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Petra Dress: Completed

I've been crazy-busy lately... 

So here's the Petra dress! 3 of 5 dress designs from my line sheet.


I'm actually really surprised with how quickly I can make sewing patterns now. On average, I've gotten it to 3 hours max with any sewing pattern I need to make. Pretty good!

You also might notice that this one fits me much better than the Tower Midi. I was a little disappointed and thought that I had made the Tower Midi patterns wrong but I checked my pattern blocks to notice that the torso blocks I had been using were one size too big! I don't get it. We always used a standard sewing size 8 in school and that's exactly what all my blocks are marked. I've been finding minor mistakes with the blocks now and have been editing them as I go along. 

And if this dress looks familiar... 

It's because it's almost an exact knockoff of a 60s Pierre Cardin dress. I followed more of an armhole princess style versus making the style a little more straight from the armhole. In retrospect, the straighter seam might be easier to sew in that area.
 It's easy to see why Cardin is my favorite fashion designer. I do like Couregges quite a bit as well but I get more excited over Cardin's work.

Bonus: Mine has inset side seam pockets! This was a last-minute decision. I thought I was done with the patterns but backtracked and made the sewing pattern real fast. 

 Overall, the shape is even better than I thought. I only added about 1" of flare to each panel on the pattern. I originally wanted about 2" on the side seam panels but forgot. I think it was around 1am making the patterns upstairs - haha. I got too tired!
 

I've also been thinking.... I would love to start my own independent pattern design company. I think that's what I want more than anything but I have a lot of things I need to work out before that becomes a reality - mostly pattern grading. I'm pattern testing for someone right now who is an independent pattern maker and she gives me much hope in doing it because she didn't go to school for it and her work is fantastic. 

I'll be picking independent pattern maker's brains soon. It would be about a year in the future until ANY pattern of mine would be released, but it's a start. 

Here's the fabric I bought for something I am pattern testing soon. I promise I'll put up the photos of it once the pattern is released but not sure how long that will be from now. 

Also, something else kind of big and awesome has happened but I'm not allowed to talk about that right now either buuuuuuuuuuut... exciting things are happening! 

Side note: My Pierre Cardin knockoff fall coat has to go on hold for the moment because the fabric store won't have wool fabric for coats in for a while. I might go to another fabric store for what I need, but I'm going to focus on the last 2 dresses I need to make from the line sheet. 

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Comments

  1. CatherineJuly 17, 2013 at 4:11 AM

    wow! that looks so great! What fabric did you use? I know absolutely nothing about pattern grading so its good that someone is giving you tips! Im so lazy I would probably just end up being like Biba and making everything in one size! haha

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Manic PopJuly 18, 2013 at 12:15 AM

      You know what? I'm terrible with fabric types. It also doesn't help that the fabric store I use hardly has anything marked either! The dress is a woven, but it's the kind of fabric that looks like it has both lines and a few dots here and there. Maybe a slub? I don't know. Perhaps I should though! Haha. The teal is something different, but still a woven. Hard to work with as it crinkles very easily. I'll try to avoid it next time. That's why I'm obsessed with the poly poplin they always have at the fabric store! It always sews well.

      Delete
  2. UnknownJuly 18, 2013 at 7:54 AM

    I like the size and angle of your accent blocks better than Cardin's :-) When can we custom order one on Etsy in our size?? I really really love it! And the pockets especially!
    - Alejandra

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Manic PopJuly 18, 2013 at 8:57 AM

      Hi Alejandra!

      I'm going to make the samples of the last 2 dresses I have, then list. At this rate, it's about 2 weeks from now but that date was originally September! Keep your eyes peeled. It won't be too long from now!

      Delete
  3. BrittanyJuly 19, 2013 at 11:08 AM

    It's darling! Beautiful work :)

    ReplyDelete

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