Monday, September 30, 2013

Finished: Marnie Dress from The Hour

If you recall, I said I was working on one of Bel's dresses from The Hour for the Copycat Challenge, and I still am! Draping and not using any sort of a pattern is fun and creative, but it's also much slower. Since I ultimately want to make all the dresses from The Hour and I just happened to find this gorgeous cotton fabric from my fabric shop AND I've been waiting for the perfect fabric to use for Bluegingerdoll's Billie Jean dress, I decided to go ahead and make a Marnie dress!


Marnie, as you may recall, is my new favorite housewife from the television show The Hour played the lovely Oona Chaplin.

Look I even did the pearls! Couldn't figure out the hair roll though...
This dress has been on my list for awhile, but it looks like lace or at least embroidery and I figured it would be awhile until I got to it, but then I found this gorgeous cotton print - yes, cotton! - at my local fabric store that resembled the embroidered lace. Perfect for me to start right away.


It's a heavyweight cotton, and I was afraid it would be too heavy, but I find that it works perfectly as a dress.

I used the Billie Jean pattern for this dress, and it sewed up so quickly and easily.


I cut a size 4 for the top and a size 8 for the bottom. I fall in between sizes so I should have cut a size 10 because there's no ease and while I working the dress up, I discovered that the back didn't meet. Oops.


Instead of adding a panel or additional fabric, I decided that I would just put the zipper in and hope for the best. There was a bit of stretch in the right direction so I figured if all else failed, I could just take a picture on the dress form and call it a day.


But somehow, when I zipped it up most of the way and then wiggled myself into, it fit! It's a little tight - okay, it's very tight - but I can sit and move and it's somehow still comfortable so I'm happy.


I did make another adjustment. The dress is meant to be off the shoulder and as I hate strapless bras and feeling like something is falling off my shoulder, I had to do something about that. I adjusted the front per Abby's instructions to pinch out certain areas and then I added several inches to make it go over my shoulder. I'm pretty pleased with the result!


Oh, and one more! Everyone complains that you can't move in wiggle dresses, but you can. You just need more ventilation. I added an additional 5 inches to this vent because I'm a fast walker and I have got to move quickly! (Or else I start hyperventilating for real.)

See the zipper? I'm calling it a design feature.
Oh so the fact that it's too tight also means something else: you can see the zipper. Usually that sort of thing makes me crazy, but I really like the look, and I'm thinking about exchanging my not-so-invisible zipper for a metal visible one that might really add a bit more to the look.


Additionally, you must forgive the hair. I put it in a sock bun and decided it didn't need bobby pins because I was only going to be out for five minutes, but the wind had different ideas. Oh well, I've never been known for my impeccable hair anyway.


This is officially my second wiggle dress and I think they're so fun to make! It's so interesting how at the right angles, you looking stunning and gorgeous but then you turn and you're like, "WOW, is that all my ass?"


But it is, and it's lovely and everyone has body parts sticking out in wiggle dresses. How can you not? I suppose it's like that with all clothing, but wiggle dresses are just better at showing it. ;-)


Stay tuned for my Bel dress! I should have it up this weekend.

23 comments:

  1. I love it! You look so elegant. I can't believe that fabric is cotton - it really looks like a lace overlay.

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  2. I LOVE THIS! You look great - wiggilicious!

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  3. It's gorgeous and it suits you!

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  4. Lovely, and really flattering! I too hate strapless bras so it was nice too see that that pattern can be altered to be worn with a regular bra.

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  5. So adorable - and you look lovely in it!

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  6. lovely! I prefer your fabric, great pattern choice too.

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  7. I love that it is ladylike and just a little "rawr" if you know what I mean. Beautiful!

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  8. Wowweeee!! you look absolutely beautiful in this dress. Great job, it is such a pretty classic dress. Fits you like a dream and love the pearls. Nice touch. :)

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  9. Wow- I am inspired by you!! I am an avid knitter and have been considering making my own costume for a Downton Abbey party in December...after looking at your pics, I bought a pattern and fabric today. If you have any fave books/hints, I'd be super grateful.

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    1. Ooh, a pretty Downton dress has been on my list for awhile! What are you making? I tend to just google tutorials on sewing blogs when I get stuck...

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  10. Well, I got a Simplicity pattern for a flapper dress, got some lovely burgundy satin...then promptly screwed it up so badly that last night it landed in the trash bin. I watched a billion tutorials on sewing on the facing, but when I did it the result was a disaster! Then I sewed up a sleeve trying to attach the shoulder facing. Then the trash bin. Perhaps it was an overly ambitious project! I've dialed it back a bit and am working up a simple skirt...ah well! I continue to lust after your yellow 20's style dress - it is so lovely!

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    1. Oh no, I'm sorry to hear about that!! It's really awful tossing something you spent so much time and effort on. I will say that satin can be tricky because it's so slippery and sleeves, well, sleeves still frustrate me to no end, as they do for a lot of sewers. Hopefully the skirt turns out well!

      As for my yellow dress, it's made of jersey! Some people don't like working with it because it's stretch, but it's very simple to sew up - no darts or anything, the seams don't unravel so you don't even have to finish them, and it stretches to fit you perfectly. That might be an easier place to start since there are no facings and whatnot - just be sure to use a zigzag!

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    2. I think you're right! Satin was a bad idea for a first project, it was sliding left and right. Jersey may be kinder to me...

      I've read that placing tissue paper (or any paper) under the jersey can keep it from going out of wack while you're sewing it, so maybe I'll try that to reduce the potential frustration!

      I can't wait to see what you sew up next!

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    3. Tissue paper can help whenever you have a slippery fabric (like satin, silk, etc). I find that jersey doesn't slip so much but rather the edges tend to roll and it can be difficult to straighten everything to sew it up. Use whatever helps you though, and if you do use jersey, be sure and test your stitches out on scrap fabric. Really though, I find that zig zags are perfect. Good luck and let me know how it turns out!

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  11. Well, I made my skirt and I LOVE it! I used McCall's 6654 It's not perfect (when will I learn to pin and fit before going at it with the machine?), but I think it's pretty close. It's a long A-line and I learned how to make an elastic casing for the waist, which amazingly fits perfectly, and...well, I was so excited about finishing it that I wore it to teach today, even though I haven't finished the casing... : )

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    1. That's so exciting!! I would love to see a final picture of it when you're finished with the casing and everything. Congrats!

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  12. I have pictures! Of the skirt and of the leggings I made last night...so, stupid questing...how do I send them? DS

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    1. If you've uploaded them to a blog, flickr, or some other hosting site, you can leave the link. Otherwise you can email me at kmjones3@gmail.com :-)

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  13. It's only been a few months- but I finally posted a few pictures : )

    http://deanasews.blogspot.com/

    Just read your latest post- I also ferment food (sauerkraut!) and don't wash my hair with shampoo- too bad I don't live in the City anymore, we could meet and compare our subculture ideas! When I come to visit (which I do, every year or so), I'll say "hi"!

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    1. Cool, I'll check out your blog! And yes, you must let me know when you come visit. :-)

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