Colette Crepe, First Go

Crepe Dress, Second Go

Last month, I cut out a couple dresses. Late at night. And managed to have the pattern pieces upside down. The green fabric has words across it: birds, flowers, fruit, vegetables.





I think it's cute. This is view 1, with the scoop neck. MissB took these pictures for me.

Blue Chantilly Dress

I had picked up this blue and brown voile on sale at the fabric store with the Swing Dress in mind. Then I started on the Chantilly muslin and decided that would combine well with the blue for my Resurrection Celebration (Easter) dress.

I added brown piping at the waistline. It seems as if I could have used an 8 at the waist instead, maybe I stretched it while adding the piping.

I did pick up some brown to use with the red muslin top, so maybe I'll drop down a size at the waist and see how it goes.

The only change i made on the pattern was to add 8" to the hem. Overall, it fits well, flatters my figure, and is very feminine. I think it's a keeper!

Chantilly Trial Take Two!

I went with the size 4 on top and size 10 waist. I think it looks a lot better. The puffiness of the gathers should be lessened by the weight of the skirt.




The back has some movement, good. I had my oldest daughter take another:




This just looks a touch loose to me. Good. Woven fabrics need "ease" so the wearer can move. When this has a skirt, I'm sure it will look fine.

Chantilly Trial Take One!

Okay, I bit. There's a newer pattern company called Colette Patterns that have come out with some gorgeous patterns. I picked up Chantilly and hope to have it made up shortly. My dilemma? According to the pattern sizing, I'm a 4 on top and a 10 from the waist down! Wow, what childbearing can do to a figure! So, it's time to mock up. In sewing terms, making a pattern, or part of a pattern in a similar yet less expensive fabric is called making a muslin, because traditionally this is done in the fabric called muslin. I haven't any muslin lying around, so I'm using some pretty red fabric I have. There's only two yards, so I couldn't get a dress from it anyway. Maybe if it fits, though, I could get some contrast fabric for the skirt.



I read everywhere that Colette patterns run large. And they're made for a C cup.. Yeah, so first I tried it with size 4 on top and size 6? For the band. Obvious to me are the side-to-side wrinkles indicating that my well-rounded belly needs more space.



Again in the back, I'm on the right track on top. This size fit my ribcage fine, but I didn't widen it out enough below that.

More later!