Candid Lola Shots with a Tiki Chaser Dress

CAUTION:  The following post contains images of a night dress, interaction with a kitty cat and a big vent at the end. 

~ Good Morning Tiki Cat ~

I am wearing a modified night dress made from Tina Givens Lola Dress pattern.  

~ awww, give us a kiss ~

I made it out of fabric I didn't much care for, sort of like a test drive for a night gown.  The amount of fabric required says 54" wide is needed when only 45" or less is fine.  You're instructed (and shown in the diagram) to cut 2 front pattern pieces on the fold.  After you've already cut 1 back pattern piece (that's identical to the front) on the fold.   There are some errors here.

~ what a sweetie pie, mwaaa ~

The pattern piece is too wide at the bodice but too narrow at the arm hole/ sleeve area.  I made adjustments and added longer, wider sleeves.  I also add side seam pockets. 

~ oh, and there goes the Tiki tail ~

If you want to hear more, go on...*

...hear me vent elaborate.  So I am unable to figure out from what is going on with the bottom of the dress.  I try cutting a triangular piece off.  Then I sew it back on, but upside down for a different look.   I don't care for all the ruffles, so I pleat rather than gather, attach them in my own way.  

I decide to attach the side seams of the dress differently - to get that bowed-in look. 

I make two long downward darts from neckline to bust to take in some of the excess bodice.  Meanwhile, the armholes are still too restrictive, even after my enlarging them, so I add a diamond-shaped gusset to each underarm and that helps a lot.  I pleat tuck and bias bind the sleeves at their hem. 

If you'd like the day-by-day details, you can always check out my SEWING DAILY page for the days of Lola sewing...

*If you don't skip to here!


Meanwhile I'm working on a lovely, but challenging, lined linen coat from DKNY Vogue 1074, coming whenever it's damn well ready it seems.  In excruciating detail on the aforementioned SEWING DAILY page.


In all my early morning loveliness, I'm joining Patti and the Visibles at Not Dead Yet Style as well as Catherine's I Will Wear What I Like.  Hey, no shoes today.