Thursday 31 May 2012

A girl's dream dress!

I have been extra-ordinarily busy. Last week a phone call from my grand daughter was a request for me to sew her a dress for her prom! It had to look as near as possible to one that Hermione Granger wore for the ball in one of the Harry Potter films!! A tall order!
 So after two days of solid sewing 
I have survived and the dress looks fab! Fitted perfectly after having to adjust the waist as Saskia is a size 8 bust and a size 10 waist!! But I am really pleased with it. I still need to do some hand sewing on the lining inside the bodice and it needs to be shortened and hemmed, so I will go up to Cambridge after our holidays and get it done then. 'Madame Saskia' was well pleased but then started doing this rouching gathering a length of fabric to attach round the waist. This a quick photo which is not very good and it’s a truer red than it shows. It still has tacking round the neck and armholes holding it in place till it all ‘drops’ .I was worrying about stitching in the 18"zip as I don't have a zipper foot but I used my 1/4" foot and it looked perfect, so such a relief and that the round neckline was even! It was a nightmare to sew the georgette and the silk lining! The pleated skirt I marked and tacked carefully and it all fitted the bodice like a dream, whew!! I sewed till 8pm on tuesday and I sewed right up till we left here at 7:30 last eveing to take her back. to Cambridge. So 2 days of solid sewing except for yesterday morning I took an hour and a half out to go to my SW group and then we went into town for a Costa coffee and I had an almond and raspberry slice. I deserved it!! And it was a break for Saskia too as she sewed all the darts and straight seams and did a lot of tacking!
DD was delighted and couldn’t say thank you enough and even son in law was impressed. I added I am impressed myself!! They dashed out and bought me some flowers!! DH said, 'I knew you could do it,'  but I did have a bit of a sleepness night worrying would it look ok? I don’t like the ‘rouching’ that she wants to add but it is her dress!
The photos shows the rouching just pinned round the waist and DH's back view. It needs a hook and loop at the top of the zip too.
I am having an easy day today , although I will have to vac as the dining room is awash with cotton threads on the carpet!

Can you see the dog peeping through the stairs?? We have only just noticed her in the pic I didn't see her when I took the photo! She has to be in the act what ever we're doing!
It is a wonderful day today having got it made, it was such a head ache!
I have said to Saskia, I hope you'll wear this dress more than once??
Happy days!

Chris xx 

7 comments:

Carol said...

Lol at the little face peeping through the stairs!
What a beautiful dress, lucky grandaughter to have such a talented Nan. I think she will be able to wear it many times, unlike a lot of the 'frothy' ones some girls choose.
Hope she has a lovely time at the Prom night.
Carol xx

Leslie: said...

Gorgeous! I especially like the waist detailing and the bit of gathering at the back. I Hope she has a wonderful time.

Sue said...

love the dress Chris and isn't Nell cute looking through the stairs. Can't believe how grown up Saskia is now, a beautiful young lady......x

Katya said...

Beautiful dress! You know it all, Chris: cross stitch, embroidery, quilting, sewing... A Jack of all trades!

Julie said...

Superb Chris, well done, she'll be the envy of all her classmates. You'll be getter orders lol.

Melanie said...

Love the dress! She looks very pretty in it. :)

Faith... said...

Beautiful sewing and what a wonderful treasure for your granddaughter.