Making a Valentino Finished

Well the dress is finished. I’m please the way it came out, although there are some things I would make different next time.

Oh, yeah!! As I was working on it I thought “this would make a beautiful wedding dress”. Of course it would be a more sophisticated dress; I already start it working on it, just have to make sure I have plenty of the silk 4 ply crape. Will see! Like I said in the past posts I’m not busy at this time, so is time to play lololol

Here are the pics of the dress I hope you enjoy!

Final note; like I said I’m please with the dress and plan to make it again, but, is it just me? …. I can't help the feeling after I finished a project that the “Love is gone”… does any one else feels the same?

FELIZ NAVIDAD!!!

Making a Valentino "Final Details"

After the break, I decided to do the ruffle at the waist. Luckily I had some fabric left [remember I ‘m using some pieces from my stash] to cut some bias band to make it.
I cut some wide enough to make it double to have the ruffle have a soft feel to it. Using the ruffle foot, I gather some of it to the waist size, and then I sewed it to the bottom seam of the bodice, before joining the skirt.

Now, with both bodice and skirt joined, it was time to sew the zipper. Using a traditional zipper in beige [flesh tone] I sewed it using the prickstitch, changing the color of the thread as I was sewing the different fabrics; i.e. green for the charmeuse, beige for the organza.

In addition to the prickstitch, I slip stitch under each bias tube making sure not to catch then with the thread.

I totally forgot about the little bow I made, I think it would give a final touch to the zipper.

Making a Valentino "Almost Done"

With the top part of the bodice done, it was time to sew the yoke. I cut two yoke pieces out of organza; a top, where the bias tubes would be sewn, and a bottom piece which would be use as a lining.

Joining the bodice with the yoke took a little planning; I wanted the joining seam to have the same clean finish as the sleeves.

I sewed a piece of the bias tubes right side out, leaving the seam allowance free [I use the fold on the inside while it was being sewn, this way I could make sure the tube would measurement would be the accurate]. This seam allowance would be hidden with the bias tube itself when folded over.

The two yokes were then sandwiched between the bodice, lining and the bias strip from BACK ‘S DART to BACK ‘S DART. From CENTER BACK TO DART, I left lining as well as bottom yoke free. This two would be joining later; leaving this part free for lining the zipper [I have done this finish on wedding dresses when a crinoline is sewn to it].

Leaving the seam allowance showing at the right side of the garment trim some off, the bias trim is then folded up and tailors baste.

With bottom yoke piece hanging free, I was read to pin and baste the bias tubes in place.

With all the tubes basted, and hand sewn [slip stitch] to the bodice, I placed both the bodice and the skirt [the skirt was piece together previously] on the mannequin to take a look.

So far, I like the way is coming out.

Making a Valentino "Test"

With the design lines changed on muslin and transferred to the pattern … is time to “test” it. I used a left over silk charmeuse for this.

Sewing the pattern with a similar fabric, helps testing the fit as well as any construction techniques.

Taking a closer look at the pic, it is apparent that the body of the sleeves was made on silk organza, [look at the closer pic of the dress], the bust dart was change to make 3 smaller darts

I cut and sew the sleeves body, use bias strips to clean finish both the top and bottom of sleeves. The other bias strips were basted in place.

The bodice was cut in green charmeuse, sleeves and bodice were pin, put on the mannequin to see and make any corrections if need it.

The white organza is not the right one for this. I need something in a flesh tone. I dipped a piece in tea to see if that would work [an old trick use to dye lace and silks]. The tea was too light; I dipped another piece in coffee. I was please with the color, so I went ahead and dye the fabric.

Here is a pic of the bodice on the mannequin. The sleeves and lining are sewn. I baste the lining a fashion fabric together.

Now it is ready to be sewn to the lower part of the bodice

Making A Valentino

I find myself with some free time, so I’m getting busy doing some work for my pleaser. I start it making a knockoff of a dress from Valentino’s Haute couture Spring 2008.

I figure, why not, I have the time and some silks, let’s do it.

Not wanting to spend time making a pattern [like I had done in the past, till I got wiser], I took a similar commercial pattern. The closes to the dress was B5277, made a copy of it on patternmaking paper, trace to muslin,

left some extra fabric by the neckline [I see the Valentino’s dress is had a higher neck line than the one on the pattern] and pin it on the mannequin.

With muslin on the dress form, and looking at the pic of the “V” dress, I drew the new lines on the neckline and sleeves. I also make the midriff yoke

Changes made on first muslin, I trace this changes to a new one, cut the upper part of the dress to fine done the sleeves and make sure neckline pleasing to me. Not sure if you could see, but I notice, the sleeves need to come down move at the top. I use some left piping [from the blouse I’m, making] as guide to where the bias ribbons would be place, this is need also to make the right length of the sleeve.

After going this far, I start it thinking what fabric I will use for this dress, I have some yards of printed silk charmeuse, I just don’t know witch, I’m favoring the yellow green one over the blue and green roses.

Let’s see how it goes…….