Thursday 30 October 2014

my bodgy version of the Sleepy Hollow windmill dress

I thought I'd got a photo of me early in the evening but nope I hadn't, and neither did any of my friends who I thought had taken one. So I've found a less flattering photo from a little later in the evening when I'm not so carefully posed (where is the nice one dagnabbit!).

The skirt is creased cos I didn't get a chance to press it after taking it out of my weekend bag.


With the retrospectascope these are things I wish I'd done differently:
- not bothered with the hip pads with this costume - they're too much for it.
- not raised the neckline so much. Some, but not as much as I had.
- put a modesty panel behind the hook/eye opening as per the screen version.
- cut the skirt longer & wider. I cut it 3" longer than my archery skirt, but it's still too short.*

* the blessing of buying a 9.5metre length of vintage rayon faille curtain fabric from ebay is that I can completely remake it with minimal cost ie time+thread

What I'm happy with overall it's ok for an impression of the costume, not a screen accurate one.

The skirt pattern from NSCT worked really really well. I'm more than happy to pleat the front & gather the back again. So easy to tie 1 set instead of 2. I used grosgrain ribbon cos it was cheap enough and robust enough to use. I'm loving grosgrain ribbon instead of poor quality cotton tape.

And here I am being silly ... again.


Because I raised the neckline too much, the drawstring at the neckline (attached to lining) is obviously gathered. If the topline was lower, there'd be less gather required.

6 comments:

  1. Well done you. I would say you are looking like you are having fun - but is that a knife to your throat?

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    1. It's Sweeney Todd the demon barber of Fleet Street, and it's ok, it's a costume prop of a straight razor. With some jam on the "shaving" (but blunt) edge. It was a great party, and for once I was the first one up on the dance floor.

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  2. With the patticoat you can always add a ruffle on the hem to lengthen it.

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    1. The under-petticoat is fine at it's current length. The outer-petticoat ie skirt isn't. But it was a simple easy experiment, that was super successful :D

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  3. I love "zone front" anything, and this color combo is lovely!

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    1. I'm going to make a better version in the near future - probably next year. That's "near", LOL.

      I love cocoa & blue together too. :D

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