Mod Dress - Practice Makes Perfect (or close to it)

In the runup to STF2014, I desperately needed a break from exercisewear. I mean, come on. GIVE ME A PRETTY DRESS AND GIVE ME ONE NOW.

So I made one.

Meet my mod dress. I love this fabric.

I bought it from some tiny alley, just after I started sewing in late 2010. I knew it was fabulous, I knew I needed to make something from it. And I came up with this:

It was not good. My vision was poor. I was ashamed, ripped it up and mourned the loss of something so beautiful. Never again would we cross paths.

Then 18 months ago I was in the same dingy alley. The shopkeeper somehow still had 2m hidden away in some forgotten corner. You don't hesitate when an opportunity like that comes along. A second chance passed down from the Saints of Seamstressing. It would be a mod dress. I confess it was always destined to be a mod dress.

And I still stashed it for a year.

I finally made it in time for Stockholm as a reminder that hours of practice will eventually make perfect.

 

Front, mid-boogie

Back, mid-boogie

 

I traced a base pattern for which I've already done the work perfecting the fit and balance, drafted some modifications, then cut, stitched and finished the dress in 3 hours. Guys, 4 years ago...hell...18 months ago I could not make this in 3 hours.

Everything hangs straight, I added my favourite shoulder crossover detail, all the edges are enclosed. It's not going to ride up and show off my booty because I told the bloody pattern it wasn't going to show off my booty. Ha.

So when I'm struggling with something tricky in tap, I can look at this dress and know to crack on with it. Keep working at it, and one day you'll wake up and it will be a breeze. You won't think twice. It might just take a few years.

But let's move on to a different kind of eye candy...guys, meet B:

B, short for Jumping Bean

B is cool. B patiently takes photos, taps, calms creative fury, crochets and happily takes part in random sewing challenges. B is also a fan of the mod dress. He and I have created a new sewing challenge for each other, but you'll need to stay tuned to hear more...right now I have a project to finish.


Toodle, Oodles and Doodles,
Katrina