Not-Your-Average Sheath Dress

Added Apr 29, 2011

by peaches2218

Salamanca, Spain

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684

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Description

This is a repost of a project that has mysteriously vanished from my studio. It’s a sheath dress with unusual details including a triangular bodice and curved raglan sleeves. This pattern is from a Burda Style special for Brides (Burda Style Novias, 03/11), and it’s model number 902. My version is made from recycled denim and a little bit of denim yardage where I couldn’t make the front skirt panels fit on what was left of the jeans, so it has a number of extra seams. The most notable is in the front bodice section; it should be one piece on the fold rather than two, but I don’t think it looks strange with the seam. I actually really like the panel effect the extra seams give the back. Note that there are only two pattern pieces for the back of the body, not four as my version makes you expect. This dress is both faced and lined, and I HIGHLY recommend that if you use a heavy fabric, you skip the facing. There were points where I was sewing through four or five layers of denim, and it was just too much. I made this as a wearable muslin for one of the options for my wedding dress, since I have always imagined getting married in a knee-length sheath. Upon completion, I’ve decided it’s a little TOO plain for what I want, but I have a new dress out of the deal!

Material Notes

Recycled denim, a worn-to-death fitted sheet my partner’s mom passed on and that made her laugh hysterically when she noticed it as the lining, and an invisible zip

Difficulty

Intermediate

Categories

Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
For
Women
Garment Type
Dress
Style
Bridal, Casual
Material
Cotton, Denim

2 Comments Sign in to add a post

  • Eyes_large

    Apr 29, 2011, 07.50 PMby candroid007

    Thank you for posting the tips as well on fabric to use, great job! Thanks for posting.

    1 Reply
    • Pc310016_large

      Apr 30, 2011, 12.06 AMby peaches2218

      The pattern calls for Duchesse satin, and I think it would be a whole lot easier to manage those seams with something with body but still relatively flowy, unlike the denim I used. Especially because there are places that still have the original bulk of the flat-felled jeans seams.

  • Pc310016_large

    Apr 29, 2011, 07.41 PMby peaches2218

    The length of this dress was dictated by the length of my recycled denim, by the way. The original pattern, though in petite sizes, hits just around knee-length.

    2 Replies
    • Eyes_large

      Apr 30, 2011, 06.12 PMby candroid007

      I see… I’ve worked with both repurposed denim and freshly cut from the bolt denim, the latter is always softer, more pliable and easier to prep. One reason that repurposed denim maybe more tougher to work with maybe because of the chemical treatment from manufacturers when creating the denim garment.

      I really like the length of your sheath however, its really fun and sexy, the denim gives it a subdued tone to it. If the length were down to knee-length and flowy I’m not sure that it would have the same cool vibe. This dress reminds a lot of Garbage frontwoman Shirley Manson’s style.

    • Pc310016_large

      May 1, 2011, 04.24 PMby peaches2218

      OMG YOU JUST MADE MY DAY. I ADORE HER! Seriously, Garbage is STILL my favourite band 10 years later, and I have even her earliest CD’s before she was with Garbage. I would never have thought to peg this dress with her, but that makes me love it even more.

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