Sunday, July 8, 2012

that last 10%

This dress went from a gleam in my eye to 'wearable' over the course of last saturday (unhemmed, the zipper pinned in place, the straps pinned in place -- but fit and in dress shape) but getting it to the point where I would remove those quotation marks took Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.   Granted, on Saturday I went into hermit mode and ignored  the world, while the other days involved other people and crazy stuff like work and getting ready to host a 4th of July bbq.  Still....   10% of the project, 90% of the time.   (This is a thing in engineering -- does it hold true in other fields?  Whenever someone comes to a project meeting and claims their work is 90% done, we laugh like evil banshees for what all know what awaits them.)

Anyhow, the bodice is self-drafted and the concept comes from a halloween costume I made a couple of years ago.   (Well, the idea of the strapping at least -- point of interest, the costume is also entirely self-drafted.  In that case, I put on an old t-shirt, duct taped it to my body, cut it off and chopped up the cast of my torso into a corset pattern.  Much fun :)  )


Back to the main project.... You can't really see it because of the crazy print, but there is a gathered under bust with shaping folds on the overbust.    The purpose of the straps in the back is to take the pressure of the nape of my neck.  I have nerve damage there and halters are remarkably uncomfortable.  (Most frustrating, as I think they are gorgeous.)  The skirt, which has front pockets (matched fabric!) is from New Look 6557. 





I ended up wearing it for fourth of july festivities, but failed to get any pictures of it in action.

I'm not really sure whats next for me -- oddly enough, I'm debating between bathing suit or winter coat, although given my track record, odds are I'll end up working on something completely different.

9 comments:

  1. What a beautiful dress! Really like the straps detail on the back and of course the pockets!

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    1. thanks :) yeah, pockets are pretty much the best thing ever.

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  2. HOLY CANNOLI. The back of this dress is AMAZING!!! Truly fantastic - and I love your fabric! The perfect summer dress, I am thinking :)

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  3. That is GORGEOUS! Love the straps.

    The 90/10 thing sounds disturbingly familiar...

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  4. Allison, this is stunning - you are so clever & the back is incredible - a feat of wonder-drafting & supreme fitting (I expect no less of you!!)
    It looks amazing on you - really flattering & totally summer-chic!

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    1. many thanks :) The back was actually the easiest part -- I made a standard halter and got the fit set -- then I made four straps and pinned them to the nape of the neck and then pinned them to the back-midriff once I had the dress on. There followed a period of bending, stretching and checking things out in the mirror until I got the right lengths and distribution. It looks fancy, but its actually pretty easy.

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  5. hmmm in my world 10% works and 90% doesn't, i think i'm doing it wrong ;) i love the multiple back strap idea, halters always give me a headache and i don't have nerve damage, so they must be really horrible for you to wear! but it looks like a terrific summer dress, so chic and cool.

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    1. Basically, I just don't bother with them unless there is other support. I hope you try something with straps, they do make it all a lot more comfortable :)

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