Dresses for Myself :-)

Here are two dresses I recently made for myself.
The green dress is a basic, zipper-back dress, with elasticized waist. The bodice has pleats in the center, one 2” in the very center with a 1” pleat on either side. The “teacup” sleeves have a gathered cap with small three pleats at the lower edge.

The grey dress is a pattern I made myself, one I’m sure has been previously designed, but which I have never seen before. Dress is “round” princess seamed front and back, with inverted pleats at the waistline continuing the seam to the hem of the flared skirt, with a “straight” seam in center back of dress. Buttons are down entire front of dress. Sleeves are plain, fitted, with a button in the hem allowance, fitting the sleeve to the wrist. A Mandarin collar finishes the neckline. Dress is made so that there is no break shown in seams at waistline.

Special Order Birthday Presents: Nightgown and Housecoat/Robe

 My oldest brother ordered a nightgown and a housecoat/robe for his wife's birthday. He knew neither her size, nor what material he wanted, though he hoped I could find something with hearts and incorporate heart-shaped buttons in. I emailed him pictures of the two nightgown styles we use here, without any comments on what I thought Nicole would like; I was really happy when he chose the one I thought she would prefer. I shopped for the flannel for the housecoat, and found nothing I was thrilled with at the first store, nor really at the second store, but I called him with the options and he chose the bright/deep pink with hearts that I described to him, over the other options there. I was waiting a few days on the calico to go on sale for the nightgown, and so was able to email him links to the only print choice I felt was just right for Nicole, but he left the color choice up to my discretion. I went with the lavender, and loved the way it turned out! I was disappointed that I could not find eyelet, but ended up being glad that I had to go with something else, as this trim matched the delicacy of the lavender much better. Both my brother and sister-in-law are happy with the results.
(And, thankfully, my sister-in-law has been my friend for about ten years and I was able to recall some conversations we had had that gave me some hints as to her size. Being a loose-fitting nightgown, it didn't matter so much, either. :-))

Princess Seamed Custom Order Dress Finished

 I finished another custom order dress in the last few weeks. This was a simple, "everyday" sort of dress, and a joy to make. Again, the client bought, and handed to me, the fabric, zipper, thread, and prepared pattern. I had to do some alterations, such as making the neckline a little smaller, the sleeves thinner and longer, and add length to the dress in order to fit the girl, but I already had the measurements. The client chose to hem the dress herself, so it is unfinished in the photo. The dress is round princess seamed in front and back both.
It took 4 hours of labor, amounting to $40.00. Are you interested in the same pattern?

Custom Order Finished

I just finished a custom order for a dress someone wanted “reproduced”. The customer provided the material she wanted, instructing me what she wanted each print used for. She had a dress for her daughter she wanted made in a bigger size and neither of us had a pattern that matched. I was able to pull a pattern from my files that was the bodice she was looking for, and I had a circle skirt pattern that I had to alter in order to add the gathers the customer was wanting. I had to add the ties, and I measured the ties of the dress I was “copying” to use as the pattern for the dress I was making. Both mother and daughter are pleased with the finished product.

Pictured here is the dress they wanted reproduced (the white with the pink/rose print -- above), along with the dress they had me make.

I'm on Etsy now!

Please visit me at etsy.com/shop/sweetlymodest and browse my items and shop there. See you soon!