A Minerva Teaser

Normally for our Minerva Crafts Blogger Network projects we are given free reign to make exactly what we like.  In June however, all the bloggers are making posh frocks in celebration of the Minerva Crafts Meet-Up event on 14th June.
 
We also will not be revealing our finished dresses before the event, so rather than a full post about what I've been working on, with lovely(?) modelled photos, you are just getting a teaser.
 
All the dresses will be revealed on the Minerva blog (and mine will be revealed here) after the event.
 
So what did I pick?
 
Well, I'm not a sequin or sparkle kind of girl and I don't like anything too tight or too revealing.  I love strappy or strapless dresses on others, but feel very uncomfortable wearing them.
 
However, browsing "posh frock" patterns, I found this newly released one from Butterick - B5987 - and fell in love with view C.
 
 
 
I do like a one shoulder dress - you have the touch of the "special occasion" with none of the exposure or danger of a strapless dress.
 
Next I had to choose a fabric.  As I mentioned above, I don't do sequins or sparkle, or shiny fabrics, and I prefer darker colours.  When I saw this gorgeous John Kaldor cotton lawn, I knew it had my name written all over it.     
 
 

The construction of the bodice was interesting.  The fabric is very soft and flowy and I initially thought I was going to have to use some boning to support the strapless side.  Then I remembered some silk organza I had left over from a project last year, and decided I would try underlining the bodice with that first. 
 
Luckily the silk organza together with a cotton poplin lining have provided enough support that boning was not required.
 
I knew the shoulder gathers would not work with the silk organza, so before I attached that to the gathered cotton lawn piece I converted the gathers to 2 darts. 
 
 
I'm sure there is a proper way to do this, but I used the very unscientific method of basically measuring the amount of fullness that needed taking out and eyeballing 2 darts.  As luck would have it, it worked perfectly.  I also did the same with the lining.
 
I've completely changed the skirt - but I'm not going to show you what I've changed it too! - and have added piping to the neckline, cap sleeve and waist seams.  I'll show you the piped waistline, although you'll have to excuse the creases.
 
 
And here are the shoulder gathers.
 
 
As a final teaser, here is the bodice piece before the side seams were sewn.
 
 
 
And that, my friends, is all I'm going to share for now.  Tune in after 14th June to see the completed dress!
 photo Samsignature.png

8 comments

  1. Hi Sam, I can finally get on to your blog - I couldn't for a while while you were ïnbetween. Looking forward to seeing this dress finished :), and good luck with your new blog venture.

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    1. Thank you Sarah Liz. Sorry you were having problems, but glad to hear you can find me again.

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  2. Ooooh this is going to be lovely. We've both gone for asymmetry - I don't do sparkles or tight-fitting either! Look forward to meeting you on Saturday.

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    1. Thanks Katie. Looking forward to meeting you too.

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  3. Wow! I saw the teaser on Instagram and I have to say I'm so shocked that this fabric is cotton! I could have sworn it was silk! Can't wait to see the final dress!

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    1. I know, it looks too nice to be cotton doesn't it? The dress looks fab (even though I say so myself! ;-) )

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  4. Sam your dress is going to look amazing! Fab fabric, fab pattern. Can't wait to see you in it!

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    1. Thank you. I'm really pleased with how it's turned out.

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Thank you so much for your comment, every one is read and appreciated. It means a lot to me that you take the time to read and comment on my posts.