My skirt overlay was finished so it was time to move on to the bodice. With my base fabric being charmeuse — which is soft and drapey — I knew I was going to need to add some body and structure. To keep the dress on my body and act as my undergarment, I would … More Beetle Wing Gown: The Bodice
I had never done any kind of hand embroidering or beading before this project. I watched a lot of videos and read through tutorials on blogs to try to understand what supplies I needed to accomplish this new-to-me technique. As usual, after hours of research I dove in and ordered what I needed. I got … More Beetle Wing Gown: Beading the Organza
I think it was a pin on Pinterest that I saw a while back that gave me the idea of using beetle wings to begin with. I am a nature and animal lover and when I saw these gorgeous dresses loaded with beetle wings (actually, the hard wing covers) I was really inspired and felt … More Beetle Wing Gown: Planning and Prep
I am terrible at keeping up with blogs. I have tried a few times to get one going but I always lose momentum and motivation. After all, I would rather be doing things than writing about them! But I strangely find a little more down time on my hands lately (hee hee, ha ha, cry). … More Where have I been?
I participated in a pattern test for Designer Stitch, once again, and this one… well, she knocked it out of the park! Home run! This dress has a vintage vibe, which you can carry through with a fabric choice that reflects that style; or make it modern while maintaining that classy cut of the dress. … More Vintage Style: Clara Dress pattern by Designer Stitch
Inserting an invisible zipper in a garment with lining or facing … More Inserting an Invisible Zipper in a Garment with Facing or Lining
Well… it’s been a bit longer than I expected it to be to get this post done. But as life is, things got busy all at once and now I finally have enough of a break to write again! So, here we are at Part 3, moving on to the making of the inner foundation … More Drafting an Evening Gown and Couture Sewing, Part 3
Warning! This post is photo heavy! It may take some time to load! We left off with my final muslin and pattern pieces finalized. You can catch up in Part 1 if you missed it. Based on all my research, I had decided it was best to underline the bodice pieces of my fashion fabric … More Drafting an Evening Gown and Couture Sewing, Part 2
Sedona shirt dress by Designer Stitch pattern test and review … More Sedona Shirt Dress – Test and Review
I am going to take you back to that time I went full speed into the realm of couture dressmaking. At least partly, anyway. Per my last post, I have enjoyed making my ball gowns for the Marine Corps Birthday Balls that we have gone to. Prior to the royal purple gown, I made a … More Drafting an Evening Gown and Couture Sewing, Part 1
