Meghan is not the only one wearing a bit of sparkle today, though I thought her dress was stunning, so elegant. I’ve got a ball to go to tonight and I have finally finished my dress – last night!
The pattern is Butterick 6414, it has gone together pretty easily, it just didn’t quite fit my shape initially!
I shared a few of my traumas with you last week, mainly trying to get it to fit, I let out the back seam to gain a crucial half an inch and bought some slim fast underwear!!
Letting out a seam in taffeta is not good news as the seam lines will not disappear and the tramlines stand out a mile. I decided to use some of the sequins from the top to stitch down the back seam to make a feature, it worked really well. The sequins are tiny, I stitched them about every half centimeter either side of the seam. It did take quite a while!
I was away for an embroidery retreat this week too so I took my dress with me to stitch. I arrived at the venue a couple of hours early so I sat stitching sequins. Well you know what sequins are like, they get everywhere, it looked like I had sprinkled the carpet with fairy dust! I was also stitching at my friends house, everywhere I went there is now a trail of ruby fairy dust!!
The sequinned top looked a bit short when I finished it, it sort of stopped just above my waist which seemed to emphasize my belly, not a good look in a slim fitting ball gown. I did have some good suggestions including adding lace, I tried various weights of lace but I just couldn’t find one that looked right, before I even started to look at colour.
I decided to stitch a strip of sequins on the bottom. I undid the hem, luckily it was just hand-stitched. I cut a 4″ strip which was along the edge of the sequinned area so it had 1/2″ of bare net along one edge. I laid this just under the original edge and hand-stitched the two together, because there isn’t a seam as such it lays fairly flat. Ideally I’d stitch a few more sequins where there are little bald bits, but I don’t think it’s that obvious and certainly once lights are dimmed and everyone has had a glass of wine or two, no one will notice!! I much prefer the new length and it seems to hang better too with the extra weight.
I’ve hand-stitched the lining to the skirt along the edges of the split and hopefully it will hang fine.
I’m travelling in to Leeds on the train, in all my finery, wearing my midnight blue velvet cape too, should be fun!
thecraftycreek 
Wow, that’s a beautiful dress, and it looks great on you! Have a wonderful time at the ball!
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you’ll turn a few heads at the ball ^^
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And Leeds will be totally wowed!
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You did a great job…very creative in fixing your design issues! You look beautiful!
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That was very clever, to do the rows of sequins–the outfit looks great (as does the garden). have a wonderful time.
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Wonderful ~ you will the belle of the ball!! Enjoy.
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Well done Margaret, the finished dress looks marvelous on you, and the design issues really don’t show unless you know exactly what you are looking for. Beautiful!
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Lovely! It’s simple, elegant and classy. You look smashing!
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Great fix, it, you look fantastic! Have fun at the ball!
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This is gorgeous, Margaret, and I hope you thoroughly enjoyed your ball! (Wonderful way to lengthen that top!)
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Thanks Del, we had a wonderful time 🙂
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Lots of inventive ways you used to make the dress how you wanted it. I hope you enjoyed yourself and felt like a belle of the ball in your elegant dress.
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Thanks Tialys, we had a wonderful time 🙂
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I am just amazed you made your own evening gown!
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Well, despite your initial issues, your perseverance paid off and it looks amazing – hope you had a great time at the ball!
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Thank you, we had a great time!
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Loved following your progress – nice one it’s awesome – thank you for sharing
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Thank you, it was comfortable to wear too 🙂
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