As you know (all three people out there reading this! Hi I love you all!!) I've been somewhat steadily working my way through a Craftsy class. What is Craftsy? you ask. Craftsy is an awesome website where you can take lessons for just about every creative thing your heart desires. You pay a one time fee to access the class and you have access to it forever. Rewatch it as many times as you wish. The sewing classes I've enrolled in have also included the pattern used in the class so if you catch the classes on sale they are a really really good deal.

This dress that I made in Gretchen Hirsch's "So Retro" has taken me forever to finish. It has challenged every sewing skill I have and I have learned a ton from the class. So much of the dress had to be hand stitched. This has actually become my favorite part of sewing. There is something so great about sewing by hand. I'm calling it my "Big Deal Dress" because for me it is a tremendously big deal. I can honestly say that I can sew well after having taken this course and I've never been bold enough to say that before.

I will have more photos of the dress shortly (I do need to mend something in the interior bodice before I wear it again. The lining fabric I chose wasn't strong enough at one point and the spiral steel boning popped right through. Oops!) but for now I'm really excited and just had to share these.


 I chose a completely different color/pattern for my waist stay because I liked this blue ribbon and no one will see it when the dress is on so it doesn't matter anyway. The waist stay holds the dress snug to my waist so that it doesn't shift down over the course of the day. You other small busted ladies know what I'm talking about...




The dress can be worn strapless and the straps are decorative only. I added them for visual balance as the dress sits low and can look a little odd without them. I chose not to make them functional because I feel less restricted without the tight straps holding up the heavy dress. Also, the waist stay works miraculously and holds the dress ups quite nicely.



I actually goofed a bit on the vent. I was supposed to cut one place but instead I cut in another and so I had to get creative for the inside. More of the grosgrain ribbon used for the zip guard was used on the inside instead of a foldover. I kind of like it like this though. It's nice to have the red carried through the dress, even if you can see it on the underside of the vent.

Thanks!