The 24 Hour Gown.

Don't you hate it when sewing bloggers take super wide shots that make it impossible to see any details? 

So aggravating.

This riot of poinsettias is just over a year old, according to Instagram, and has actually been worn on multiple occasions, the first of which was the NY Sewcial last January. I actually made her the day before that fête! The evening was billed as a fancy affair, but it was terrible outside--mounds of city beaten snow piled high on the streets, the kind of winter weather where one taps out on dressing up...but, you know me. AIN'T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH TO KEEP ME FROM A GOWN. I threw on my knee-high harness boots, and got to stomping. 

This dress was made for boots, actually...in these woodsy southern shots, there's fringed cowboy boots under that thar skirt.

Not that you can see the boots. Or any details, as aforementioned. Fa la la la la, lemme get you a close-up.

There she is! She's draped, dontcha know. When you want to make something in 24 hours, you drape. At least, you drape if you're pigheaded like me. It's quicker in my world, because in my world, I am the Supreme Ruler Of Everything, and am therefore the Supreme Authority On EVERYTHING, and as such, spend so much time tweaking someone else's pattern, that I run out of time. (The pattern is usually just fine in the first place, see: pigheaded.)

So, draping! Less delusion, more doing. 

The only seam on this pleated skirt is at center back. The pleats made it possible to do away with side seams, which made me absolutely giddy!! I hollered about it to any sewist within earshot. 

CB is where the exposed zip lives. The zip is a super cool lace edged jammy, which of course you can't see. Mea culpa. Perhaps you can make out the godet under the zipper? I threw her in for walking ease, and lemme tell you, after navigating those snowy streets, I can say for sure she WORKS.

I also used my new favorite boning: Rigilene (affiliate link, google if that's not your jam!).  

Ok you spiral steel purists! I KNOW, I KNOW. This plastic stuff is ridiculously pedestrian when compared to its richer sister! But I've always leaned towards a mix of high and low 😬This stuff is cuttable with regular scissors, sealable with a little bit of fire, sewable without the need for a separate cover, and inexpensive. Ticks all my boxes. I even threw a small horizontal length of it up at the top of the bodice (just between the princess seams), and ooooooeeeee, does she ever stay where she's supposed to! I could use a couple more lengths right over the vertical princess seams-- I've always been hesitant to use boning over a bust curve, but I did a test of it over the weekend, and it worked an absolute treat. I'll be adding some to all my fancy things!

And you, my friends? Did you make anything fancy for the end of the year? Did I miss it? Do tell, and share...

...and Happy New Year!

Deck the Halls with Yards of Fabric

Wouldn't it be great if we could bathe our houses in jacquard and brocade and taffeta...

and have those lovely yards serve as holiday decorating?

We could include lacy neon exposed zippers...

and giant statement earrings...

and we'd pleat fabric all around corners, and stairs, and windows...

and use EVERY INCH OF IT to decorate our BODIES when the holidays are over.

NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL SUSTAINABLE SEWING.

The deets:

She's a simple, lined, princess seamed bodice (self-drafted, but you could use a pattern like this or this). Although the vertical seams are boned with rigeline, there's pulling across the front, either due to Thanksgiving Feasting (no regrets), or, maybe a darted foundation is the key to erasing those lines? I'm in the middle of Vogue 1426, which uses just that, so we shall see. WE SHALL SEE! 

The skirt is a giant rectangle of fabric, pleated and draped to fit the waist circumference, sans side seam. Sort of a column dress! There's no vent action, so you're not running any marathons in this. But you are going to walk a red carpet in it, nice and slow. And if you're like me, after you're done, you'll drape it over your bedside chair, like a decoration...to gaze at All. Year. Long.