… the fish. Look at my little silver tiddler!
So, a few years ago, at the annual Fabulous Fabrics
Christmas sale, I was moved by some mad irrational impulse to purchase 2m of silver sequined
stretchy fabric. Exactly why is mystery to me now… since silver sequins are completely unsuited to my colouring and just about everything in my wardrobe. Must have had a brief
“ooh, pretty shiny!!” moment,
compounding the alluring thrill of 50% off euphoria. But anywho I succumbed, and it has since been sitting in my
stash taking up shelf space for too too long. February’s stashbusting theme is to make something for
someone you love. So I made
something for my daughter.
Christmas sale, I was moved by some mad irrational impulse to purchase 2m of silver sequined
stretchy fabric. Exactly why is mystery to me now… since silver sequins are completely unsuited to my colouring and just about everything in my wardrobe. Must have had a brief
“ooh, pretty shiny!!” moment,
compounding the alluring thrill of 50% off euphoria. But anywho I succumbed, and it has since been sitting in my
stash taking up shelf space for too too long. February’s stashbusting theme is to make something for
someone you love. So I made
something for my daughter.
Fortunately she looks utterly fabulous in silver. I must have unselfishly and subliminally planned it 😉
Now, I know it seems like I am making a lot for
Cassie lately, and not much for any of the boys in my life… well, I tried. I offered the sparkly silver fabric to
each of my boys, really I did.
Inexplicably they did not respond to its sparkly gorgeousness with much enthusiasm. I only
wish I could capture and show here the expression on Sam’s face, when I showed
him the fabric and straight-faced said I was planning to make him a silver sequinned hoodie …
priceless!!! You’ll just have to
imagine it for yourselves…. still giggling about it….
Cassie lately, and not much for any of the boys in my life… well, I tried. I offered the sparkly silver fabric to
each of my boys, really I did.
Inexplicably they did not respond to its sparkly gorgeousness with much enthusiasm. I only
wish I could capture and show here the expression on Sam’s face, when I showed
him the fabric and straight-faced said I was planning to make him a silver sequinned hoodie …
priceless!!! You’ll just have to
imagine it for yourselves…. still giggling about it….
Anyhow; the only person in my family who leapt upon
it with cries of joy was Cassie.
So (shrug) it couldn’t be helped. I’ll have to make it up to the boys somehow 🙂
it with cries of joy was Cassie.
So (shrug) it couldn’t be helped. I’ll have to make it up to the boys somehow 🙂
My lucky daughter has the ideal year ahead for her
to make good use of a sparkly silver cocktail dress. She has masses of 21st’s on the horizon. Word; she goes out a lot anyway, lucky little social butterfly that she is.
to make good use of a sparkly silver cocktail dress. She has masses of 21st’s on the horizon. Word; she goes out a lot anyway, lucky little social butterfly that she is.
I adapted a pattern that is one of my oft-repeated standbys …
Burda 8511. This is a plain and
simple sheath dress pattern, with two bust darts in the front and two long
shaped vertical darts in the back.
I’ve found this an excellent style to adapt to individual shapes, just
by subtle alteration of the darts and side seams.
Burda 8511. This is a plain and
simple sheath dress pattern, with two bust darts in the front and two long
shaped vertical darts in the back.
I’ve found this an excellent style to adapt to individual shapes, just
by subtle alteration of the darts and side seams.
For Cassie’s dress; I sewed up the side seams and
left off any zip closure… the fabric is stretchy and doesn’t really need a
closure. The dress pulls over her
head quite easily, like a fitted Tshirt dress. It looks tight but it’s actually not at all, she really is quite tiny!
left off any zip closure… the fabric is stretchy and doesn’t really need a
closure. The dress pulls over her
head quite easily, like a fitted Tshirt dress. It looks tight but it’s actually not at all, she really is quite tiny!
At her request, I custom fit the dress to skim her
figure closely, and fully lined it with a sewn-in lining. I redrafted the pattern pieces to eliminate all darts in the lining, and used a soft, stretchy, grey marled
jersey knit, leftover from this drape drape dress that I made for myself. Note how the lining looks completely
skewiff??? That marle/stripe in the
fabric really is printed on that random slant.
The lining is cut perfectly on grain, I assure you!
figure closely, and fully lined it with a sewn-in lining. I redrafted the pattern pieces to eliminate all darts in the lining, and used a soft, stretchy, grey marled
jersey knit, leftover from this drape drape dress that I made for myself. Note how the lining looks completely
skewiff??? That marle/stripe in the
fabric really is printed on that random slant.
The lining is cut perfectly on grain, I assure you!
The neckline, armscyes and the lower hem are turned
under and hemmed by hand.
under and hemmed by hand.
Actually, a word on that. Remember my sparkly gold cardigan, that I stitched entirely by hand?? The thought of doing more of the same was inducing a slightly depressive status, so I consulted with a lady in Fabulous Fabrics who I recalled had made herself a skirt of similar stuff. She reckoned a denim needle worked fine. So I tried it out… and hehe, of course it was. (blushes) Not that I regret stitching that cardigan by hand …… much. No, really; I guess it does me good to slow down and spend loads of unnecessary meditative time on a project every now and again. Teaches one humility, yo.
Repeating that like a mantra to retain some shred of self respect.
So, stashbusting, yeah!! (air fist punch) Actually, the dress did not take up the entire 2m of the silver fabric… so there might be some more silver sparkliness to appear here, anon.
‘Til next time, lovelies!
Details:
Dress; Burda 8511 modified, silver sequinned stretch fabric
Sandals; Betts
OMG, gorgeous dress, gorgeous daughter. Beautiful.
Your daughter is STUNNING! So is the dress and the photography! Love how it matches the sky and the water. I even like the lining.
The comment about your boys has me in giggles! I can imagine!!
Gorgeous dress and stunning daughter!
I love the silver dress! I find it hard to resist sparkles too! Perfect for the party season. Incidentally, I used an ordinary needle sewing my red sequined dress in December and it was fine.. which was also a surprise to me!
Beautiful!! I also love the photography! Cassie looks gorgeous in this dress and the dress is (again) so perfectly made that she could even wear it inside out!
Perfection! Elle
It's so great dress. And photos are so nice.
What a gorgeous dress, it looks fantastic on your beautiful daughter.
Lovely dress, great photography.
She looks absolutely stunning in that dress, I'm sure she'll be the envy of all the girls at those parties! I have to ask though, do the sequins turned under on the neck/armhole edges itch at all while she's wearing it?
A little. That is the nature of fully sequinned fabric. We girls must suffer in order to sparkle 🙂
She looks beautiful! Thanks for the tip about the denim needle. I must remember that
Pretty and brilliant!! This dress looks stunning on her! The landscape mixes perfectly with the style.
Stunning dress. I'll remember to use a denim needle on some spangly fabric I bought on a whim too.
Well, Cassie looks beautiful as usual. Everything seems to suit her. She is so lucky to have a mother to sew hew such lovely clothes. The fabric is gorgeous.
She looks like a model in this silver dress!
Have a good time
Christine
Fabulous dress. I can see why Cassie was drawn to that fabric. You have a great eye for pattern fabric matching and locations for your photos.
Gorgeous, both your daughter and the dress. Silver really suits her perfectly. Oh, and I have a very similar pair of silver sandals 😉
What an amazing dress – oh to be young and slim again!
One word – Stunning!
Although the comments from the "boys" had me in fits! 🙂
She looks smashing! It's so pretty and elegant because the fit is perfect. I love the fact you took photos of the sparkly dress by the sparkly water.
You have a beautiful family… The dress really compliments her beauty x
Fabulous! I love this. I noticed I feel drawn to sparkly fabrics recently. I wonder why?
The only thing that has been holding me off (so far!) is the difficult sewing part… I thought 😉 Did you just sew across the sequins? Not cut them away at the seams or all those difficult, tedious ways one is supposed to do that?
(Wait… maybe I don't want to know, I shouldn't buy more fabric as it is…)
Anyhow, your daughter looks stunning!
frisfris; I just sewed straight across the sequins, without removing any at all. I don't know if you could do this to ALL sequinned fabric though… it could be that these particular sequins were a soft type that the needle could just punch through easily.
Absolutely perfect in all respects – but did I read you correctly – you handstitched this garment? I guess you can fit the needle in between sequins – or did you have to take some off? So fiddly – congrats.
Sarahlizsewstyle; no, I fully hand-stitched my gold sequinned cardigan, that I referred to in the post above. This silver dress I sewed on my machine, using a denim needle, and just hand-stitched the hems, the armscyes and neckline. Much much quicker! I didn't remove any sequins either, the needle just punched straight through them 🙂 Mind you, I doubt all sequins are this soft.
Absolutely beautiful dress, expertly sewn ~ but I guess your main pride is in the contents ~having five beautiful daughters myself I still share the wonder of beautiful [and handsome] offspring. Cassie is gorgeous, and I hope she has a wonderful year.
Wow how lucky is Cassie to have a mum like you!! I wish my mum was making cool dresses like that for me when I was 21! Absolutely stunning you have really made that pattern come alive and looks so stunning on Cassie. Amazing!
Absolutely Stunning!!!
Everything in this post of yours is perfect: the dress, Cassie, the setting and the the photo lighting. Drop-dead gorgeous!
Wow, that is a fab dress – Cassie looks amazing
There is a definite wow factor to this dress.
Your daughter would look great in an ancient bathrobe. When wearing that fabulous dress…wow!
so beautiful star !(merveilleuse étoile). I like it !
Ooh, sparkly! (See, I'm not immune to it either.) The dress looks great, your daughter looks great, and as usual, I'm in awe of your fashionable photographs–the water picks up on the sparkles perfectly!
Great dress perfect for your daughter!
Really fabulous looking dress! You look sooooooooooo fabulous in it! Love it!
Joy
Another lovely dress. As soon as I read that you had leftover sequins I thought of this dress with sequin trim that I have been eyeing off lately (http://www.burdastyle.com/pattern_store/patterns/chiffon-dress-112012). I'm sure you could take this pattern, or inspiration from it and make something wonderful 🙂
Oh, to be young again! That dress is spectacular, as is your daughter's lovely figure. And she has a busy social life… I'm turning green…
I bought myself some sequin fabric to make pretty much this exact same dress for myself. I read online that you have to pull out all the sequins before you sew over them, so into my stash the fabric went. Did you not have to pull out the sequins when you used a denim needle?
I love the lining. It's got some depth to it.
Your daughter is very lucky!
I WANT THIS DRESS. OH MY. Cassie is quite the beauty as well!
Awesome dress, daughter, pictures !
fantastic, great choice of dress pattern for that fabric. I have always wanted a red sequin dress, despite no reason to wear one.
How clever and forward thinking of you to have fabulous sparkly fabric waiting in your collection for a year of 21st parties ;). Cassie is stunning in this gorgeous dress, and your photography is beautiful.
I am giggling over your description of the fabric offer to your son.
What a stunning dress on your gorgeous daughter! I, too, am attracted to sparkles in a magpie-ish way….
Gorgeous dress; your daughter looks great in it.
It is so easy to buy beautiful fabric without really knowing what it's for – I have done it so often over the years. It's ended up really well for you – maybe it really was deep in your mind that this would be great for Cassie.
ohhh, stunning! The silver sequined hoodie makes me chuckle too… I bet Cassie will get loads of wear from this dress ….
what a gorgeous dress! wow. it looks great on your daughter. and i'd really love to see that sequined hoodie you dreamed up… ha!
Fact: no rad sewist is ever to leave awesome sequinned fabric at 50% off on a table. So really, you doing your duty when your bought this length of awesomeness. This frock is fab and is going to look awesome kicking it at parties! I would never have though of making a dress out of material like this but it so works! Though I may restrain myself to sparkling shorts for derby…
Wow wow wow wow – amazingly gorgeous!! Such a funny post – I nearly laughed out loud (I'm reading this at work shhhh)
God, I wish I had my 21 year old figure again. Your daughter is beautiful!
Oh how I wish I had a waist like that! Especially right now 😉 Such a pretty dress for your pretty daughter. I really love the photographs, too. The sparkly dress by the sparkly water.
Lovely dress and perfect fit! She looks gorgeous in it!
That is stunning! What a wonderful dress. I only hope my daughter appreciates my sewing for her when she hits 21. Only 18 years to go!
Stunning! No fabric goes a waste isn't it. I have one bright neon orange stretch jersey waiting n the wings for 3 yrs now. :p
I had to laugh about your boys…recently I showed some reddish (ok, pinkish red) chambray to my son (he's 8) to see if he wanted a shirt out of it. He said, "it's PINK!" Well *I* think boys can wear that color in a button down but I guess he doesn't! Anyway, she looks beautiful in that dress! Yay for stashbusting!
It's beautiful sequin fabric, Cassie looks fabulous. I laughed out loud imagining the face of said guy when you proposed a sequinned hoody. I'll have to try that on my man for entertainment sometime!
Wow Carolyn what a great dress, Cassie looks wonderful and with a soft knit lining the dress must be pretty comfortable to wear too.
Stunning!
Absolutely stunning dress for Cassie, she looks gorgeous and the setting is perfect. Had a giggle about the sequin hoodie!
Cassie will look stunning whenever she wears this dress, she looks gorgeous in it. Was the fabric hard to sew with all those sequins? It was a great idea to line it too, however I would worry that it's a bit scratchy where the sequins rub on her skin.
Gorgeous! The location isn't half bad either. 🙂
Your daughter looks beautiful in her sparkly dress. Such a good mom. 😉
It is a lovely dress on a very pretty girl 🙂
Amazing. It fits like a glove and Cassie looks very chic. She must be overjoyed at her new dress!
How can I not comment on a post with the words "tiddler," "skewiff," and "anon" are used? The sequin dress is very pretty.
A perfect dress for a young social lady – she looks lovely.
Hi Carolyn, I just start my sewing blog. You´re my inspiration. Thank you so much for your time and caring tutorials.
http://hechoamanopormalucarrera.blogspot.mx/
She looks GREAT in her sparkly silver dress!
What a great dress. Isn't it wonderful to make something so perfect for a daughter.
As far as asking the boys first if they wanted something out of that material, I earned most of my college tuition making Ball Gowns, many of them covered with sequins, for men to wear on stage – so I just wouldn't want to ask.
That dress is stunning on your daughter – perfect for her colouring and youth :-). Great photos too, as always!
SO pretty!
It's such a fun time of life, right? This is such a simple lovely dress… makes me wish I had some sparkly events!
This is fantastic! Cassie looks wonderful!
Carolyn, thanks for answering my question – sorry it's taken me so long to catch up with your reply. So denim needles are the go… I must look up your gold cardy one day, and suitably admire!
Your daughter looks absolutely beautiful in that dress! I'm laughing even with your idea of offering this silvery fabric to your son … You are hilarious!
Stunning. What a perfect fabric-pattern-person match.
Perfect. Totally looks like Haute Couture. Seriously. The fit is absolutely perfect.
So this is where the skirt fabric came from! This is a beautiful, beautiful dress. Your ability to work fabric into interesting garments just amazes me.