One last project

Talk about cutting it fine! This afternoon I finished one last item for 2023. It's another version of New Look 6070.

New Look 6070 (now out of print)

I made my first version way back in January 2015, so almost nine years ago. I hadn't worn it for a while, mostly because I didn't think it would still fit. But I tried it on, it fits, and the John Kaldor crepe still looks brand new, so it is now back in regular use.

Then I discovered in Deep Stash a bag of lengths of stretch velour from my dance costuming days. Most are long pieces, but there was a green piece which was shorter, so I decided to try making a version of the dress. Some of the creases from long storage just wouldn't budge, but I was able to cut around the worst of them.

Because I'm not used to working with stretch fabrics, I stay-stitched every edge which I thought might stretch.

I got through a lot of tacking thread in this project!

I also lined the dress, to give it a bit more stability. I had lined the original version, but was able to just sew the bodice lining to the neck facing.

My usual approach to adding linings

However because I was using velour, I dispensed with facings for this one. I ironed the interfacing onto the lining, and sewed round the edge to keep it secure. The bodice and lining necklines were cut to accommodate turn of cloth, and the velvet rolled in nicely when the two were sewn together.

Sewing fabric with a pile requires a different approach

Somehow, I made a complete hash of the zip. In several recent makes I have sewn the zip in too high up, and not had room for a hook and eye at the top. With this dress, I overcompensated. Really overcompensated.

*facepalm*

I wasn't that bothered, as this is really just a wearable toile, and a second hook and eye filled the gap perfectly.

And here is the finished dress, looking very festive.

Not bad for a last-minute project

Especially festive in this shot, where I appear to be wearing a Christmas tree on my head!

#sewnshownseated

Because both the velour and the lining came from stash, this meant that I was able to get the Stashometer down to a gain of under 20m.

It's looked worse at the end of a year

In fact, if I remove the 2022 purchases which I carried over, I actually used more fabric than I purchased! Yes it's a bit of a fix, but I'm taking it. Now to repeat the trick in 2024.

Green!

A Happy New Year to all.