Sew: Gold Lace Evening Dress

I found this wonderful French stretch lace with scalloped selvedges on eBay and knew it would be perfect for my dress. Of course lace is quite see through so a lining had be added. I decided on a separate, freestanding slip made to the same pattern. That way I could always make another slip in a contrast colour later for a less ‘nude’ look and I can use the slip under other dresses. I used a nude nylon stretch fabric and premade bra style straps. Both the dress & slip were made from a vintage slip pattern, Kwik Sew 1554. There are so many similar Kwik Sew slip patterns out there on eBay, in op shops and stashes, in fact I think I had a similar one for sale at the Fringe!

 

I made the lace overlay the same way I made the slip but without the straps. To create the little sleeves, Mummy Ask & I freehand drafted a sort of football shaped pattern with a seam in the centre to shape it while preserving the scalloped edges. After a few tests on scraps, we had our shape! I stitched up the sleeves and Mummy Ask pleated and pinned them directly on to the dress while I was in it. I toyed with sewing diamanté buttons onto the dress directly but wanted to keep things flexible. The embellishments in the pics are earrings modified to brooches.

The lace was a little awkward to work with, especially areas that went thick to thin in the lace but also with layers. The finished scallop edge did make it a fast sew, so much less hemming etc. Unfortunately, the very stretchy, heavy lace grew. Not much in length but in width! I thought it might, so I left it on my dress form for a week before testing fit again. I ended up taking it in three times, removing a total of 6 inches off the side seams! But it fits like a glove now! Once all the alterations were done, I overlocked the side seams for a neat finish. After taking it in so much I was mighty glad I went for an under slip and not a proper lining!

This dress is everything I wanted it to be, elegant, sexy and flattering. I feel like a glamorous starlet in this dress and there is nothing better than that! People are always shocked that I made it from an old petticoat pattern. I love that sewing is your interpretation, sure the pattern is designed to be an undergarment but the right fabric choice can make it a slip, a nightie, a sundress or even an evening dress. I hope you have enjoyed my interpretation. Have you used a pattern to create something other than the intended?