OK. Sooo, it’s early days, since this little sheath o’ my dreams is basically brand new, but I’m so in love with it already I’m just tentatively putting it out there… I think I’ve just managed to make a forever dress for myself. I just love love love ivory, as a colour, and lace as a texture, and ivory and lace combined together in one swathe of gloriously snow-dusted curlicues is just always a fabric that’s going to make me sigh with happiness.
Silk World Australia had contacted me to ask me if I would showcase one of their fabrics, and I chose one metre of this guipire lace, one metre being the minimum order; thinking I could make a little skirt. Silk World have up until recently been wholesalers, and now their beautiful laces and specialty fabrics are available for everyone! which of course is the best news for fabric lovers everywhere. I was blown away when my lace arrived.. it’s heavily and beautifully detailed, and luxuriously thick with that matte texture that whispers “quality” in hushed genteel notes. And when I shook out said one metre, well it was so so W I D E! I realised I could get not just a little skirt, but probably a whole dress out of it. And I did! Et voila!
One metre dictated a super pared-back, no frills, straight sheath silhouette, which is of course the best thing to show off the intricacies of the lace anyway. With something this exquisite, you only need a very little of it to make a big impact, in my opinion. I used an old favourite pattern, Burda 8511, and lined the dress with natural Irish linen, bought years ago at Calico & Ivy, when I had a voucher to burn and nothing in mind to particular spend it on… it’s really gorgeous stuff also and I’ve never really known exactly what to use it for. I love how the slightly rough ‘n rustic feel and muted stoney colour of the linen is a nice foil to the luxurious decadence of snow-dusted lace sitting on top… and now I feel like this is exactly the project what it was waiting for all along; a match made in heaven!
Cocktail dress for the season… sorted!
Aaaand, my new labels!! and oh my goodness can we just take a moment to appreciate how absolutely adorable ???
I got these from the Dutch Label Shop, and seriously, I struggled to choose a design, there were just so many cute options, and colours. I’m super super happy with these; I absolutely LOVE the sweetly funky design! and I’m also pretty impressed with the excellent quality. The labels are fabric, and the design is stitched, which is very nice; and you know how with a lot of fabric labels, you need to turn under the raw edges as you’re stitching them down, because of fraying? well these ones have all four edges nicely sealed so you don’t need to do that. They’re all ready to sew on! Also they are pleasantly substantial and sturdy, with no hint that they will buckle over time or in the wash, and the design is finely detailed and stitched tight and flat; so seems very unlikely it might snag or catch on anything, nor unravel. I am SO happy with them! 🙂
Also, I have amazing news! The Dutch Label Shop has very kindly and generously reached out and offered a discount to all my readers … enter handmadebycarolyn15 at the checkout and you will receive a 15% discount on any order.
FLOWERHEAD!!!
random tangent; do you know I’m looking at here? rhetorical question, I know, aren’t they the worst? actually there was a golden whistler sitting in the tree right by my head, whistling his little head off. I just had to rush over and grab my camera for a quick shot before he flew off… If you want to hear his lovely call, you can check it out here…
this next picture looks very loving doesn’t it? a tender mistress and puppy moment? actually Clara was having a “puppy mood” and was just really really keen to rip right into those flowers and zoom off through the garden with them.
LATER EDIT: Mary asked in the comments about the finishing and interior details, and thank you for reminding me, Mary! because I actually meant to post pictures of how I did this in my dress but forgot…
lace side seams; inside
the side seams of the lace shell I stitched along with a bias cut strip of thin, cream cotton, then trimmed the seam allowances of the lace and wrapped the cotton around to bind the edges in a Hong Kong-like seam, except I tucked the raw edge of the cotton under and hand-stitched it in place. This makes a nicely neat and tidy, cream-coloured roll; which might look like it could be seen on the right side but actually is kinda invisible when the dress is right side out.
lace side seams, outside
The linen lining; I finished the raw edges on my overlocker, and simply left them like that. The bottom edges of the zip tape I stitched down to the seam allowances like I usually do, in a short row of machine stitching.
The lace around the invisible zip on the outside; here I trimmed the lace while carefully hand stitching the raw edge securely right up to abut against the opening edge, while not obscuring it so I can still pull the zip up and down! You have to stitch every single little bit of lace down here so there are no loose bits to stick out, which would look very messy and also risk getting lace caught in the zip, so a stitch for like every 3mm or so.
At the top edge of the dress; I stitched the neckline and armscyes of the dress together, right side of linen lining to wrong side of lace shell, and added a linen facing, to hide the lace edges on the inside. This is under stitched so all edges roll to the inside of the dress. I handtacked the facing to the lining in a few key places along its edge too.
You can see in the above picture those bust darts shaping the front lining, and also (not seen) on the back lining I stitched long fish-eye darts to shape the small of the back. I lightly hand-tacked the lace shell to these back darts in a few places so the unshaped lace shell sits shaped to the curve of my back a little more than it would otherwise. I mean, without this tacking, the lace just hangs down dead straight, and I like it to curve into the small of my back just a little. The hand-tacking helps it to do this 🙂
Details:
Dress; Burda 8511, in this guipure lace and natural linen
Shoes; Zomp, from Zomp boutique
Flowers; were from the garden, I love these and they’re looking so beautiful at the moment! I actually picked them to decorate the kitchen. I was just aiming for “spring-y”, though now I think my pictures are veering just a little into bridal territory? though I do quite like the idea of this look for a modern and maybe, mature, bride! Anyway, Note to self; perhaps avoid carrying big bunches of flowers in my pictures from now on
Christmas party season? I am SO ready! though honestly, not just for Christmas, I am going to wear this dress for ever and EVER…
It’s beautiful, letting the lace do all the work. I love the flowers and the bird calls too. Thanks for that little touch. My Mum gave me a cut of guipire lace that she bought in the 60’s and I am too intimidated to cut into it. It’s only 90cm wide (possibly 120 but I don’t think so). This is good inspiration to muslin some patterns.
thank you! It can be a little scary to cut into such beautiful stuff, but you know what? it’s just fabric! and you may as well have the fun of giving it a go 🙂
Lovely feminine, gorgeous dress! Fabric is divine (both!) and you showcase the lace beautifully!! 🙂
thank you so much Lisa! xx
It is SO beautiful! The fabrics were made for each other.
thank you Meira! 🙂
Simple and yet so elegant. Just perfection.
thank you Sue! 🙂
I love my Dutch Labels too! Yours are perfectly you, Carolyn. They’re actually woven with the design using a computerized loom system. Very cool. Your lace dress is lovely and I like how you paired the linen with it.
thank you Louisa! and ah! woven! yes that was actually the correct word I was thinking of but didn’t think of, if you know what I mean!
I recently discovered your blog when Helen’s Closet featured your stunning floral raincoat. Your blog is beautiful, your makes are beautiful. I have been enjoying looking over all your posts and seeing the variations of your favourite patterns. I also appreciate the little extras you add to your posts, such as this beautiful bird and the link to his lovely song, or the photos of the nesting birds in your garden tree. And I love seeing your beautiful dog in the photos with you. Beautiful lace dress. Your beautiful posts, and hand made wardrobe are inspiring.
thank you so much Louise! that’s so very sweet of you to say 🙂 xx
Stunning in its simplicity 🙂
As usual, perfection. I do not wear dresses but I start thinking about it when I see your makes. This dress is just beautiful. And thanks as well for the link to the Golden Whistler. I love the extra bits we get with your blog including photos of the lovely but perhaps mischievous Clara.
thank you very much Jean! Hehe, I am guilty of wanting to wear dresses every day! though this one is a little bit special. I’m sure Clara will calm down more as she grows up, she’s really just a huge mad puppy! but very sweet natured and full of fun 🙂
Absolutely a lovely dress and such a cute label.
Beautiful dress and it suits you so well. I love the flowers—these are so rare in Canada, it is neat to think of them just growing in your garden 🙂
thank you Abbey! These are leucospermums, actually native to the southern countries of Africa! but they grow really well here too since we have a very similar climate… the bushes are quite breathtaking in full bloom 🙂
What a smashing dress! Love it.
It’s a great juxtaposition of fabrics! And it really does look like a classic, timeless dress. The labels are so fun, too!
How did you finish the dress? I have bought some of this type of lace, and do not know how to get a nice finish with it. Would you mind flipping the dress inside out, and posting pics of that? Your dress looks nice, and I was surprised you chose linen as lining…but, I guess that was for comfort. Makes sense. Do you just turn it inside out and wash on the gentle cycle?
Sorry for so many questions. Long time lurker/fan of your work…
Mary in Thailand
hello Mary, thank you for asking because I meant to post these sorts of pictures but forgot.. I’ve updated the post now to have explanations and to show more pictures of how I finished the insides of the dress and how the lace is handled around the zip, neckline and armscyes. I hope the new edits help! 🙂
BLESS YOU!
This is very, very helpful.
Mary in Thailand
Such a beautiful fabric and stunning dress!
thank you Pencil girl! 🙂
Love it! You’re pairing is perfect.
Simply stunning, best way to show of this gorgeous lace. Oh puppy moments!
The pattern shows off the lace perfectly! I love the stone colour of the linen – gives depth and brings out details in the lace. Beautiful job!
So beautiful! This could easily be a wedding dress, simple and elegant. x
Such a beautiful use of that lovely lace. I am bookmarking the basting of the darted lining to the unshaped back of the lace, you are so clever.
thank you so much Kbenco xx 🙂
Güzel, dantellerin tüm işleri yapmasına izin veriyor. Çiçekleri ve kuşları da seviyorum. Bu küçük dokunuş için teşekkürler. Annem bana 60’lı yıllarda aldığı bir gipür dantel parçası verdi ve ben de onu kesmek için çok korktum. Eğer aşklarınız için en iyi kıyafetleri almak istiyorsanız o zaman Modasto’ya gitmelisiniz. Bütün bu kıyafetler üzerinde en iyi suçluları sağlıyorlar. Bunu her zaman en iyi kıyafetlerim için tercih ederim.
Such a beautiful dress, a wonderful outcome. I love that you lined the dress with the warm grey linen. Takes it up ten notches. Brilliant thinking.
thank you so much Barbara!!I I was a little nervous of linen but once I laid them over each other I felt like it was a perfect pairing xxx