SHANNON'Sdresses

ROYAL BLUE1930s dress

August 2007

My old friend Beth's mum had bought this really nice royal blue satin for a dress she was going to get made for her, but decided she didn't want it anymore and kindly gave it to me. I had never really worked with satin before and always wanted to, and I had this awesome Simplicity pattern (# 8817) for a bias cut satin 1930s evening dress - so they were destined for each other. With the amount of freehand, trial-and-error pattern making and construction I do a lot of the time, it's good to come back down to earth and just strictly follow a commercial pattern now and then, as they pretty much always include techniques or pattern shapes that I have never used before and/or don't know how to do properly. This one especially was a valuable learning tool - I learnt a new way to insert lining into a bodice, and I also, for the first time in my life, inserted a zip the proper way you're supposed to. It even turned out looking reasonably professional. And also - and I nearly had a hernia over this - the dress managed to get a big ugly cooking oil stain on it just before it was finished. But I did some internet research on how to remove it: I rubbed it with dishwashing liquid and immediately chucked it in a warm gentle machine wash, and it was absolutely fine the next day. So lots of lessons learned there! However, the smallest I could cut the pattern was a size 8, and I was worried this would be too small, but it actually ended up being a smidge loose. I really need to start paying more attention to the fitting of things as I'm making them.

I don't know where or when I'm going to wear this, but at least I've satisfied my craving for making a satin bias-cut dress, and I'll have something in the closet for a special occasion. I want some more satin now though. I want to make another.