Setting myself up to faille

I started a full-time job this year. In an office, like what real adults do. Thusly, I need some work clothes. Enter McCalls 7091. (I was quite taken with McCalls current pattern range, so expect to see a few of them gracing my blog in the not too distant future.)

This may have been meant to be an evening/party dress but I am chronically incapable of not being overdressed.

The pattern fitted me as is and I did not plan to make any alterations beyond using the sleeves from another view (and binding them, rather than hemming). For the skirt I found an embroidered fuchsia remnant that had been in the stash for years and bought some black faille for the outer shell and bodice lining.

Pressing the seams takes hours. There are 12 seams and each gets pressed from both sides, then pressed open from the back and the front. An ironing ham is very useful for this - the curved seams lie so much better on a curved surface. Once the seams are pressed you then get to zigzag 24 edges. Thankfully by that stage you have what looks like a nearly finished dress to feel accomplished about. At which point you can do it all over again with the lining.

I was surprised to see that the underskirt did not continue the panels from the bodice. Instead it consists of three slightly flared panels gathered at the waist. Once I put the lining together I was somewhat concerned by the bulk at the waist caused by the gathers and how the fabric was a bit more balloon-y than fold-y, even though it looked to me to be of a similar weight to the photo on the pattern envelope. Then I attached the layers together.

Gone are the smooth lines created by all those seams. Instead the skirt suddenly bumps into a ledge at just the point on my figure where a ledge should not be. So it looks like I will be changing the pattern after all.

Canberra Show Report

The Canberra Show happened last weekend and I entered as many sewing categories as I could.

On the Wednesday before, I got a rather exciting phone call to say I had won Overall Champion of the sewing section.

The costume that won was Eowyn, (construction posts here) entered in the 'Performance Costume' section. I was particularly pleased that this outfit was chosen as, while making it, I had begun to think my skills would never be good enough to do what I wanted. It was so nice to have other people judge that it was good enough.

I was invited to attend the opening of the Craft Exhibition to receive my prize which turned out to be a sewing machine and an over-locker, both Toyotas. Disturbingly, our two sewing machines have recently turned into five. I don't quite know what to think about that. I am excited to try an over-locker now. I also received a couple of Needlewitch vouchers which I will put to good use.

The special theme category this year was 'Retro'. This was very convenient given my sudden need to make 40s dresses at the end of last year. I won this category with my teal and peacock dress.

I also picked up a few other ribbons. In 'Any other article of machine or hand sewing' I won second place with my Viking costume.

I got second place in the 'Bustier' category with my black waist.

I entered my Regency Spencer in 'Winter/Summer Garments' and got second place.

My mum entered the sewing section for the first time this year and received second place in children's wear.

As you can see in the first photo, I wore another of my 40s dresses to the opening on Friday. I think my favourite thing about the day was the response it got. Several older ladies came up to me and told me it was just like a dress they used to have or had made. I was so pleased to hear that I had managed to make a historical dress that was recognisable to people who were there at the time. (This is not to say that winning Champion wasn't also great – I got the phone call on Wednesday, so it had been my favourite thing on that day. And also on Thursday.)