A Very Blush, Raw, Plain, Silk Dress

And I've got the pix to prove it.

 

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~ ta-dah! ~

I'm standing under the branches of a huge pine tree in the church yard down the street from my house.   Yes, another church, another block away. 

~ with a newly painted really red door ~

It's very old fashioned looking, with its white picket fence, wishing well and fellowship hall.

~ but do let me tell you what I'm wearing ~

I made a dress out of silk dupioni.  I really like the stuff.  It reminds me of linen in that you can wash and dry it and it gets softer and frays so beautifully.  I even left the raveling as it was for the hem of the dress.   I like the wrinkles and the texture and the weight of it.  I was able to get several (I mean several) different colorways at a really good price and I can't wait to sew them all up.

I started out using Tina Givens Mila Dress pattern, making modifications.  No ruffles, no patches, lengthened skirt, removed dip from waistline and raised it to empire, pleated instead of gathered the skirt, no buttons and loops except for the very top one, and no binding/gathering for sleeve hems.



Here's some close-ups of the details:

~ bodice hand-stitched closed with little x's and +'s ~

And I used the silk threads from the fabric to sew them.  The raw bodice edge is zigzag stitched by machine over the pleated skirt section.


Sorry the color isn't accurate on these close-ups and this one is even blurry.  Those photographers, you can't tell them anything...shhhh. 

~ that's how much it frayed naturally from washing and drying ~

You can't really see it here, but I did a machine zigzag around the perimeter to keep it from raveling any further.   Then, using the silk thread from the fabric, I made a stitch and knotted it every few inches to make a sort of scallop along the hem to keep the fringe in check.

~ and finally, the ebay shoes from awhile back ~

Oh, oh.  I have an extra credit photo for those that asked...

~ Albertine and Pao about to take a nap ~

Yep, for all those cat lovers, here's another one.  This was taken immediately after finishing my silk dress and the photo shoot of it.  It was definitely nap time.  Ciao, bay-bee.


But I'll be trotting over to Patti and the Visibles at Not Dead Yet Style before it's too late.  Not to mention Catherine's I Will Wear What I Like and Cherie's Shoe and Tell.

And did you see what Shelley of Forest City Fashionista posted?!   All I can say is WOW!