- Mundane Sewing Discussion -

[Margaret]

According to the website Clothes on Film, it's a "Full skirt to mid-calf, gathered and layered in chiffon and tulle, spray branch pattern on the hip, narrow black patent leather belt, nipped in waist."

It never states what is under it.

Material wise, I am going to have to go with what I can afford and still get a smiliar look.

There is a Simplicity pattern I can get for a petticoat too, so I will be nabbing that along with the Vogue.

[PollyPoPo]

For the Grace Kelly look - we used what were called can-can slips. 

There was an elastic waist, a small section of 1 or 2 layers of tulle, then multiple layers of tulle dropped from about 4-5 inches from the natural waistline.  To get a fuller circle at the bottom, the layers could be tiered, but the overall look on the outside is a smooth skirt fluffed out at the bottom. 

The more layers of tulle, the larger the fluff at the bottom.  The tulle was very stiff (after it was washed, had to starch and iron it to get crisp feel and volume back).  A separate slip was worn underneath the can-can; a real pain in the @#! without the underslip. 

The tulle in stores nowadays does not seem to have the same stiffness.  Perhaps this is because it was extremely uncomfortable to wear those dresses for long (try sitting in one during the school day!).  You might try experimenting with heavy starching to get the crispness. 

I've seen some dresses with tulle sewn in, but these were basically one-time-wear only because any washing or dry cleaning softened the crisp tulle. 

[Dinobabe]

I've seen some dresses with tulle sewn in, but these were basically one-time-wear only because any washing or dry cleaning softened the crisp tulle. 

One-time-wear dress... wow.

[Rowan MacD]

For the Grace Kelly look - we used what were called can-can slips. 

There was an elastic waist, a small section of 1 or 2 layers of tulle, then multiple layers of tulle dropped from about 4-5 inches from the natural waistline.  To get a fuller circle at the bottom, the layers could be tiered, but the overall look on the outside is a smooth skirt fluffed out at the bottom. 

The more layers of tulle, the larger the fluff at the bottom.  The tulle was very stiff (after it was washed, had to starch and iron it to get crisp feel and volume back).  A separate slip was worn underneath the can-can; a real pain in the @#! without the underslip. 

The tulle in stores nowadays does not seem to have the same stiffness.  Perhaps this is because it was extremely uncomfortable to wear those dresses for long (try sitting in one during the school day!).  You might try experimenting with heavy starching to get the crispness. 

I've been finding a few of these stiff tulle crinolines at thrift shops lately.  I picked one up last year for $5.00 in the wedding section.
   It has an elastic/drawstring waistband with a 6" smooth, fitted  nylon drop over the hips. The fullness of the netting started about hip bone level (more or less) and ended very full (though not as amny layers as the can-can).  It's about 8 layers of mega stiff tulle sewn over a full, nylon inner slip, to keep the scratchy stuff off your legs.
  It definitely goes poof, and seems to be pretty much crush proof.
How much 'lift' you get will depend on the lightness of the overskirt material. 
  I found it on a hanger with a floor length light satin petticoat and lace overskirt, but the slip actually comes to mid calf, so I'm not sure if it came with that dress.
   I don't think I could buy the materials for $5.00 so it was a decent deal. 

[Kate XXXXXX]

You need an Alice Lon style petticoat: one layer of dress net, but the hem is 48 yards!



For how to make: http://www.pettipond.com/lon.htm

[Auryn]

I made that style petticoat a few months ago.
All I can say is Praise the heavens I have a fantastic ruffling foot on my old Singer 15
It took FOREVER to ruffle the trim and then to gather everything.

I should have taken a picture of my large drafting table work area when I made it. It was like the material was eating the table.

I ended up using chiffon because all the netting and tulle that I found was a pain to sew and way too itchy for my taste- but then again I live in Florida so the likelyhood of me wearing a slip under the petticoat with everything else on top is 0
You can sort of see it here- this was the end of the night and I had lost most of my own poof but the petticoat was holding up nicely. Just for reference, the purple skirt normally hangs straight down. This was 2 layers of petticoat- 4 layers at the bottom edge.
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/148902_443838138962632_1195813555_n.jpg

I used a drawstring waist band, mainly because I just don't like elastic much, we don't get along.

[Adriana Rose]

im thinking of doing a pyscobilly style poodle skirt. Im thinking a purple skirt (because thats whats in the ol' stash) and a neon green skull.. Any other ideas?

[Mlle de Carcassonne]

Does anyone know if you can apply rivets with a grommet tool?

[Butch]

Does anyone know if you can apply rivets with a grommet tool?

I'm gonna say probably not.  Usually a grommet tool has both the anvil and the top with a centering dimple.  Most rivets are flat on top, and may or may not have a hole on the bottom.  You may be able to just use two hard, flat surfaces.
Give it a try with some spare rivets and some extra cloth.  Your grommet setter may work!

[Kate XXXXXX]

The Prom Frock Saga!  http://katexxxxxx.livejournal.com/172098.html

This is about as mundane as our sewing gets...   

[LadyStitch]

Last week I tried something new.  A REALLY nice older gentleman was in the fabric store trying to find someone who would listen to him about the cushion he wanted made for his motorized scooter. The clerks didn't know anything about working with Marine Vinyl.   Since my DH does foam, and I know how to work with Vinyl, we offered to help him out.  We told him it was the first time we had attempted upholstery items.  It actually didn't turn out half bad. It still looked a bit too imperfect to be store bought but it turned out really nice.  Sadly this may have given the PP ideas for new projects for me to do.  I swear I learn something new and I get more projects added.

[isabelladangelo]

Bumping this tread a bit


DSC03620 par Isabella, on ipernity


DSC03621 par Isabella, on ipernity

My new fall jacket!  I took two larger velvet blouses I bought at the thrift store to make something that would fit over some of my thinner sweaters in the fall.  I fell in love with the cut out black velvet but the original shirt was...boxy.  And therefore ugly.     So, I found another velvet one that matched the highlights in the black velvet, pieced them together to create a fun hoodie jacket for fall.  It is only a month away!

[LadyStitch]

I am working on another theater show, Werewolf of London.  I am having fun playing in the 1880's-90's.  I am trying to be good when it comes to my budget.  When it is 7 yards per ladies skirt I am saving pennies where ever I can.  So far I have re-purposed a cream white with black velvet trim  skirt, and I am using 2 pieces of fabric from my stash.  I have also found several nice dresses that have been hiding in the back of the costume cave because they needed some repair work.  After an after noon of hand stitching and repairs I have 4 beautiful dresses ready to go. 

I will post pictures of the gowns when I finish them. Keep your fingers cross this works.

[LadyStitch]

Well here is one of my gowns. The white skirt is actually a skirt that had been tossed aside because the waist band was bad.  I removed the waist band, and rebustled it onto a wide black waist band. The bolero jacket has 3/4" grosgrain ribbon trim.  The green is actually a sleeveless under-dress that has a pleated waist and 180" hem. People kept telling me the dress would be beautiful with out the skirt but I think you need it all.  She has a black hat and earrings to go with it.

[Kate XXXXXX]

This is about as mundane as it gets round this neck of the woods!  The photo shoot took place at Scotney Castle (http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/scotney-castle/).  The photographer was John Phipp (my talented nephew), and the models are his fiance, his mum (my sister!), and a recent prom frock customer!