Upcycle: A retro dress from a thrift store curtain - V8789

This dress was a curtain in a former life.  Now it is Vogue 8789.

Lately,  I've been reading blog posts about upcycling and refashioning.  These are creative people who take a horrible dresses and make something great.  A great example is Nout from Sandpaper Kisses.  She says she doesn't sew, but I don't think the evidence supports her claim.  This is her amazing dress transformation.

Picture from Sandpaperkissesblog.wordpress.com

She is completely adorable and this dress is so cute!  (Check out her blog) It made me want to run out and do the same thing.

So I went to the thrift store and tried to find something to remake.  I had a hard time. Don't get me wrong, I found lots of horrible clothes, but I must lack the ability to see the diamond in the rough.  I found myself in the curtain section and saw a panel with pretty stripes for only $3.99.  I bought it and made a dress. Which I am not sure even counts towards my refashion goal since essentially all I did was buy fabric and make clothes, which is exactly what I usually do and didn't require any great vision.  I'm baby stepping into this whole refashion thing.

I sewed view A of Vogue 8789 with one modification.

Gathered skirts never look good on me. Ever.  They just end up looking bulky and hide my waist.  Since my hips are wide and my booty expansive, that ends up being all you can see.  No bueno.

Instead, I used the Dirndl skirt pattern from Burda (the same one I used for the Bombshell dress) and I can't seem to find it on the Burda site any more or I would include a link.  However, it is a 3/4 skirt that is not gathered or pleated at all.

Using the limited amount of fabric (one curtain panel) and matching the stripes was a challenge.

 Here is the back of the dress.

For the belt, I covered a bit of elastic with fabric and used eyehooks for closures.  The dress is fully lined in a white cotton fabric because the curtain material is quite thin and made of polyester and the cotton is nice next to my skin.  The zipper is an invisible zipper with the lining hand-sewn onto it on the inside.

Final Details:
Dress Fabric: 3.99
Cotton Muslin Lining: 12.00
Zipper: $3.00
Elastic from another project -0-
Eyehooks from another project -0-
Total: About $19.00 USD

Halloween Costume: Star Wars Sabe Decoy - Part 1

Sabe Battle Decoy, Episode One

This year for Halloween, I am making my own Star Wars costume.  I am going with the battle costume worn by Sabe, the decoy in Episode One. 

I am making the red dress first, then doing the overcoat/vest after.  It looks like it is attached at the sleeves, so I will do that, but otherwise leave it unattached for the rest of the dress, relying in the belt to hold it together.

FABRIC

For the fabric, I went to a discount upholstery store and got 5 yards for of red polyester fabric that looks somewhere between raw silk (it is not) and some kind of shimmer.  I got one yard of the same fabric in black for the v-neck.





 PATTERN

I tried to look for a kimono pattern, but didn't end up finding much. I ended up doing a combination of two different patterns.  I started with the bodice from Vogue 8789 (view A) and modified it slightly.  It isn't a kimono style, but it has a v-neck in the pattern and that was close enough for me since it meant that I don't have to buy a pattern since this one is in my stash.  I made the following modifications:

• The back of the bodice on the pattern had the v-neck on the back, as well, but I rounded that out so there is no v-neck in back.
• I made a bias out of the black fabric and finished the  v-neck on the front and back
• I took out the back darts, since I wanted a less fitted look at the waist

Burda 12/2011 V-neck Blouse

I used skirt from Burda Style 12/2011 V-neck Blouse #106.  The pattern includes a modification to make the shirt into a dress and has the pleat in front that I am looking for.  I didn't use the top of the blouse because I didn't want to deal with the band around the lower bodice.  I knew I would have to lengthen the bodice and get rid of the band, so it was easier just to use the Vogue.

Plus, two more issues.... I didn't like the pleats on the front (and it has many more on the back) and the instructions were terrible. I just didn't want to put in that much work on a pattern I was going to cover up with a black v-neck.

I like that it has puffy sleeves that should work nicely if I don't add the cuff.

 Here is the dress so far without the sleeves.  I am happy with the pleat in the skirt and I think the v-neck is close enough for me.

Sabe Costume Part 1  Dress
Sabe Costume Part 2  Vest
Sabe Costume Part 3 Headdress
Sabe Costume Part 4 Headdress
Sabe Costume Part 5 All Together Now