May 5, 2010

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.

15 comments:

  1. Your dress is absolutely gorgeous!!!
    The fabric is perfect is for and it just drapes beautifully and shows off the twist really well.
    You must be so pleased with it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Fabulous! This is beautiful on you and I am again, envious of your pattern making skills.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Gorgeous. When I look at the photos, I find myself relaxing a bit. Lovely clothes do that for me.

    ReplyDelete
  4. This is really, really nice! I love your vintage inspiration, too.

    ReplyDelete
  5. That's a beautiful dress and it looks fantastic on you. As for your photo wall, you are most definitely NOT a wall flower!

    ReplyDelete
  6. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  7. That dress is the best thing ever. You look absolutely wonderful in it. I love the low twist.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I will second Nancy K: fabulous! Love it. I can totally visualise red, full length and sleeveless, it's be very similar to a famous dress worn by a famous actress in the 30's to 50's, red... sorry I've forgotten all the details :-). It'd be totally glam though.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Yes, yes, yes! To the red and longer, just what I was thinking. It would make a fabulous evening dress. I love what you've done with this fabric, thought, it works so well and the just below knee length is perfect. I'm in an evening dress phase at the mo though, hence the enthusiasm on the red dress front. You could make it with a silk/silky on the bias... I say 'you could' because you probably could. I just dream!

    ReplyDelete
  10. It turned out perfectly. I like where you put the neckline and the twist hits you in just the tiniest part of your torso so you look amazing.

    What kind of stitch did you use for the seams? As much as I love knits, working out how to stitch them up without seams popping is always a puzzle.

    ReplyDelete
  11. omg! What an amazing dress. I can't believe how fantastic it is. That twist looks so complicated! I want one!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Absolutely stunning! I love the sound of all the other versions you have in mind, too!
    As for the photo-taking; could you not move the camera around so it faces you as you stand in the current position? So the camera would be to your front-right as you stand there, with its back slightly towards the light-source, and you thus bathed in light? But I think the 2nd pic here gives us a very good view, too.

    ReplyDelete