Butterick 6410 a cocktail dress!

Hello all!  I so enjoyed creating 2 dresses for Elizabeth's day and night challenge seen here: day-night dress challenge 

I choose this pattern, Butterick 6410, for my night dress.  I love super simple styles like this one that you can embellish to your heart's desire!  I had fun creating this dress.

Of course, I couldn't make it as designed without some tweaks, right?

As you can see above, I installed/adhered some swarovski crystals along the upper bodice front.  They were so very hard to photograph!  This was mid-way through the final placement. I so enjoy adding this embellishment--in moderation.  I always feel like when you are embellishing a garment, moderation is key.

Here you can also see that I added a faux leather collar, cuffs, and piping along the yoke edges, both front and back.  I am so pleased with how this turned out!

I really wish it would have been warm enough outdoors to take photos, but it was so cold I just couldn't do it. 

My fabric is one of the #precious fabrics from my stash.  Both the brocade and the faux leather were from Fabric Mart.  I have been waiting a long time to use these and this was the perfect opportunity. 

I really love how this fits me.  I made my usual swayback adjustment, which by the way, is very difficult in such a hefty fabric.

I also made a FBA, and swayback adjustment.  I just love this dress.  I am going to make this pattern multiple times.  Can't you see it so many ways with so many fabrics?

Thank you to Elizabeth for hosting this challenge.  I can't wait to show you my Coffee dress!  

If you haven't seen this challenge, check out the link above!

Sue

Another dressy dress from Sew Chic

This pattern and fabric have been in my stash for too long!  How long is too long?  For at least a year! I hate it when I have what could be a fab garment sitting in a pile somewhere and I simply just can't get to it.

The perfect opportunity came up when SPR announced the contest called 'New To Me Pattern Contest.'  I've never made up a pattern by Laura Nash at Sew Chic before and I must say that I am quite smitten! She has some nice vintage styles and the fit is fabulous!  I didn't have to make hardly any alterations to get this to fit how I wanted.

Here are some images of the dress from the Sew Chic site:  I love it both fabrics!  This dress is called the Beatrice  The pattern number is LN1310.

The fabric I used is a floral brocade with metallic threads running through it.  I wish I would remember what I paid for it, but I do remember it being a bargain.  I also have to admit I wasn't smitten with it when I purchased it (the fabric) and fully intended on this being my muslin.  I like it so much, that this is now my wearable muslin.

 
Basically this is a sheath dress with sleeves and kangaroo pockets.  There is piping at the waistline that is a nice accent.  The neckline is what drew me to the pattern in the first place.  It's classy, modest, unique.  The zipper is at the side seam and the pattern calls for a lapped zip but I used an invisible one.  There is a very functional dart at the elbow as well as front and back darts to let you get the shaping necessary for a good fit.  Just the bodice is lined.

This isn't a pattern for beginners with the fitting and the finishing details that must be completed in order to get a quality garment.  I made sure that I matched up the motifs running down the center front, back, and at the pockets.  How many RTW garments don't have that detail?

My brocade is a little heavier than perhaps the pattern called for, so my only real modification was to not only line the bodice, but then to cut facings in the main fabric and apply those to the neckline.  I couldn't get the lining to not slightly show on the garment right side, which I assume was due to the weight differences.  Since I created the facings, I ended up hand-stitching those in place along the inside where I attached them to the lining pieces all around the neckline.  Speaking of hand-stitching, I hand hemmed the sleeves and lower hem.  I love hand-stitching, it is cathartic and really makes a great looking garment!
  

Fitting this garment was actually easy!  Normally I make an FBA.  With this dress I didn't need one. I ended up having to take in the bust darts and lengthen them.  This never. ever. happens!  I made my usual 1/2" swayback adjustment and instead of a sloping shoulder adjustment, I added 1/4" shoulder pads.  Everything else is sewn as is on the pattern.

I really love my dress and I will most likely wear it with dressier boots or shoes, but with all the snow we've had and the fact my soon-to-be-daughter-in-law stopping over, I decided to take the opportunity to have her snap some photos of me wearing it.  Just look at that neckline, isn't it beautiful?

                              

Thanks for reading.  The more I use Indy patterns, the more I love them!  Are you with me on this?

Sue :)  

And...I liked it so much I made another!

So....if you saw my sewing room, you'd wonder how I get anything done or know where anything is lately...it's not good, but it isn't beyond repair yet!  Since things are a little untidy, I still had out the StyleArc Mara pattern and decided to give it another go.  I mean, I love this pattern, so why not?


As others who've made up this pattern have noted, this pattern doesn't include the tabs and rolled sleeves, although it would be easy to add those elements either by drafting the tab yourself or using another pattern as a template.  Never mind this goofy look on my face below, I think I was about to tell DH to make sure to hold the camera steady or some other really useful information like that.

This fabric--isn't it gorgeous?  It is a designer cotton brocade from Ralph Lauren I purchased from FabricMart.   The colors, texture, and weight of it is just wonderful!  I thoroughly enjoyed working with it and think it made they perfect weight for a winter time dress.

The first time I made the dress, I used a much lighter weight cotton which worked beautifully.  This time with the heavier cotton, I added about 1/2" to the center back seam from about an inch below the neckline to the waist.  The dress isn't uncomfortable at all or pull or anything like that but I thought it might be a tad snug and slightly restricting movement if I didn't make a slight alteration.  It worked great!

The only other design alterations I made were to leave off the flaps on the patch pockets and also to add the side seam pockets.  I typically don't sew in side seam pockets simply because I don't like adding any girth to my hips.  ;)

I cut this dress out on the cross grain to take advantage of the beautiful border print and can you blame me?  It would have been a shame to not use that as a design element.

I really love this pattern, can you tell?  I'll put it away for now, maybe!

Thanks for reading!
Sue