I returned back to school this summer to work towards obtaining credits required to sit for the CPA exams. Hopefully by the end of 2013 I will be celebrating the completion of this entire process. Until then, my life revolves around school- which I don't mind at all. Life is relatively simple being a college student.
Speaking of academics, I plan to take as many in-residence couture sewing classes with Susan Khalje as I can next year. They are super pricey but they will be my reward/incentive for getting through the entire CPA certification process. This also means I need to put myself on a strict schedule to get my current sewing skills up to par. I want to go into these classes with a solid hand-sewing and tailoring foundation so that I can build advanced skills during my time with the masters. The first courses begin in September so I have less than a year to practice.. yikes!
In the meantime, here are some pictures and a review for my most recent garment sewing project.
Pattern Description:
Slip with bias skirt and lace bodice. You can download the
free pattern and follow the previous sew-along blog entries here:
Pattern Sizing:
8-14
Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern
envelope once you were done sewing with it?
Yes!!
Yes!!
Were the instructions easy to follow?
The written instructions along with its photo tutorials were
extremely helpful. This was the first time I have worked with lace and it
definitely helped having the step-by-step support.
What did you particularly like or dislike about the
pattern?
This was a super easy pattern which resulted in a high-end
looking product.
Fabric Used:
Italian silk charmeuse and Swiss-made Venice
lace trim from Fabricmart. I also used a couple of plastic lingerie bra rings
to make the straps adjustable. The lace was a bit stiff to work with and I
don’t know if I would use this particular trim for this sort of application
again. It softened up a little after hand washing and the slight heaviness
helped the bodice maintain its shape.
Pattern alterations or any design changes you
made:
I had a difficult time matching the lace motif at center
front to create a seamless, mirrored look on the lace. I ended up hand
stitching the front two pieces together and clipped through the back layers as
well as I could. I serged the edges on all the lace pieces, top stitching the open
seams to decrease the bulk. I used French seams on the charmeuse and a rolled
hem foot for the bottom edge of the skirt.
I didn’t have the opportunity to fit this slip for my friend
(the pattern was cut based on her measurements) so I wanted to make the straps
adjustable. I used a ready-to-wear slip to figure out how these straps were
attached, the smaller areas were hand stitched in place because there just
isn’t a way to get in there with a sewing machine.
 |
| Front view |
 |
| Back view |
 |
| Lace bodice back |
 |
| Lace bodice front |
Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
I already have some lace and silk set aside for sewing some slips for myself. So yes, I would definitely recommend this pattern to others!
Conclusion:
I made this slip as a bridal shower gift for a dear friend from childhood. I’m thrilled with how it turned out and she was very touched that I gave her a hand-made gift. I included a bottle of Eucalan laundry wash with her package to help care for her new lingerie.
Because this was a gift, I took extra time placing, cutting, and sewing the lace and silk throughout the entire project. I think ambitious beginners can make this pattern if they’re patient with the process. It is a fabulous pattern to make some beautiful lingerie!
