what the front of the dress looked like so I took the liberty of adding a little bit of the pleated fabric to the neckline.



The hat is from the Gene outfit "Suited to Be a Colonel". I think it goes well with the dress.

"Rear Window" Black Cocktail Dress

This is the last costume from the film "Rear Window" that I planned on making. Actually I am planning on making another small batch of green suits and a bunch of yellow print dresses in a few months.



This dress isn't as well known as the black and white dress, but I think it is a beautiful dress.





The bodice is made of chiffon underlined in satin. The sleeves are also chiffon that are lined in peach organza to give them a sheer look. The satin collar ties in the front and the ends are sewn into the bodice side seams.









After I designed and made my prototype, I came across this picture on the Internet.



It was the most detailed photograph of this dress that I have ever seen. I sort of wish I hadn't seen it. "Well dang-it!", I thought "There are pleats on the bodice too." I decided I wasn't going to change my design, because it would be too hard to figure out how to do the pleats on the bodice. I also needed all of my prepleated fabric that I had for the skirts.

Then I came across this picture.

Look at the detail at the neckline! What the heck! I never saw that in the film! But then again, black doesn't show detail very well.

SEE?

I'm really glad I didn't see that other picture while I was making these dresses. It would have been very hard to do that detail in miniature.

Prepleated fabric is very hard to find. Even though I bought a pleater a few months ago, I'm not crazy, brave enough to try to pleat chiffon. My mother picked up this skirt at a second-hand store.



The pictures don't show the details very well, but the skirt was divided into three different sections. The top of the skirt had tiny micro pleats. A third of the way down the skirt the pleats get bigger.



At the bottom of the skirt the pleats get very soft. I would love to have 10 of these skirts. One for me to wear in a size that fits me and 9 to cut up and make more doll dresses out of.

I took this skirt to the dry cleaners and the lady working there commented on how lovely it was. I made the mistake of telling her that I was going to cut it up and make doll clothes out of it. She freaked out! "You can't do that!" she cried. I told her that I wouldn't be able to wear a size 8 in my wildest dreams and that I would be able to make 6 doll dresses out of it. She didn't get me at all, sigh. What is so weird about cutting up a nice skirt to make doll clothes? Doesn't everyone do that? Whatever, I'm recycling!



I used the top 2/3rds of the skirt to make four dresses. The other dresses were made out of some prepleated fabric that I bought years ago and always wished I had bought more of.

I lightened the picture to show the details better.

This dress also fits the Tonner dolls well.

All the dresses have been sold.

Sew Happy!

It is a new year, and I am really sew happy. Here are a few reasons for my good mood:

I finally finished my 24 black cocktail dresses, yeah! It took waaay longer than I thought it would.

I am finishing up two new patterns from the film "Rear Window" with many more plans for patterns.

My boys are going back to school tomorrow!

And finally THIS



That's right I got a Husqvarna Viking Designer Ruby, can you say- Sweet!!!!!" I just set it up a few days ago, and am still learning how to use it. It embroiders too, now I am on the hunt for embroidery patterns to recreate more movie costumes. I am keeping my old machine to sew linings, so I don't have to change threads all the time.

I will be posting again soon.