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Help w finding a pattern?

post #1 of 8
Thread Starter 
I am in love with this dress.

http://ny-image0.etsy.com/il_430xN.163287880.jpg

There's no way in the world it will fit me, so I'd like to make one very similar- in my size.

Is there a good place to find vintage inspired patterns? How much yardage do you think a dress like this would take? Are there any places to find silk gorgette more cheaply?

I really want to make myself this dress! Thanks in advance for your help/ suggestions!
post #2 of 8
This one is similar. http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/v296...hp?page_id=861 You will pay about $20 (maybe more, maybe a lot less on sale) a yard for silk gorgette (45" wide; dry clean only) for the fabric. The Vogue pattern as is takes 6-7.5 yards of 45" wide fabric. So you will spend $120 to $150 just for the fabric + lining, pattern, notions, etc.

Here's another place to look: http://www.google.com/search?q=vinta...ient=firefox-a

This could be what you are looking for: http://momspatterns.com/inc/sdetail/52203 It has been sold and the sizing runs small compared to today's pattern sizing. Finding a vintage pattern means that you probably will have to alter the pattern to fit you.
post #3 of 8
Since those patterns don't look like the dress to me, I decided to look closely at all the pictures and figure out how I'd draft a pattern for it.

The skirt is relatively simple, full circle underskirt# over petticoats, top layer is a extra long rectangle gathered* to fit the waist and then hemmed to match the under skirt. You can see that the overskirt would hang straight down if the petticoats weren't there.

#The front view shows that full circle draping.

*They're knife pleats, so the over skirt will need 3 times the desired waist size before seam allowance.

On the bodice, the mustard portion has a simple sheath top underneath all that gorgeous gorgette. You can copy a sleeveless blouse that fits you to get the pattern for the underlayer.

For the cummerbund part, my inclination would be to get some cheap stuff* (e.g. gauze curtain from Goodwill) that has the same weight as the gorgette and play with ruching it until you have a feel for how much more fabric it takes to achieve the same amount of fullness in your gathers. Messing around with fabric here, I'm guessing it'll be about 3 x. Note the tighter ruching in the middle back going into the zipper seam. Also the cummberbund is in three pieces: front, left back, right back. The top of the sides of each piece are sewn together with the sheath when the side seams are done on the sheath

*You'd want that anyway, even if you bought a pattern.

The crossed mustard parts are again rectangles (I'm loving this dress more and more). The length is probably from front right/left waist to back left/right waist. The width is probably more like 2 x the width of each breast, but figure that out is what your cheap fabric is for. Gathered tightly at the shoulders, obviously. I'd guess that they are sewn to the sheath after the shoulder seams are done on the sheath, but before the side seams.

Order of construction:
sheath shoulders
crossed wrap onto sheath
cummerbund pieces and sheath together as sheath side seams are done:
leaving the lower part of the cummberbund free.
skirts attached to bodice (keeping cummberbund clear)
cummerbund seams finished
settle cummerbund down over waist band
add zipper
post #4 of 8
Thread Starter 
Thanks, ladies! I'll have to see if I can "swing" it. lol
If I do get to make it, I'll post back and let you know how it goes.
post #5 of 8
OH! THANKS ladies, OP for posting the pic of this gorgeous dress, and Sapphire Chan for laying it all out on how to make it! I don't have money for this kind of yardage right now, but this is something I would love to do, and I bookmarked this; thanks again.
And good luck, OP, to you....can't wait to see yours!
post #6 of 8
$20 a yard?!?! No way! Would this stuff work well? http://www.dharmatrading.com/fabric/silk/chiffon.html
post #7 of 8
Quote:
Originally Posted by JamieCatheryn View Post
$20 a yard?!?! No way! Would this stuff work well? http://www.dharmatrading.com/fabric/silk/chiffon.html
I know I'd definitely use that for a second or third practice dress.
post #8 of 8
Thread Starter 
I had googled and found silk gorgette somewhere for around $9/yd.
I think maybe here-
http://www.fashionfabricsclub.com/ca...px?ItmID=CC153


I don't know what weight of the silk chiffon @ dharma would be closest, though?

Would it be best to find a strapless dress pattern to use for the underdress, and then just figure out the draping after I make that?
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