Monday, May 9, 2011

Finished Black Eyelet Dress

A summery LBD! This little number was made from McCall's 5845, with inspiration from a Nanette Lepore dress (blogged here). The pattern is out of print, but I found a copy on eBay for a couple bucks.

It's a fab pattern, totally fun and easy to sew. I took my chances and didn't make a muslin since I've had good luck with McCall's sheath dresses before. I made a 14, tapering down to a 16 in the hips and it fits wonderfully. I did add about 3 inches of length to the hem as well.
The dress edges are bound in some Wrights double bias tape and it was a cinch. Seam finishing requires a little forethought on eyelet, since it's sheer. I ended up zigzagging my seam allowances together with a wide stitch and trimming them down. It worked perfectly.
The pattern calls for the waist darts to be stitched on the outside, which I thought was a fun touch. (Though it was a pain to pull the thread ends in to the wrong side.)
I didn't line the dress at all. I'm wearing a bustier bra underneath and I'm digging the look for a night out. I have an event to go to on Friday that I'm told will have a rock and roll vibe.
I made a black crepe de chine slip to wear on the bottom, from my easy-peasey slip tutorial. Seriously, I think I made this thing in 15 minutes. I simplified it even further by only having one seam up the back. I used a French seam, which is a nice touch.

The dress sans model and lingerie.
The belt is made from wide poly grosgrain with a silk camellia pinned on. I bought the flower at M&J about a year ago because I loved the Chanel-ness of it.
I inserted a godet into the back slit to avoid my slip peeking out. It's just a simple triangle. I think I'll do this more often on pencil skirts.
I'd love to made another one, maybe in white or pink eyelet. I think for the next one, I'll make the neckline a smidge lower and wider in front, for more of a boatneck look.

Thanks to the readers who suggested this pattern to me!

104 comments:

  1. Gertie, this dress is beautiful on you! Love the belt with the flower. It is joust the right touch! Loves it!

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  2. That dress is beautiful, and you look gorgeous :D

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  3. You always sew the most fabulous stuff! Honestly you inspire me girl!! Now I have another dress to make....

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  4. OMG!! It's beautiful. I am sorry, because hard work should pay off, but I think this dress is one of the prettiest you've ever made.... and it sounds so easy!!

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  5. It is gorgeous! I like hos it accentuates your curves in the most flattering way. The back is such an eye catcher.
    I think it would look great with slips in contrasting colors (a nude one would be a true teaser!).

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  6. Gertie, it's darling! Nice to take a break on the tediousness and whip out a stunner!

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  7. That is simply gorgeous.

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  8. The dress is amazing, but it looks especially great on you.

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  9. Guertie, it's perfect!
    If I may, when working on the Chloe, I posted a nifty little trick for making perfect pintucks and darts on sheer fabric which involves threading your machine with the bobbin thread and sewing you darts from the end point. If you make it again, it might help you with the outside darts.
    http://www.carmencitab.com/2011/01/perfect-darts-and-pintucks-on-sheer.html
    It's a Sheaffer trick, but I can no longer find the original video.

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  10. This is really gorgeous - fresh and pretty, and glam at the same time. You are so clever!

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  11. Great dress!

    www.wangsfactory.blogspot.com

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  12. Super pretty dress- and great belt too!!!

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  13. What a great dress - love the eyelet and the gorgeous belt!

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  14. you are just amazing, so skilled & you look gorgeous!

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  15. Gertie - you're looking so svelte! Beautiful dress, and the photos are really lovely as well! I think you're attracting good modeling energy for the next phase of your book project!!

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  16. Wow - it's awesome. I love all the sassy details. Looks great on you.

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  17. This is really beautiful, Gertie. You are incredibly talented and you look like a million bucks! :)

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  18. Oh my goodness. How stunning! The flower is a perfect addition.

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  19. Great dress! I love the flower belt.

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  20. I absolutely love it.

    Sewjourner

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  21. Absolutely stellar, Gertie. Love it!

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  22. Your eyelet dress is adorable. I have some yellow eyelet that I have been wondering what to do with. This would be perfect. I would have to do some sort of lining though. I have some yellow broadcloth to line with.

    Love your godet. What a great idea.

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  23. It's gorgeous! So sweet from the front and then vavavoom in the back.

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  24. Gorgeous dress, love the flower belt also.

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  25. Where's the "like" button? This is - to me - better than the Nanette Lepore one.

    My first thought when I saw yours was "OMGertie! Is that teh awesome or WHAT?"

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  26. That is a beautiful dress, fantastically created. It really suits you

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  27. So beautiful! The make-in-a-weekend projects really are the best sometimes =)

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  28. Love it! I am inspired to make something out of the black eyelet I have :)

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  29. I want to go to there. Seriously, I LOVE it. It's so classy and flirty at the same time. That neckline underneath is divine. SO lovely, I may have to attempt something like this when I get my sewing machine back. Thanks for the inspiration, as always!

    Caitlin
    from black currant thoughts.

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  30. That's lovely! I have been thinking of making something similar, but was worried it would be too fiddly.

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  31. Oh my goodness - I am making the exact same dress in fabric so similar, it could be the same! AND I have a large black rose to go on a grosgrain ribbon belt. How wierd is that?!?! I think I'll hold off blogging about mine for a little while because it's going to look exactly the same!!!
    You look great in it and I love the green shoes (which I have also just purchased.....)

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  32. Wow. That is a cracker of a dress. That fabric is just amazing.

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  33. Fantastic! Thanks for the inspiration. You look divine and the fit is perfect!!!

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  34. Totally totally lovely! I adore the eyelet! And the belt is so fabulous too! It's even better than the Nanette Lapore inspiration. Gaaahhh! So fabulous! You look like a million BUCKS!

    xoxo,
    Sunni

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  35. I love this dress on you! You look absolutely stunning! Have fun on your night out!

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  36. Nice dress - I love the belt with the flower.

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  37. Gertie ! I LOVE it !!! Its looks gorgeous on you. Defo make again in different colours. I like the fact that you get a peek of what's underneath. The corset totally rocks out !

    K xx

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  38. Or maybe you could do a cutout on the front- I have a similar dress that has a heart cutout on the chest.

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  39. Absolutely suits and flatters you. Oh and the green shoes- icing on the cake Kate

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  40. Wonderful dress! The whole outfit remember me a little bit Dita von Teese :)

    Great work!




    http://alicecloset-sewing.blogspot.com/

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  41. I ADORE that dress. Well done! The back is just STUNNING.

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  42. gorgeous dress! love that belt as well

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  43. Super flattering on you!

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  44. So pretty! The belt is the perfect finishing touch!

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  45. You look statuesque and amazingly slim in this (or have you lost weight?). The belt is such an inspiring detail.

    This pattern was the second project I ever made, and I agree that it was an easy pattern. It did have a lot of darts, though....

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  46. Cute dress! I really dig the flower. What a fun, simple way to take it to the next level.

    I think you've mentioned in the past that you're on the taller side of normal, and something about the length and cut of this dress really emphasizes that. Very lanky! :)

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  47. Absolutely gorgeous!!! I am so envious!

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  48. I have this pattern too...& have been wondering how it would look made! You look gorgeous! thanks for the sewing details.

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  49. Stunning! Sexy but still elegant!

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  50. Gertie - this might just be one of my favorites! I have a similar pattern I may have to try now...You look amazing!

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  51. Gorgeous. Love the back and the way you nailed the exact pose as the model!

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  52. What a great excuse to make lots of colorful chemises for contrast underneath!

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  53. So much better than the Nanette Lepore. Now I want some eyelet!

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  54. I really like that pattern. I'm surprised its not OOP. Your dress is fabulous.

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  55. Stunning! Thanks for the eyelet tip. I'm going to try bias tape on the more obvious edges next time I sew with a semi sheer eyelet. I like the character/looks you can add with different undergarments.

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  56. I LOVE that!!! I always love seeing your finished projects. It looks really great with the green shoes.

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  57. Amazing dress, and you look fantastic! I love eyelet, I'd wear it every day of the year if it weren't for the weather =)

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  58. It's stunning Gertie! I bet it was nice to do a quick project!!!

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  59. Maybe make the dress again in another color, like costume satin, plain fabric, with the waist darts on the inside :). Then wear it underneath. Whole new look, this time a lot dressier!!

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  60. I *big puffy heart* that dress, & it looks spectacular on you! I want one (just don't wanna sew it, plus it's harder for me to find such awesome black eyelet ;-)

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  61. Absolutely wonderful - and I love the green shoe touch! It looks GREAT!

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  62. Great dress! Everything about it is flattering to you. I love how the underpinnings are part of the overall effect.

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  63. Oh, this is soooo lovely Gertie!!!

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  64. Just finished my own black eyelet sheath on Saturday! Is it something in the air?

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  65. Oh I love it, wonderful job and you look just fabulous.

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  66. I love this. So I bought the pattern on ebay...its so much fun seeing paper patterns come to life, especially when they are so flattering. I'm excited to get one made cuz I've been wanting a simple sheath dress.

    lilvintagehomemaker.blogspot.com

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  67. Oh my word. I've followed your blog for a while now, and this might possibly be my favorite thing you've made yet. Gorgeous!!! And you look stunning in it!

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  68. That is so beautiful. When will your book be out???

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  69. Great dress Gertie, a wonderful interpretation of the original inspiration.

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  70. I am dying; I love it so much! The eyelet, the belt, the whole thing. It fits perfectly. I am breathless and wondering if I could possibly make this... Cannot wait until your book comes out.

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  71. This is one of my favourites so far :-)Love the belt!

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  72. Had to come over from Reader to say WOW, GORGE!! YUM!!
    You had me at finished!

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  73. Oh Gertie! I think I'm in love! hehe! Such a beautiful dress--and of course the eyelet just makes it even all the better. I must warn you: I might be copying this idea for the summer here--goodness knows that something so light and airy would be perfect for those hot and humid Florida days. hehe! ;)

    - Casey

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  74. Wait, Gertie--don't wear a slip to the party: go visible black granny pants!! It's the perfect opportunity!

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  75. fabulous! im glad you had time to make a dress just for fun, it looks great!

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  76. Oh, I'm obsessed with it-and you look sooo nice in it!

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  77. This is lovely, especially the back!

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  78. I've been looking for a retro dress idea for a wedding next month. I never would have thought of using this fabric in a million years! Might go looking for some on the weekend. It's be such a glam change to my everyday at-home mum-of-two duds.

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  79. Gertie, hello!
    I am wondering if you can elaborate on the following: "I ended up zigzagging my seam allowances together with a wide stitch and trimming them down." I am trying to imagine what exactly you did -- I am a bit confused.
    Thank you! What a lovely dress, what a lovely blog!

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  80. Love this! My black eyelet Chantilly is almost done. What makes your dress so cool is that you can change the slip color underneath for a different look. My mom used to have a vintage eyelet dress with a separate slip so she had the option to change the color underneath. I like the idea of a bra and half slip, as opposed to a full slip, although I'm also partial to the look of a full slip. Beautiful work.

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  81. Stunning! I love how this turned out. You may have just inspired me to start sewing my very first dress.

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  82. What a classic. The black eyelet looks great, congrats!

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  83. What a stunner!! I love the black eyelet - you're so right, perfect for summer!

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  84. Those green shoes are back again! Where are they from? They're gorgeous!

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  85. this is my favorite dress you've made! it is *lovely*!!

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  86. I like the dress, I like the flower, but not together...

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Thanks for your comments; I read each and every one! xo Gertie

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