Purple sack-back française gown - Day 1: imsewaddicted

Purple sack-back française gown - Day 1

Is it not a bizarre idea to wake up in the morning and think: "Oh gosh, look at this wonderfully beautiful, shiny, iridescent purple embroidered fabric! ...I would like to cut it up."
That's basically what happened. In the morning I grabbed some red dot tracing paper, and started drafting my française gown from Janet Arnold's "Patterns of Fashion". I didn't have to re-size it at all, which is kind of nice, most of her patterns happen to be just my size! After all sorts of interruptions (school, eating, etc) I finally got all the pattern pieces drafted out. I stretched out my fabric in my working area (aka - my livingroom floor) and checked to see where I would place my pattern pieces. Sure enough, I don't sufficient fabric to include a full petticoat of the matching fabric. No biggie, no one sees the back of the petticoat anyway, it's tucked away under all those pleats of fabric.

I cut up my pattern pieces from the fabric, and also cut a few really long strips using pinking shears, to make the box-pleated trims which will adorn the bodice and the dress. I'd really like to be able to make the whole petticoat in the same fabric, but I highly doubt the fabric store will still have this taffeta. That's all I got done today. ugh. Well, it's the most boring part, and it's done.

Purple sack-back française gown - Day 1