For the day I decided to whip up my dress for our upcoming Frocktails shindig that is happening in mid-September. Sadly my dress-making skills, or patience, haven't progressed much beyond the April Rhodes Party Peplum Dress I was sewing this time last year. I reckon I could insert a lap-zipped if push came to shove, but whenever I read about how to install a lining my brain just shuts down.
Never fear, the Party Peplum Dress is here!
I'd bought two fabrics from Spotlight...both on sale, and both nice enough I think to elevate a basic dress into something a tiny bit more special. Of course the night before the sewing day I was cutting out my fabrics only to realize I didn't have enough fabric to make either of the dresses. GAH! Both of the fabrics were quite narrow (is ALL fabric at Spotlight narrow - is that there thing I wonder?) and I just hadn't bought enough length to compensate for the lack of width.
Hmmm...Houston we have a (sewing day) problem!
Spoiler alert: luckily when I RACED into Spotlight the following morning they had *just* enough fabric left on both bolts for me to make my dresses so I could finish cutting out my dresses - I just couldn't use it for the sewing day as they'd not be pre-wahsed or dried.
I can now totally see the value of having a "fabric stash", albeit a small one. As I dug around in my fabric cupboard I found some cotton bought from My Hung in Parramatta for about $6.60/meter. There was AMPLE for a Party Peplum...and it hindsight it was best to make this dress up again as a toile as I was finally make it in a size smaller than my usual XXL that always turns out too big.
Despite turning up to the sewing day about 2 hours late, and basically talking and eating biscuits for the WHOLE day, I manged to pretty much finish the dress...I just had to do the hem one I go home.
I'm glad I made up a toile as, whilst the dress fits in the smaller size, I need some more room under the arms, and the bust darts need to be lowered. AND the best part? As this fabric was so inexpensive I popped up the road to buy more of it to make up the dress again as I think this is going to make a really cute summer dress.
My photographer/husband is currently away in Europe (tough life for some) so I'm afraid this is the only photo I have of the dress on my body.
One of these I'm going to have the PERFECT Party Peplum Dress...I will!
Until next time...
