Sunday, November 6, 2016

Vogue 9183 - Winter white wool dress w/ black lace overlays

I've just finished a classy wool dress for fall/winter that I'm in love with! The idea for this garment has been floating around my brain for years and I'm just so pleased to see it turn out exactly how I imagined.


I knew I wanted to play around with lace motifs and needed a lace that I could cut into that wouldn't fray. The one I used is from Mood fabrics and is all sold out but here is a black 3D guipure lace that's similar. The white is an ivory wool twill also from Mood fabrics and also all sold out. (Sorry!) Mood as lots of other wool twills available. Their anemone red is a particularly beautiful color that would go great with black lace.


The pattern I used is Vogue 9183. It's a simple shift dress that's fitted through the bust and skims over the waist and hips. I was intrigued by the neckline of this design and the absence of side seams. I did not make a muslin first as I figured it wouldn't need much fitting past the bust. I cut a size 12 through the bust and waist, tapering out to a 14 through the hips. Thankfully it fit without needing any adjustments.


To make this dress I sewed the ivory wool body pieces together first and put in the zipper. Then I put the dress on my dress form and figured out how I wanted the front lace piece to lay. When it was completely pinned on I took it off the dress form and slowly stitched the lace on by hand with millions of tiny stitches. I went all around the perimeter of the lace and did some stitching in the middle as well. When that was finally done I put it back on my dress form and repeated the process for the second lace piece. Then I had to figure out the lining because this patten is unlined. Usually putting in a lining just involves using the provided bodice pieces but since this dress has a neck facing that's folded over and incorporated into the design, the lining was no picnic.


Dressform pictures:





Here's a closeup of the neckline. I think it looks kind of 60s mod.


I used an antique white china silk for the lining.


The sleeve head seams were covered in bias tape for a clean finish.


This dress took forever to complete! I actually thought I'd finished it a few weeks ago and posted it to the Mood Sewing Network for October. However, the more I looked at those pictures the more I felt like something was off. Every once in awhile I'll change my mind about an aspect of my sewing after I see it photographed, and for this dress it was the sleeve length. Perhaps elbow-length sleeves just aren't flattering on my body or maybe something was off with the proportions. I'm not sure. I cut the sleeves off to the shorter length and trimmed a bit of the sleeve head along the way. I like this sleeve length much better. I'm still not completely satisfied with how the sleeves look from the back of the dress but I am moving on. And trying to not be obsessive. That's hard for a perfectionist.

Note: All fabrics used in this garment were purchased with my Mood Fabrics monthly allowance, as part of my participation in the Mood Sewing Network.
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46 comments:

  1. This dress looks amazing on you. You did a beautiful job on it.

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  2. Absolutely stunning -- I love the lace positioning!

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    1. Thanks Pam! I really enjoyed the challenge of getting it just right!

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  3. What a gorgeous dress! I have recently learnt about the rule of thirds and dressing - thirds are more pleasing to the eye than halves - I suspect the elbow length sleeves cut your arm in two which is often a less flattering proportion, whereas the shorter length is visually a third of the arm and easier on the eye. Great result in any case!

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    1. This is very intriguing! I always think my arms must be too thick to make those half sleeves work but maybe it's just a proportion thing. The same happens when I try on knee-length shorts. All of a sudden I turn into a man. Maybe it's a height thing too. Anyway, thanks for your comment. You've given me a lot to think about!

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  4. Beautiful dress, I love that neckline. Amazing work on the lace - looks like lots of hand stitching but the overall look is stunning

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    1. Thank you Kristy! That neck height turned out way higher then either the envelope drawing or the Vogue example dress on their website led me to think it would. However, it kind of opens out at the very top so I don't feel too choked.

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  5. Gorgeous! Love the lace placement. I remember sewing lace appliqués to my wedding gown and yes, it takes forever. But so worth it!

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    1. I'll bet it was just beautiful on a wedding gown! Thanks Cindy!

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  6. Absolutely gorgeous dress! Congratulations. I love the lace appliqué.

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  7. Amanda, I first saw your dress over at Mood Sewing Network but am happy to see it again here on your blog. It's such an amazing creation! Karen

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    1. Thank you Karen! I'm debating about whether I should go back and update the pictures over there...

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  8. You're totally right about the sleeves. They looked great on the dress form, but shortening it for you is perfect. I would never ever ever do the amount of handwork you've put in to this dress. But, I will never ever ever have something this spectacular!

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    1. Thanks Cidell! You've got to love hand sewing, that's for sure.

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  9. It is perfect!! I was wondering how much time the lace took Zn but don't worry. I like it how it is, but I am not that good at all with sewing.
    I got often ideas too if I see all of this, but to make is another story.
    Wilma

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    1. I guess it took me about a week to get it all applied, working a few hours a day while watching TV. I don't have a lot of spare time for sewing because all my kids are young and or school aged and involved in lots of activities. But if you don't have those kinds of schedule demands I'll bet you could get it done much quicker. A love of hand sewing is a must, though. Thanks Wilma!

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  10. Very pretty! I totally overlooked that pattern, but love the neckline here! Your lace motifs are perfectly placed, beautiful!

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    1. Thanks Kelly! Vogue's example dress isn't the prettiest. I think it's grass green and turquoise? So I can see you overlooking it. Honestly I was just in the market for something body skimming without too much going on in order to make this dress. But I can see it in an awesome print/solid colored sides version as well. Thanks Kelly!

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  11. Beautiful. Very pleasing placement of the lace.

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  12. Wow what a beautiful dress!! You did such a great job!

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  13. Looks beautiful and must have taken hours and hours. Really interesting neckline too, just enough detail to set off the fabric you created. I wonder what other amazing ideas you have floating round in your brain?!

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    1. Thank you Allison! I think I just see things either in magazines or runway shows and they percolate for awhile. There was a similar dress to this in a Burda magazine years ago that I always loved, but the pattern didn't pass the muslin stage.

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  14. Dear Amanda
    This dress looks absolutely classy. I adore the ivory-black lace combination (I just remembered the ivory-black lace- dress you did for Easter). It's elegant - simply perfect. And yes, handsewing always takes a lot of time, but it is absolutely worth it. Great job!

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    1. Yes, you are right, I have now made two white with black lace dresses, and only realized it after they were both made. There was another black lace on Mood's website the other day that I wanted too. Time to stop with the lace I think lol. Thanks Enri!

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  15. This dress is stunning! I really really love everything about it, from the classic black and ivory, the interesting placement of the lace, to the cut of the dress itself. It looks great on you too. And another thing that always impresses me about you is how you can visualize something totally different (and usually much more interesting) than what's pictured on the pattern envelope. I love Vogue patterns and sew from them almost exclusively, but you always choose the ones that I glanced right past! I am putting this one on my shopping list!

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    1. My eye seems always to be looking for something different, some special detail. The neckline of this dress, for instance, is something I haven't seen in a pattern in recent years. I was interested to get my hands on the pattern just so I could see how that was achieved. Thanks so much, K. Patrick! Vogue patterns are far and away my favorites as well.

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  16. Amanda, this is just so beautiful. You are one talented young woman. Your attention to detail is always inspiring to me.I loved your skirt from your previous post too. beautiful!

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  17. WOWZER!!!! What an eye-catching design. Just beautiful. . . .or wowzer :)

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  18. Hi Amanda,
    Somehow I forgot to get back to reading your blog after my vacation, so I missed seeing this earlier. Since I saw this in the making stage, it is so nice now to see it finished and modeled on you. It turned out very striking and beautiful!!
    Love, Mom

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  19. This dress is beautiful - what a stunner! Your hard work and patience has certainly paid off.

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  20. I just discovered your blog and would like to subscribe. You do such beautiful work. This truly is an inspiring labor of love.

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    1. Uh, I'm not sure how to subscribe either. Figuring out how to post to this blog is about as computer savvy as I get. I just put blogs that I like in my blog reel and read whatever pops to the top, but I'm sure there's a sophisticated way of having something emailed to you when a new post goes live. Sorry, I'm not much help. Thanks for your kind words!

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    2. That is what I do too - I view it as my personal reading list!

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  21. Absolutely stunning. I've been hoarding some lovely lace and a wool/silk houndstooth for similar look based on an Oscar de la Renta dress I saw a couple of years ago. My tastes have changed so I will sew something different. Your gorgeous dress reminded me to do something with the fabric 😀

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    1. Thanks Twotoast! I dearly love OdlR and I'm sure this dress was subconsciously inspired by all the lace dresses he created over the years.

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