How was your New Year's day? I would love to show you my New Year's styles.
I made this striped kimono and bag too!
Vogue1548 is designed by Guy Laroche. When it came out last year, I wondered who would wear such an unusually designed dress. BUT I changed my mind when I saw the dress the model is wearing in a YouTube video. It's really lovely! The dress pattern has been on my mind for a while.
This GREAT dress is made by Sarah Webb (I've met her in real. She's very fashionable!). I loooooove the dress!
The pattern has a detachable front layer, piping sleeves, high waist bodice and big pleated balloon skirt. The skirt is very comfortable to wear. I used gray fabric (wool, polyester and silk blended) and combined a black polyester lace from my stash for the bodice and hem. It took a lot of time to cut these pattern pieces because the pattern has many parts.
The Most difficult part was making these sleeves. That's VERY tricky! The sleeve is made of FIVE parts and adding TWO lines of pipings ΣΣ(ﾟдﾟlll). At first, I tried to attach the pipings with the leftover fabric from the dress, but it was too hard to make. I then redid it with the black lace for these areas, so I barely managed to finish it. I guess the model in the envelop is much taller than me. These sleeves are a little bit too long for her, but the skirt and bodice are short. How tall is she??? I thought the sleeve pattern was longer than other Vogue patterns. I strongly recommend that you check the length of the sleeve pattern, because it's difficult to adjust the length of sleeves after making them. The pattern of the cuff is too wide for me, so I put an elastic on these cuffs.
I cut a size 10 and added 3/4in. to the length of the skirt. I had never made such a gathered skirt hem before, but love it. It reminds me of a curtain slightly. Ha ha. However, I learned some techniques from the pattern.
I definitely recommend the pattern but I won't make same designed dress again. However, I will use the patterns of the layered front and balloon skirt for other projects. They are very useful additions to my work wardrobe.
Fabric: 60" 2 3/4yd
Total Time Spent (not include cutting) : 18 hours
~Another Story~
It's finally done! I made this striped kimono, and the "Haori" (kimono jacket) was made by my mother-in-law: She was a kimono tailor. I've made some kimono jackets as casual clothes using Simplicity 1318 (Pattern Review: Samurai Jacket) but I never made any haoris.
The haori and kimono jacket look the same but it is worn and made in a different way. When people wear a haori, they have to fold their collar out. Most haoris have "Haori himo" (a pair of ties and a small loop where you can hook the ties on the inner edges). I made three detachable connecting beads instead of ties. They can be used as bracelets.
I sewed the matching bag (Noriko bag) from the leftover fabric. If you have a kimono jacket, I recommend that you make a haori himo.
~Let's have a fun sewing this year!~