I Love Calla Lilies, Rally Ah Do

Still of Katherine Hepburn from Stage Door

My oh my.  I have just completed an ensemble I do believe.  It was tres difficile pour moi since I was working from large bits of irregularly cut scraps that I had on hand and built it up into a dress from that starting point.  If you get my drift.  Plus it was a sheer, slippery, ravel-y material and I had to try it on endlessly to see where it was all going: how it was fitting

together, and what shape it was taking, especially since much of it was already cut on the bias.  Needless to say I wasn't using a pattern.  I sometimes had to cut bizarre little shapes to fit in as needed.  Then I had to do major seam finishing all over the place because of the intense raveling.  Luckily, the bottom hem was also a selvage end that had some nice ravel fringe so I left that as is.  Cool.

Not enough fabric was left for sleeves so it took days (and days) hunting around for something.  Nothing seemed right.  I couldn't figure it out ... until one day, I spotted a deep emerald green scarf in my scrap box.  Now that's unorthodox I thought to myself.  Yea, it's perfect in so many ways.  Now the dress was happening.  I cut the scarf fabric in half for 2 sleeves and decided how to attach it which was eventually how you see it now.  It's a long story, but enough said.  Found some delicate variegated greenish ribbon that I tied around at the empire waist line that also looked cool.  (Forgot to picture it, sorry.)

The last dilemma to solve was something to wear under it.  That search lasted days as well.  I couldn't come up with any satisfying ideas.  Tried several options, none was a keeper.  Finally, I re-looked at a pale salmon-colored long full length slip I had for ages.  It certainly didn't fit any more.  When I really checked it out, I saw that long ago I had taken it in to fit skinny me.  After some seam ripping action, the slip fit just perfectly.  And...when I tried on my calla lily dress over it, ahhh...It was perfect.  I felt just dashing - if that's a word you can use with the "ladies."  The silky smoothness of both materials flowing over each other, showing a little slip of a slip below the fringed hem...I could go on and on...sigh...