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Wednesday, October 29, 2014

I've Got a Beautiful Red Dress

And you'd look really good standing beside it.   Yeah, I love that song by Laurie Anderson.  Actually,  I love all her work and see her whenever she's in Chicago.  Speaking of being in Chicago, I saw the premiere of the Advanced Style movie on Friday with my girlfriends.  So fabulous.  But this isn't supposed to be about that, it's about the new red dress I made.


~ sewn from slinky, sheer, mesh knit ~

It was the devil incarnate, I tell ya.  The pattern I used was relatively simple, the fabric, however, was decidedly not.  Every inch was roundly cursed, repeatedly.  and then some.  Just sayin'.

more of my signature blurry pix

It was like sewing on semi-liquified jello.  Anyway, the back hem has elastic and the front has folds and tucks.  There are no shoulder seams, just 2 seams down the center front and back.  The fabric just pours down and over you like a liquid jello too.  2 holes are cut in the middle of the fabric for the sleeves to attach to.

nice drape job, huh?

I made a separate cowl because the one attached to the dress was just too skimpy and couldn't hold its own to all the hem action.  I think the beefier one works better...


here you can see how sheer it is

Which reminds me, I made a slip to wear with it  You can see it, and the pattern for the dress on my Clothes for Fall page.  I'm also going to slip on over to Rhonda's Me Made Monday while I'm at it.  Come on and check out what the sewistas have going on.  Oooo and Sheila's Shoe Shine, if I'm not to late...


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28 comments:

  1. BabsoxOctober 29, 2014 at 3:52 PM

    Thanks to the fabulous Rhonda, I found your blog site yesterday. That was it for the day! I'm halfway through your posts and love it all. Thank you for doing this massive piece of work. Wonderful.

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    1. paoOctober 30, 2014 at 9:41 AM

      Hello Babsox, I'm so glad you enjoyed the work. Rhonda is fabulous, isn't she? We met at a Chicago Blogger round-up at the Textile Discount Outlet. My first time there, it was mind-blowing.

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  2. ConnieOctober 29, 2014 at 9:29 PM

    This is a very beautiful jello dress. And I love the marshmallow sox as well. I just spent the afternoon going through your closet. I feel like a big snoop but I have to admit that I am profoundly inspired. Your style is very Arts and Crafts Movement with some bohemian Paris in the 1920's. I just love it. Where do you find your fabric? Oh yeah. You live in Chicago.

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    1. paoOctober 30, 2014 at 9:57 AM

      You're right. I shall call it my red jello dress from now on. Although the jiggling comes more from me than the dress...

      Truth be told, my fabric comes from my stash or is donated by friends. Some is harvested from my old clothes. A couple times a year I might get lured out to a sale at Vogue Fabrics where I'll only buy fabric if its really special and priced under $2/yard.

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  3. RhondaBussOctober 30, 2014 at 7:31 AM

    I like the beefier cowl too and red is your color!! Beautiful!

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  4. VixOctober 30, 2014 at 9:23 AM

    Well it was worth the hassle, it looks wonderful. Loving the tights, too. xx

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    1. paoOctober 30, 2014 at 10:02 AM

      Well, hell, I do like it after the fact, I think. We'll see how it goes. I think it still might need a layer of something or other...I don't know.

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  5. Jazzy JackOctober 30, 2014 at 9:40 PM

    What a classic! Red is always good in my book, and looks great with your dark hair. You are the master of interesting hemlines!
    Such a funky look with the shoes and tights as well. Definitely a keeper! xo JJ

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    1. paoOctober 31, 2014 at 8:47 AM

      I think it may be one of the only no print dresses I have. The red of it was enough, I guess. Shapeless dresses need to have something interesting about them...

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  6. DressUpNotDownOctober 30, 2014 at 11:04 PM

    That is about the coolest Red dress ever!!!

    JJ
    www.dressupnotdown.blogspot.com

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  7. Jean at www.drossintogold.comOctober 31, 2014 at 1:20 PM

    Love this pattern and color. I recently bought a piece of fabric that sounds like a similar texture, not realizing what a beast it was going to be to sew. I kept wrapping it around myself or my dressforrn, trying to figure out what to make. I still haven't used it!! Did you use a pattern for this? I might try to knock it off. :-) Looks great and the color really is fab. Love you. XXOO

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    1. paoOctober 31, 2014 at 3:45 PM

      Hi Jean, hope you're doing well, all things considered (involuntary sigh). Here's a link to the pattern and I have a picture of it on my Clothes for Fall page too (it's only 2 pieces! + sleeves). http://butterick.mccall.com/b5986-products-47863.php?page_id=155. The pattern is easy. Take care. oxxo

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  8. Megan GNovember 2, 2014 at 3:14 PM

    The dress is possibly the most covetous thing I've seen lately!! Many kudos for making such a marvel!

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    1. paoNovember 6, 2014 at 5:14 PM

      Yes, given some time has passed, I do think it needs another layer...or two. Something's still missing in the middle. And kudos to you dear Megan on that job of yours!

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  9. Hollie Black-RamseyNovember 2, 2014 at 9:51 PM

    What a wonderful jello dress!

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  10. LouisaNovember 3, 2014 at 10:39 AM

    So glad you persevered with the yummy red jello! That dress is delicious.

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    1. paoNovember 6, 2014 at 5:17 PM

      It really doesn't taste all that great. But there's certainly room to eat Thanksgiving dinner and then some.

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  11. UnknownNovember 6, 2014 at 11:44 AM

    Darling, Pao ... our Lady in Red. What a treat to wear and show at upcoming holiday parties ... can't wait to see what holiday tights you'll make! Beautiful!

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  12. Forest City FashionistaNovember 6, 2014 at 6:01 PM

    That IS a beautiful red dress, and I love Laurie Anderson too. The album with that song on it is probably my favourite. I was so sad for her when Lou Reed passed away last year.

    Are those Alegria shoes you're wearing? I found a pair that had never been worn at a thrift store in New York recently and they are impressively comfortable.

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    1. paoNovember 7, 2014 at 8:55 AM

      They both seemed to have had multiple lives during their own life times.
      We would look great together in our two ensembles: my red jello dress, sox & shoes and your b&w graphic body-hugging dress, sox & shoes, don't you think? You just can't beat red, black and white.
      The clogs are Boc, given to me by a friend when they didn't fit her. Your red & gold brocade Alegria clogs are amazing. What a deal. I'm been visiting all your fashion posts of late, but too overwhelmed by it all to comment. Do you ever get like that? I know, no excuse...

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  13. AnonymousNovember 7, 2014 at 12:34 PM

    Such an artistic creation and worth the trouble by the looks of it. It's beautiful!!
    Yes, I've been off the radar due to going back to work part time and having so much less free time. Thanks for checking out the blog tour post. I'm still jet lagged!

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    1. paoNovember 9, 2014 at 10:25 PM

      ah, work will do that to ya. Hope you can still get some sewing in there...

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  14. Crazy RAvens StudioNovember 9, 2014 at 7:30 PM

    Pao, I have been eyeing this pattern up for a while. Looks like I will just have to take the plunge. The red jello dress is plus fab!

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    1. paoNovember 9, 2014 at 10:27 PM

      Yeah, go for it. The pattern is easy enough if you don't get a crazy, stretchy knit. Or then again, maybe you know how to sew knits. Oh, and it runs large.

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