It has been my dream since my daughter was born to make her wedding dress.  When she first told me she was getting married we discussed what she would like.   We tossed around the idea of remaking my mother's wedding gown but she did not like the neck line and she wanted a train.  When I got married I cut off the train to remake the sleeves that did not fit me.  

I started looking for fabric last year.  In the fall I found the white fabric (Diamond white) and got a very good deal.  Today we went to Philadelphia fabric row on South 4th street.  We toured the various stores.  At the second store we went to, we found the green fabric to match her brides maids gowns to use on the dress.  After visiting most of the stores, she found a lace for the sleeves and veil.  We were planning on doing the green cording around the neck and having matching buttons.  The plan has changed..  Any trim around the neck will detract from the lace.  The lace has a very soft hand, along with sequins and beads.  It is a french lace and is just gorgeous.  

On the left is the pattern that I am going to use.  One of the things that she required was cap sleeves.  Not a popular feature right now.  She also wants a scooped neck.  That is an easy fix on most patterns.  

I got the pattern a while back.  Of course fit is the most important part of the garment.  I made a mock up and so far have only pinned out the excess fabric. Now that I have the fabric and know what I am working with I will finish the mock up and get ready to cut on the fashion fabric.  I will be modifying the sleeves slightly to accommodate the lace fabric.   

I am hoping that after I have extra fabric left over after I cut out the dress that I can make a second fitting garment out of the bridal fabric.

More to follow as the dress progresses.

Spring visited today.

It's been a while since I have had any thing to post.  I have been working to get the new PMB 5 to fit properly.  It seems like a slow process trying to get a decent fit in this upgrade.  I am pretty close to posting my first project.

In the mean time, last week I finished my squares for the quilt that the Friends of Hopewell National Furnace will be making for raffle this year.  We just finished the top and are getting reading to start quilting.

We still need to add the outer strips and then we will be ready to make the sandwich and fasten it to the quilting rack.

After completing my blocks I made some baby items for a shower gift.  I did two blankets and 4 cloths for a friend of my daughter and myself for the soon to be born son.

Cleaning my Iron

I made a blouse yesterday and the interfacing I uses stayed on the bottom of my iron turning it brown.  I tried cleaning it off with my old stand by, a dryer sheet, but it had no effect on this glue.  After the iron cooled I tried Goo Begone with no success.  Today I went to Joanne's and bought the Roewnta iron cleaning kit.  My iron is clean again.  The Dritz iron cleaner is probably very similar without all the bells and whistles.  I usually don't indorse a product but I was really impressed with the results.

THE STASH is your 'home base, your security, your legacy.' (Some poor souls think it's a nagging reminder of what you haven't done yet...)

WE, on the other hand, prefer to regard your PRECIOUS STASH as your Potential for Creativity!

~Lindy, The Silver Needle Newlsetter, 5.12.09

My Chanel Jacket

This jacket is part of a Chanel Sew Along. Our references for this project were Couture Sewing Techniques by Claire Shaeffer and several articles found in Threads Magazine.

 

My pattern is from PMB 5. I design the pattern and cut the fabric before I realized I had an issue with my neck and shoulders not importing over correctly from PMB 4. So I adopted the phrase that Tim Gunn likes to say “make it work”. And I did.

The garment is the Classic Jacket with a curved vee front neckline, jewel back neckline, fitted sides and back, single breasted, and a straight hemline. I used the shoulder princess seam on the front and back. The sleeve is a two piece sleeve which I modified. My shoulder pad setting was 1/2 inch. I took the pattern into Pattern Editor and made two modifications. I reversed the curve of the neck opening and I curved the cuffs. The inspiration for the curved cuffs came for Vogue pattern V8259 and Coco’s Cuff’s by Claire Shaeffer Threads issue # 151

The fabric is woven plaid cashmere. I found the fabric at an estate sale and had a limited amount. Matching plaids starts with the cutting of the fabric. To make this easier I printed a left and right pattern. I had no fabric to spare.

One of the articles we referenced for construction techniques is Inside a Chanel Jacket by Susan Kahjle Threads issue # 121. One of the trademarks of a Chanel Jacket is it subtle quilting. The quilting is usually done by machine. This fabric did not lend itself to subtleness when machine quilted. As a result, all the quilting in this jacket was hand done. With this dilemma I decided to construct the jacket first and the lining second, and the quilting somewhere in the middle.

Another trademark of a Chanel Jacket is the trim. I searched for trim in around the area but was unable to find anything that went with the fashion fabric. I then decided that cording might be the solution. I went to Fabric Mart and found some wool crepe to make the cording. I cut bias strips and sewed a soft rope from my stash into the cording with a zipper foot. I attached the cording. As I went to put in the lining, I discovered that the jacket had grown. By adjusting the cording I was able to fit the outer part of the jacket to the lining. I did have an issue with the length. I used the fabric from the cording to make a facing and I was able to complete the lining.

The last construction technique is the chain at the bottom of the jacket which helps the jacket hang nicely. This was sewn on by hand where the lining meets the fashion fabric. The key to sewing on the chain is that it can be neither to loose or two tight.