Thursday, June 16, 2011

The "Coming Up Roses" Dress

I made a dress--just for fun! This is the one I started in the midst of my recovery from filming. It felt very spontaneous and creative. The pattern is my own, a simple bodice that I added a bias fold trim to.


The skirt is a basic circle. I did true tea length! What do you think?
I bought a petticoat to go underneath it. It's a little long, but I like the way it peeks out.
The back is shirred with elastic thread for comfort. I'm writing a tutorial on how to adapt any dress pattern to use this technique! Check back for that.

New green shoes.
I also made a self-covered belt, but it totally blends in.
The fabric is this really great printed cotton pique. The texture is really tiny and subtle. They still have it at Paron's if you're interested.
The dress and crinoline are on my dress form in the living room and I love how it looks. I want to make it a permanent decoration!

99 comments:

  1. It looks fantastic! I'm intrigued about the elasticated back too, that seems like a really useful feature. And I love the kitty checking out the new shoes :)

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  2. Wow, this is just gorgeous! The design reminds me a bit of a gown I made for an ROTC Air Force ball in college from a "Vintage Vogue" collection pattern. It is one of my favorite dresses ever! I absolutely love that patterned fabric. You look beautiful in this dress!

    Also: looking forward to learning more about the shirred panels...

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  3. Love the shirring at the back, look forward to a tutorial on that one...

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  4. Love the dress and the fact that you made this to relax and enjoy yourself. Thats what sewing is about (for me). Looking forward to your tips on how to enter the elastic back.

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  5. omg that is so super cute!!

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  6. Gorgeous dress! I totally see why you'd want it as a permanent decoration =) I love the fabric and the tea length! And the little bias collar really is the cherry on the top =)

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  7. Lovely dress, and it looks great on you. The bias trim gives it a special touch and the elastic shirred back is a super addition! I really like the tea length, as well.

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  8. I love this dress - I've just volunteered to make my own bridesmaid dress for my friends wedding next year and its a dress just like this that she wants me in.

    I will look forward to your tips on how you made it. And the elasticated back panels tutorial would be perfect.

    Jeez I love your blog!!!

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  9. Hello I'm Dany and i'm reading your beautiful blog from Rome I'm following you!!good bye !!

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  10. that is just a beautiful dress. when you no longer have space to display it have room him to show it off.

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  11. I adore the tea length, it makes it look so stylish! Its lovely. Share how to please!

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  12. What a stunning dress, Gertie! :) The print is amazing, and I love that you added the shirred back panel. Can't wait to see a tutorial on that! :)

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  13. I'm looking forward to the shirring tute -- yay! The dress I once had with elastic sirring was sooo comfy.

    Super lovely new dress, Gertie.

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  14. Don't you just love how a great dress and get bring a smile to you face. That would be a dress to go out and dance in. Love the back and would definitely to a crack at after seeing a tutorial.

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  15. It's a beautiful dress and you look lovely in it. Did I miss a post where you decided not to carry on showing us your daily outfits? The idea inspired me to put a bit more effort into my own freelance daily outfits.

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  16. The dress is lovely. I was in Paron yesterday but I didn't see that fabric. I gotta go back and buy some! What side of the store was it?

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  17. Thanks, all! Kate, a few commenters didn't seem too keen on the outfit posts the last time I did one, so I kind of cooled off on the idea. But I still want to do the occasional one. I haven't been very good about getting dressed to work at home lately. :(

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  18. Elasstic back what an ingenious idea! I love the length and the fabric, it's so bright and cheery, but I can't believe you actually BOUGHT a slip for it!

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  19. Love, love, LOVE this dress!!! You do beautiful work...and it looks so beautiful on you!

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  20. Anon, left side back.

    Hey, time is money! And the slip was cheap!

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  21. That is such a stunning dress and I love the tea length. The petticoat really helps to make it that extra bit WOW!

    So gorgeous!

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  22. I've tried shirring before and made a complete hash of it - either I was doing it wrong or my maching just wouldn't play game - so I'm really looking forward to the tutorial!

    Love the dress. And looks totally fab with the shoes!

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  23. Absolutely stunning! Would love a tutorial on shirring!

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  24. Love the dress and I think the tea length is perfect.

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  25. I absolutely LOVE it! It looks fantastic on you and the shoes are amazing!

    I love the bias band addition, it looks really pretty. And the petticoat - I adore petticoats!!

    Where do you buy a petticoat, anyway?

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  26. Paula, I linked to where I bought the petticoat.

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  27. Absolutely stunning. Am going to search your blog for a tute on a circle skirt. I have made a half circle before. Suppose I could two of those but like looking at other tutes lol.

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  28. Wow! That is so impressive. The design is just gorgeous and it looks amazing on you. I'd keep it in my livingroom too, something that fab needs to be seen every day.

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  29. So great!!
    Wear it out to lunch with a friend and treat yourself to an afternoon of pampering!
    The dress is truly lovely!

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  30. Breathtakingly gorgeous dress Gertie, I love everything about it. Fab shoes too. x

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  31. I would LOVE that tutorial! I just made a muslin of Butterick 5351, but the top is just way to tight to be able to breathe! I had the idea to do that shirring, but I don't know how. I know it uses elastic thread....

    Your dress is gorgeous, by the way. Like the tea length.

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  32. Wow!! That's gorgeous! Happy wearing.

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  33. Beautiful! I absolutely love it! I wish I had one too... to go to a tea party or something!

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  34. Just lovely! I really like the shirring in the back, what a great idea to do a tutorial. I love when I find a vintage dress with shirring.

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  35. Oh Gertie, it's gorgeous!

    I love the third picture from the top where Pip is totally admiring your shoes :)

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  36. I love that so much! I think the length is great and the shirred panels...the SHOES! Everything. Thanks for sharing.
    Heather

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  37. What an amazing place to be at, when you can just knock up a dress like that for fun. I love the fabric and the petticoat is tres cute.

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  38. Love the dress.
    Love the shoes.
    Love the cat!

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  39. so pretty! i don't normally care for tea-length, but it is very flattering on you!

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  40. LOVE!! So fantastic & thanks for the petticoat link...i've been needing one of those for a while!!

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  41. Where did you get those shoes? Where did you get those shoes?

    I love the dress - excellent job.

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  42. Quite lovely! I'm excited to see the tute on shirring. Your fabric choice is fantastic and it looks great on you!!! Brava!!!

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  43. SuzyQ, check out yesterday's post--I linked to the shoes!

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  44. Adorable dress - it looks great on you. Where oh where would you wear it, though? Or, is my life really that dull?

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  45. Totally darling! I adore the fabric choice. It looks lovely on you too and I too think the peek of the petticoat rather fetching! Lovely piece! xoxo, Sunni

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  46. You look absolutely amazing in that dress, Gertie! I love the length, the petti and those fantastic SHOES. (Serious case of covet going on over here!). Can't wait for your shirring tute!

    GORGEOUS!!

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  47. Ooh, fun green shoes! I'm excited for the shirring tutorial. Love the true tea length.

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  48. I love that dress! You look fantastic and the green shoes are so cute with it. The full petticoat and tea-length are just perfect. I also am very intrigued with the idea of an elasticized back. I've been thinking about doing that with a maxi dress pattern so I can eliminate the need for a back zipper. A tutorial would be most helpful.

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  49. Lovely dress! I love the joyful fabric. And the length is perfect, it looks great.

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  50. It's gorgeous! I love how the petticoat peeks out. And completely agree--it should be a permanent decoration in your house, if not on your body.

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  51. Oh my lord you look amazing! That is so beautiful, I love love love the fabric, and I love the modern touch with the shoes!

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  52. Gah, the great news in this post is that there will be a elastic shirred back tutorial!!!! I've always wanted to know more about this technique.

    Lovely dress, but I must admit I prefer your usual length_ I find it just the right mix between modern and vintage...

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  53. I definitely like the tea length on you! Super cuteness. I like the shoes even better on as well.

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  54. I have a feeling that. You are going to have a lot of fun in that dress. And I love the petticoat! Haha..you have a great time. It looks wonderful. : )

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  55. Stunning! I really like how you added shirring to the back. It is a great idea for comfort.

    I don't blame you for liking it as decoration in your home, but it still needs to get out the house from time to time, especially since you look so beautiful in it.

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  56. I think your dress is gorgeous and I'm looking forward to your tutorial about shirring. But I'll hesitantly voice a minority opinion on the petticoat. I love the way it makes the dress look, but I'm not fond of the way it hangs below the hem. Perhaps it's because I was alive way back when "retro" was current and up to date (albeit a child). It just looks a bit sloppy to me. Of course, in those days it would have been considered very embarrassing to have your slip showing.
    --C.B.
    But once again, I do think that both you and your dress are gorgeous.

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  57. This is beautiful on you and I love how you wear the green shoes to contrast, perfect!

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  58. Beautiful dress! Love the ribbon edged petticoat.

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  59. That is a gorgeous dress, and I love the fabric. So summery and fresh.

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  60. Gertie, this is STUNNING!! I absolutely love it :)

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  61. Wow it's beautifull, how much cotton did you need to make this dress?

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  62. My Step Mom wants a tea length Circle-ish skirt for her upcomming wedding (on monday!) But I am having trouble finding a way to cut it on the fabric that I have. What is the best way to cut one?

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  63. I like the length a lot. It makes you look taller, interestingly. Crazy about the shirring, too!

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  64. Absolutely gorgeous, as usual! I love the fabric, the length, the petticoat and the shirring is such a brillian idea.

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  65. Awesome sauce. All of it. Let us establish a Green Shoes with Red Dress Day!
    I fell in love with tea length several years ago, strongly encouraged by the combination of varicose veins and cellulite that was slowly swallowing up my legs. Now I lengthen almost all of my dress and skirt patterns to that length,resulting in both great successes and dismal failures.

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  66. I love it! This is one of my very favorite things that you've made. You're such an inspiration. I wish I could sew half as well as you!

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  67. Omigosh! Are exclamation marks de rigeur these days?! Because I have been getting rid of them in copy at work! Now I'm wondering if I am behind the times yet again and should leave them in!

    (But seriously, that dress is really cute and looks adorable on you. Nice work.)

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  68. The most beautiful thing about that very pretty dress is how happy you look in it. I love the magic of a dress so special that it makes you feel like twirling.

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  69. That is a beautiful dress! I rhink I might have to make one for me for next summer; it being winter here right now.

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  70. It's amazing! I've got a shop-bought summer dress with a shirred back and it's the most comfortable thing. I'd love to learn about making them myself.

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  71. Beautiful dress. Love the tea length.

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  72. Gertie: GREAT dress!! Can't wait for a shirring tutorial. I an't seem to get it right, but love my clothes that have it as a part of the item. (ie, I have a great short skirt that is shirred across the back: very forgiving, although it's a bit big now! Hense, I'd like to make a version that's a bit smaller!)

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  73. OMG... the dress turned out beautifully, and the shoes are to DIE for <3 I have to say, tea length works well for this dress... I always shy away from tea length b/c I worry it'll cut my legs off at that awkward spot where ankle ends and The Calf begins (mine happen to be, shall we say, muscular), but secretly I've alwyas wanted to try it out. Hmmm =) Can't wait to see your shirring tutorial!

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  74. Love the gown, especially the length! Well, actually, especially the fabric..and the shirring..and the shape..and the neckline/collar!

    Also love the way the green shoes bring out the green in your tattoos. Perfection!

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  75. The dress is beautiful. My dress form stands in my bedroom always wearing a "beautiful" garment that I've made. My sister said, "Oh no, that would have to go to another room. I would scare me every time I entered the room." My reply, "I like it hear. And besides, I'm used to it."

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  76. Cute, cute, CUTE! Love the dress shape, love the fabric, and love those shoes! I'm really looking forward to your tips on how to do the elastic back. I just started sewing my first dress from a vintage pattern and your blog is so inspirational and an awesome reference! :-)

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  77. It's absolutely gorgeous, and I love tea length! It's oh, so sophisticated!

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  78. I ADORE that dress. When you tire of it, let me know. I'll give you my mailing address. :-) But, I also must confess that my all-time favorite dress was a plaid Betsey Johnson with an elesticated back and I would LOVE to know how to do that.

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  79. I have to leave another comment because I love this dress so much!

    Dresses like this are pretty much the sole reason why i love the vintage look.

    Please please please more details on how you put it together.

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  80. You're a rose with green stems!

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  81. wow! I luv it!
    Ps I think my cat Frankie took a trip to the US while I wasn't looking - could have sworn that was him in the background - ha ha!

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  82. I can't wait for the tutorial! Esp. since I have a smocking foot now!

    I find it ironic that I just linked to crinolines through your bog since that's what brought me here in the first place.

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  84. OH, I love that dress.. Very beautiful! Especially like the bias trim on the bodice...

    May I ask for some advice?? I've been planning to make a bathingsuit in a 40s fashion, but I can't fint any good patterns or advice on what to think about, for examples how to make the seams in the legs and armhole to fit wirhout turning loose when wet...I think elastic is the way to go but..well, im not sure... :)

    Have you ever made you own bathingsuit? Have any advice on what to think about??

    Have a great day!/ Olivia from Sweden Ps. Really love that Blueprints of F. book that I won in your giveaway last year, look in it almost every day....

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  85. I'm never less than totally floored by the dresses you make, esp as this one features roses, one of my favorite prints. I actually prefer when pettitcoats are bit long and peek out from under skirts/dresses. great, fun shoes too

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  86. Stunning! I love the fabric and the simple style of the pattern. The elastic shirring is brilliant to get that lovely fit. Shoes- perfect.
    Tea length- yes!!

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  87. stunning! absolutely stunning!

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  88. LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS!!!!!!!!! You are so amazing!

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  89. I don't comment much but just wanted to say I love this! I'm thinking about wearing a tea length dress for my upcoming wedding and am obsessed with crinolines! Loving the colour too, sooo summery! xx

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

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