Gatsby Afternoon & Another Dress Completion!!

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I can't say enough about the Gatsby Afternoon event put on by the Art Deco Society of California. This year was particularly fun and relaxing with amazing food (thank you Teresa, Michelle, Oran, and Franz!!), lots of bubbly, great company and the bouncy ride over in Oran and Teresa's Baby Doll (oh dear now I can't remember the year, make and model - 1954 Ford?).

And...I finished the dress!

It's comfy and exactly what I wanted. I'm not in love with the sleeves (cotton fabric too stiff for the design) and I'm going to replace the matching buttons with a contrasting color, maybe black. The matching buttons were a nice idea, but act like camouflage...eight buttons trimming the belt tie and shoulders and you can't see a' one.

After I think nine Gatsbys I finally saw the inside of the estate! And I learned something new, that Linoleum is period, kudos to the smarty Michelle! Linoleum is brand name for flooring invented by Frederick Walton in 1865. So not only was the day intoxicating (champagne and socializing), but educational!!

Another highlight, see 1st photo below, I had the privilege to meet the fabulous Miss Solana of Vixen Vintage (far right, follow her blog it's so fun) and Julie of Fab Gabs on Etsy (middle with their escort David). Below that are cherished friends, cars, and the Dunsmuir estate.

I will post soon about the dress construction process and my thoughts on the pattern and changes I'll make next time, but now...photos...

Heading Toward the Finish Line!

It's Thurs (how did it get to be Thurs?!) and I am soooo close to being done with the dress. I have the sash-thing, sleeve and skirt hems, and buttons to attach and general finishing.

I am a bit concerned that the skirt will not hang as in the picture on the pattern cover.

The pattern illustration has a much shorter skirt, weird right?

I extended the skirt pattern piece to try and get the tea-length skirt of the cover illustration. But not being a pattern maker, I'm not sure my extension will hang around the lower leg correctly - the skirt may be too a-line....hum.

But none the less, it's almost done!! I will actually have made a dress from start to finish with matching purse in 5 weeks!!!! Woooooooo!

Close up showing the lovely bakelite buckle I found at La Rosa Vintage.

Oh look! It's La Rosa Vintage...I heart!!!!

Close up of lining. What else can I make with this fabric? I need ideas!!!

Pending Projects

Sitting at my desk this morning, over coffee, toast, and blueberries, thinking about projects. I need to take stock.

Recent inspiration is an outfit from the Mui Mui Autumn-Winter 2010 collection.

Not a fan of the lower section, but the bodice would look amazing with a full skirt. I'd love to try to make the collar/neckline. But my next project is going to be a 1930s day dress. The plan is to complete it by September 12th for the Gatsby Picnic.

Pattern is #3007 1930s Button Dress from Decades of Style

Based on past experience, this completion date is a bit ambitious, although I have a few days off work this month and the design seems pretty straight forward plus I've found the fabric - yay!

Fabric found at Peapod Fabrics, San Francisco

Locating fabric I like is so difficult, plus I'm not good (yet) at visualizing the fabric and the design together, but I'm feeling pretty good about this fabric. As soon as the pattern arrives, I'll get to work! I. will. finish. on. time. (Don't mind me as I repeat my aspiration a few times...I will finish on time. I will finish on time...I'm good enough, good enough, good enough...)

Does anyone remember Al Franken's Stuart Smalley? (who doesn't have a Wikipedia page?!)