Mortem's Tricks or Treats: Simplicity 1459-- Running A Mock.

Phew.

I feel like I barely have time to breathe!

Not that I'm complaining by any stretch, it's just that I can rarely bask in the small victories I've been accomplishing consecutively.

Consequently, it's been a great excuse to not fully commit to tackling those UFO's I've had lingering in a pile. A few weeks back maybe (?) I found myself with a stretch of days where I didn't have any orders or any binding to sew up... so I casually took to my Simplicity 1459 dress. Surprisingly enough, I was able to get passed the redrafting stage without any interruptions. I even got to the cutting stage!

I continued on it while I was work; that was my first mistake.

My colleagues had a gander at it, and immediately starting joking about the choices in fabric-- without first realizing it's meant as a mock. I chose the ugliest material I had available to me; admittedly, I have completely run out of muslin, and it's a good quality cotton... just not one I would immediately pick (or really anyone). I walked into that one.

As usual, we got busy again and I had completely forgot about working on it, and last week I had a chance to pick it back up. By then everyone, even my mother, was on board with the idea of this dress being one I should wear in public. Well sufficed to say, I was passed the point of saying 'no'.

So what began as a joke, became reality... 

My camera has died, and only today did I realize I had a very old but still functioning smart phone that I use primarily as an authenticator for my games-- remnants of a time when my hubs had a smart phone. Since then we've kind of banned them from our house; I am a flip phone user. It actually would've been nice to have had this realization earlier, as I was able to accomplish something that is as close to euphoria as I could ever achieve, but alas it wasn't for me or anyone I really know-- just a customer. Anyway, I digress.

The final draft came out surprisingly good. I did have to wrestle with it a few times for my SBA (small bust adjustments), because of the sheer size of the collar and the way it's supposed to lay. It's a good challenge.

The cotton I used is just a touch stiffer than the cotton I will use for my actual garment, so it has a few odd folds that I might tinker with. All in all, it's a passable redraft, so I might not. I think what I am most proud with this garment is the fact that everything (other than the thread and fabric) used in its construction was made during the 50's and 60's. A nice little side challenge to make things that much more interesting.

As for how it was received... well, let's just say I haven't blushed so much in a long while.

I had a little trouble styling it, but in the end I went with a milkmaid braid, some stockings (I was going to go with white socks, but it began to rain today), and flats. I wore one of my vintage velvet coats, and a little faux pearl necklace my mother had given me.

As darling as this dress is, I don't think I will be wearing it ever again-- it's just not my color. It was drafted from a size 16 (pattern size), and I have decreased the bust down to 34"-36" (what is typically around a size 14 in patterns) If anyone would like to purchase it from me please feel free to email me for price and any other details; lower price because the inside seams are pinked and faced with stitchwitchery, not serged. I would love to see this go to a home that will fully appreciate it.

With that out of the way, I am going to begin work on the final intended garment, which was to be the gender swapped Beetlejuice... but there's one thing. As cute as the sleeves are, I am half debating not adding them in... I request the aid of my readers, please help me decide! I will leave the poll on the side bar.

Until then!