Friday, June 08, 2012

Sewaholic Cambie Dress View B


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Once again, I apologise for the truly awful photos.  This dress really deserves better, but the weather here in the UK (again) couldn't be greyer or murkier with rain, and it's here to stay for the whole weekend.  It's not even as if we desperately need it any more (we could hardly complain when it rained non-stop for seven weeks in April and May, when the water was so scarce the reservoirs were drying up).  But now the hosepipe ban has been lifted I can complain all I like!
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Anyway, sorry about the photos being murky.  I lightened them but my ISO has made them grainy.  And I need to learn how to position photos horizontally instead of just plonking them somewhere.

Before starting on the full-skirted version of this dress, I had half made an A-line version.  "Half made" because I have made the outer shell and attached the zip, but have not yet started on the lining.  I have been procrastinating on this because the lining fabric is patterned and I've discovered the red hearts on it show through the white skulls on the shell.  I'm not sure whether to go ahead with it and am a bit heartbroken about it (well, as much as is acceptable when it comes to a dress, for goodness sake).  I want the dress to have the skulls on the outside and the red hearts on the inside, but my plans may be scuppered.  It's for a Christening (yep, it's the devil in me).

I haven't come to the point yet, have I?  Well, I really like the A-line version and, being 5ft 2 (there, I've mentioned my height yet again) and not having a very narrow waist in the first place, I have avoided dresses with gathers around the waist.  Hip is fine; waist, not.  But in this case I took a chance and made the full-skirted version.  Yay! I love it.  Now I'm worrying about when I will be "too old" to whoosh around in girly dresses, seeing as I've discovered I like them so much.  However, it hasn't stopped Vivienne Westwood, so it won't stop me!  Not that I am anywhere near her age yet, but I'm thinking ahead.
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Right.  The details:  I made the dress in a size 4, with a size 6 for the waist.  Incredibly I did not have to alter the bodice length at all (often I shorten them) and really amazingly it fits me across the back (usually I have to take account of my narrow back)  So, apart from the waist size, I made no fit alterations.  I did lower very slightly the v-shape at the top centre-front of the bodice.

The pattern is a pleasure to put together.  You make the shell, you make an almost exact copy for the lining, sew them together, hem, and Bob's your uncle!

I used a Crantex Fabrics vintage floral cotton I got on e-bay.  It has a lot of body, more like a quilting cotton than a lawn.  I also used it for the bodice lining, and a beautiful silky red fabric for the skirt lining.  I almost always get my lining fabrics from Iana Fabrics on e-bay.  They are very good quality, in my opinion.  She has never let me down.  Oh dear, I just bought 2m of black lace whilst copying the link for this post.  Jeez, no wonder I am always poor as a church mouse.

I highly recommend this dress pattern.  Not only is it easy to put together, not only does it seem to suit everyone, but it's really comfortable to wear, too.  I will try to get better photos when the weather is not so gloomy.

22 comments:

  1. Don't you worry about a thing the dress looks great! Skulls and hearts heehee.
    Also maybe, interline the shell with fine cotton voile to stop the lining showing through?

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    1. Ha! Brilliant idea! Why didn't I think of that?

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  2. Alice your dress is perfect inside and out. I am itching to buy this pattern now I have seen so many lovely versions. I like Iana fabrics too I have only ever bought one piece from them so far but it was gorgeous. It's good to know their linings are great too.

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    1. Lisa, thank you.

      I always Check Iana for linings, before anyone else, as she has great colours and often jacquard ones, too.

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  3. Such a gorgeous dress, I love the print!

    You look fantastic! Like you I am about 5ft2 and my waist is not wasp like. Even though gathers can attract attention to the waist the fact the skirt then falls away from hips gives illusion of more of a waist. (did that made sense at all?)

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    1. Thank you Suzy.

      Yes, you did make sense, and I think you are probably right!

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  4. I love your Cambie Alice! I really like the floral fabric. And you will be able to wear it throught all year with these colours, that's smart! This pattern is so great. Bravo!

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  5. Pauline, thank you.

    I hadn't thought of it, but that's true...the colours should allow for year-round wearing! I am (obviously) so clever, after all!

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  6. I've just realised that the dress in the photo at the top is inside out...duh!! LOL. The zip totally threw me as I'm thinking the pattern says it's an invisble zip! Because I've never done one before I was intrigued by this picture :o)

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    1. Hi Sharon!

      Sounds just like me...I totally understand. At least you worked it out in the end!

      Invisible zips are actually really easy, I think. Just make sure you put the zip in before you sew up the rest of the seam below it - so much easier than the other way around.

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  7. I found your blog through House of Pinheiro. I love what you make! Such gorgeous clothes, especially this Cambie. I might need this pattern!

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    1. Hi Melizza!

      Thanks so much for your nice comment.

      I agree...you definitely need the Cambie pattern!!

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  8. Hi Alice, I have the Cambie pattern now and am going to give the dress a go as soon as I have gone off to your favourite ebay sellet for some coloured lining :o) I am a newbie dressmaker but not a newbie sewer. I have my lady valet all new and waiting LOL. I have purchase three metres of a cotton fabric that I am going to use for my first try as it was reduced to £5 per metre. Dark colours with lavender flowers. I am hoping to match the lining with the lavender (purple). I love your clothes you have made, love your kitchen too :o) Were you really up at 3.40am replying to comments on your blog?? LOL.

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  9. Ah, brilliant, you have all your stuff lined up and ready to go!

    If you need any help with your Cambie, let me know and I'll try to help, not that I'm an expert!

    I did have a look at your blog and I see you have made some really lovely things. I would like to make a peg bag like yours, for a start. I need a new one. Your blog is lovely. I liked your fox pics and your hens. I have had a similar red hair colour to you on several occasions but found it too hard to keep up (I had to bleach and then use Manic Panic or whatever). Yours looks great.

    I definitely was NOT up at 3:40 am! I must check my settings...

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  10. Hi Alice, thank you for the offer of help with the dress, I have a feeling I will be taking you up on that offer LOL. The zip is making me freak a little bit, but I AM going to make this dress, I love it. Actually I am hoping to make more than one of these dresses.

    The red hair...its a beautiful colour isn't it? Like you, it didn't last long LOL. The roots started showing within two weeks and I couldn't keep up with it so now it is still red, but a much darker red. Oh yes and I am still paying for that bleach stripper I put on my hair, not once but twice!! It still keeps splitting on the ends :o( I am hoping this next trim will be the last of the bleach cut off.

    Thanks for looking at my blog, I've just updated tonight and added my fabric picture for the cambie dress :o)

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  11. Hi Sharon. Just popped over to yours and left a comment. Forgot to say: for overly processed hair...Aussie 3 minute miracle conditioner. Seriously, it's the best. It turned my cotton wool hair back to silk when I bleached it. Phew!

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  12. Hi Alice, I have a question :o) Would I regret it if I lined my dress in this http://www.fabric-world.com/Fabrics-Dress-Linings-c1_11/Purple-Dress-Lining-p96.html Would it be hard work to work with? Or would I be better going for a purple cotton do you think? Thanks for the tip with the Aussie 3 min miracle conditioner, I'm going to get some this weekend. Also I don't want to cut into my pattern for the cambie dress and am going to trace it off onto paper and make up a muslin first as I know I'm going to need two different sizes, a six and an eight. Oh and if you think you've got worries bein only 5ft 2" try being 4ft 11" LOL.

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  13. Hi Sharon

    Would it be okay to send me your email address? I can't make the email link on your profile work (it's my pc doing silly things). My email address is cmoon@btinternet.com Just mail me a blank message and I'll mail you back properly (otherwise this thread of comments may go on for a while!)

    Then I can reply to you by email in the future.

    I would say that the quality between linings varies a lot. If you get a good quality one (doesn't have to be expensive) it's easier to work with. Whether you think it's good to work with in comparison with other linings only comes with experience. Looking back, some of the the linings I used were horrid to work with, but I just thought that was how it was.

    However, I always find cotton is easier to work with than slippery lining fabrics. If I'm going to be wearing a dress mostly in the summer I prefer to have a light cotton lining for the bodice. Or silk. I like to use a slippery fabric for the skirt lining if I know I'll be wearing socks or tights with the dress, because a cotton lining can stick to my legs! Could you self-line the bodice with your main fabric, and use the purple for the skirt? The bodice doesn't take much fabric. You could still use the silky lining for the sleeve linings if you're short of main fabric. I like the body that self-lining gives the bodice.

    Which version are you making? The full skirt or the a-line?

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  14. Oh I love this! I adore this pattern and I love your fabric choice, and it looks brilliant with your boots as well :)

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  15. Thanks Roisin. I think the Cambie pattern is lovely. I like all the versions I've seen.

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  16. Yesterday I really struggled with how my Cambie looked. I used a beautiful lightweight wool and I decided to throw it out. The problem was the waistband. It just didn't sew right, it was crooked, and I don't have a waist. It occurred to me to see if anyone out there took the waist off and here you are! I love it without the waistband and I'm going to give the Cambie a second chance! Woohoo!

    p.s. I love love love yours.

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  17. Hi Colleen

    I think if the dress sits better without the waistband...no reason to keep it! However, mine does have a waistband - it just doesn't show up in the photos. Don't let that stop you though!

    I don't have much of a waist either, in relation to my hips (and comparing with the sizing on all patterns.

    Thanks for the compliment on my dress!

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