The twist dress - finished!

Despite this being a very busy week, I managed to steal a moment yesterday to take some pictures of the twist dress. I actually finished it Sunday evening.

Now, I remember why I usually take my pictures the way I do (slightly twisted in front of the camera). The only wall in my house which makes a suitable backdrop for self-timer pictures happens to be bathed in light from one side. If I turn fully towards the camera, all details at the front will get lost in shadows.

I am happy with the dress. The more quiet fabric may make the twist less striking than it was on the muslin, but shows of the overall shape better. I was a bit nervous about using this fabric because it's rather thin and drapey but it turned out fine. I just had to use it. The print, faint blue spirals on a grey background, seemed to be just right for the vintage-y feel I wanted for this dress.

The neckline is deep, but thanks to my shoulder-line fix, it doesn't gape or sag. I went for the horizontal seam at the back, but I don't think it makes much of a difference. To really match it up, I should have curved it more but I didn't want it to go any lower. The sleeves are simple flared ones. I thought about gathering them into cuffs at their hems, but liked the look as they are now. My inspiration for this dress may have come from the 1930's, but I think I have plenty of shoulder in it for this day and age, without the help of puffs or pads.

I kept the skirt on the the long side. I think it sort balances out the neckline.

I'm thrilled at having this twist-thing figured out. This dress may make a rather classic use of it, but I'm starting to dream up other options. I may just stitch up the muslin properly, just for starters. And I'd like to make a top using striped fabric for the twist and adding gathers at a dropped front shoulder. I would like to have fairly wide black and white stripes and plain black for the other parts. And this very dress would be great with a long skirt (maybe without the pleat, I'm not sure yet) and no sleeves. I imagine that dress in a deep red, with the shoulders gathered to something like a strap. And I would really, really like to make very different patterns, experimenting with the twist in other, more unexpected places and shapes.