Pussy-bow silk-satin top from Chloé, £499.34 (SGD 983.67)
Houndstooth Dress seen on karla’scloset
Hazel from Victory Patterns, $10.00 CAD (SGD 12.55)
Dress #1 from Intermediate class, ~SGD 10
I shall re-attempt the pussy-bow pattern during the holidays or when Sew Weekly calls for when I have the time.
I began working on my fifth project for the Intermediate course last week. Drafted the pattern last lesson and bought THE black lace today, finally. It was my most difficult buy ever! Between last lesson and today, I have combed the entire Arab Street, TY and Chinatown in search for the perfect black lace. To cut the long story short, laces are not cheap at all, at least for the decent quality laces. Those from Arab Street were very very pretty but way off my budget. The boyf didn’t like those from TY. He says the flowers look like spiders. I don’t have photos to show but imagine a large flower with those twirly wirly, quasi spider legs. That leaves me with Chinatown. “Die-die must buy” before class if not I have nothing to work with in class today! It was another long story at Chinatown but I finally settled on this piece of French lace:
Pretty, isn’t it?
I am really picky about laces because not all of them are nice. Some are dense, some are sparse (in terms of the arrangement of the motifs). Some have large flowers, others have small ones. The floral motifs are different too. The nice ones are usually expensive but I don’t want to settle on a cheap, ugly piece. Not easy to find a balance and meet all my requirements.
See what I mean?
Enough of my lacey storey. I am very excited about this project (when am I not?) because
#1 I’m using lace. Black lace, which is my favourite.
#2 It’s a Duchess-of-Cambridge’s-Wedding-Dress inspired number! Sans the long sleeves and length. It will be knee length, with dropped cap-sleeve.
Given my hectic school schedule, I really hope to complete it by end of the year for an event.
I was reading through my blog and realised there has been no updates of my previous two projects. Project #3 and #4 are long completed but I have yet to have opportunities to wear them out. Photos update soon, I hope!
For the intermediate course at Kadomay, it covers 6 pieces of garments. The first three were dresses and I thought it’s practical to save a slot for trousers and another for jacket. So for Project #4, a pair of pants it shall be!
Initially I planned to make a pair of pants in mustard colour but I couldn’t find the perfect shade that complements my skin tone. Then I discovered this very beautiful shade of nude pink mulpa. I knew I just got to have it (though I was distracted by a teh (tea with milk) coloured one)! Fabric, checked.
Now, what kind of pants/shorts/culottes should I make??!? This is often the most frustrating part of dressmaking: I need to find/think of THE design. Two things, that are not helping me:
1. I am not a long pants/jeans person but it’s more practical to learn making that than a pair of shorts
2. I know I want pleats (box/inverted) on my pants, slightly tapered towards the ankle and maybe a bow design somewhere somehow, but I just cannot picture the final product.
Then I remembered eyeing on Chloé’s pants a few weeks back and telling myself that I will have a pair one day (if it ever fits my body shape). So I googled and here are some of my favourites:
Chloé Spring 2009
Chloé Fall 2010
Harem pants from See by Chloé
I have short listed the linen-looking pants from Chloé Fall 2010 and the one from See by Chloé. I have time till Monday to decide.
Project #3 will finally materialise soon, in end April hopefully! I decided to move away from the sweet feminine look and go for beach, resort style instead. When I am looking for ideas for beach, resort style, VS naturally come to mind. I think they have lots of awesome stuff, especially bikini and lingerie! Here are some ideas that I am considering: toga, halter and twist front. I will try to keep the design simple because I want the focus to be on the fabric. Can’t wait to see how it will turn out. 拭目以待！
After manymany weeks of hardwork and last minute sewing (I stayed up till 1am to complete this dress), the cheongsam is finally done!
I am a HUGE fan of cheongsam. People used to shun away from cheongsam as they often associate it with the waitress’s uniform. Some avoid wearing it because it hugs the body. However, cheongsam has make a comeback over the recent years. I like the fact that it is the Chinese traditional costume. A well-tailored set should accentuate the assets and conceal the imperfections. Designs are also not restricted to the traditional ones anymore.
For my first hand-sewn cheongsam, I choose to use tulip sleeves and a tulip skirt instead of the traditional straight cut with slits. I have also installed exposed zip at the back.
Oh and I need to make special mention of the fabric used: Japanese linen with France postcards and stamps all over!!! It is the most expensive piece of fabric I ever purchased. I figured out that it was the unique prints that made me lay my hands on it!
Fly me to Paris!
While I’m suppose to be working on my #2 and it alone, my mind can’t help but to wonder to my next project. I decided to make a maxi dress with the most gorgeous piece of georgette that I found at Chinatown earlier this year: tulips, coral, chocolate ad butterflies. What I really like about it is the border prints!
Colour true to the pic on the left!
Looking at Erin Fetherston Resort 2011 Collection for ideas. Think drapes, sweetheart necklines, chiffon: very feminine.
Oh well, this will probably be done next year!
The first project of the intermediate course is finally completed! I’m really glad that the boyf like it (both the initial design and end product) and crowned it the anniversary dress (: I also managed to squeeze in time to finish the burberry-ish dress which the boyf requested: he picked the checkered fabric, I settled the rest. He crowned it anniversary dress #2.
I have also started on Project #2 which is a “fake” cheongsam. It is fake because the zip is at the back. The real one has its zip at the side. But nonetheless, it’s still a cheongsam!!! I plan to use my $20/m linen (Yes please kill me! I still have no idea what made me spend so much on this fabric). The top part will be a traditional cheongsam while the bottom will look something like 3.1 Philip Lim’s tulip skirt, sans the ribbon. Oh, I may also attach tulip sleeves to it and outline it with black piping somewhere. Go imagine!
