Some Light Cleaning

It has been awhile since I posted. I am sure that you may have noticed. I have decided today that I need some sprucing up here around this old blog. There might be some cobwebs in places there shouldn't be and a layer of dust thick enough to write "shame on me" residing on my sewing machine. I am still here, and today have made the decision that things are going to change. For real. Not like my yearly attempt to stay up past midnight on New Year's Eve — some things I just have to face.

I want to blog about sewing. I want to sew more. It makes me happy.

One post done. Baby steps :)

Wedding Dress: Finished

Well, here is the final project finished with my photos and really fancy photos taken by the photographer. You will be able to tell which ones are mine and which are hers. Trust me.

Finally. A little update...

It has been a long time. Actually it has been about six months. Clearly when I get overwhelmed or super focused this is what happens— something has to give. Unfortunately it seems it is always the blog. But I will say that in those six months I finished my friend's wedding dress, one bridesmaid Bombshell dress, three-quarters of another Bombshell dress, traveled to St.Louis, London, Dublin (finding great vintage finds in each city) and all the while running two cheese stores. It has been exhausting, exciting and rewarding.

Something Stinks: Fabric Prep

As I have mentioned I enrolled in Gertie's online class, and I have chosen my fabric. Much to my husband's happiness, I found in my stash this piece of black and white houndstooth silk suiting with enough yardage of four and half yards. I purchased it about a year ago during a super sale on fabric.com for $4 yard. Even though the class is geared to making a summer dress,  I really wanted to make a slightly heavier dress to straddle the in between seasons. It is lightweight enough to drape, but not too light. And I figured depending on accessory color, I could go either spring or fall/winter with the black and white. Maybe red or plum for winter and pink or coral for spring?

The Wonderful World of iDye

Since I last posted, many things have happened. Well, many and then not so many, really. Let's get on to what did happen, which I will try to put in a timely order:

Wedding Dress Deconstruction: The Original

With permission of the original blushing bride, here is a full view of the dress that I have been talking about, complete with tiara. If you are just joining in, I am helping a very good friend of mine take apart her mother's wedding dress and reconstruct it for her to wear in her May 2012 wedding.

Wedding Dress: Muslin Stages

When I posted last, we had ripped apart the original dress into its various pieces. From there we pillaged even more. We broke down each piece and lace trim was seized from cuffs and the neckline for possible further use. We know for sure that we will not use the original front bodice pieces since they are too short, even with tweaking. Rather than be sorry later, we are still holding on to everything until it is all done...just in case.

Back with Wedding Bells On...

Image from Flikr

I thought that the best way to get back into the swing of sewing after returning from my time in Italy was to help one of my very good friends with her upcoming wedding dress. Have I ever made a wedding dress? No. Have I ever worked with lace? Um...no. Have I ever made a boned bodice? Still no. But, am I hopeful and ready for this challenge? Absolutely, Yes! And is my friend a forgiving, easy-going person? Yes, thank god.