My New Faille Brocade...

[Nellie Blue]

I hope the color shows up correctly on your side...it's a soft dusty rose. I could NOT walk away...believe me...I tried several times!

Any ideas? I was thinking 1890's Evening Gown. The squares are about 1-1/4" wide on an angle. There are 12 yards and it's 60" wide.

[Nellie Blue]

The bolt says dry clean only...can you hand-wash and hang this to dry?

[Allie Mo]

Hi :Nellie,

WOW! I love it. You lucky lady.

Don't wash it! I made a couple of outfits out of acetate and cotton faille. They shrunk at the cleaners! Not too long ago, I bought an entire bolt of the same faille. I had it precleaned so, maybe it won't shrink.

Mauve velvet trim popped into my head.

Regards,

Allie Mo

[Greeneyed Gypsy]

Ohhhhhhhh I use woolite in the ub and hang dry to great effect, and have done so with faile but I aint endorsing it...cause as soon as I do I will get hate mail that I ruined someones pretty fabric...just sayin' I do it and so far so good.

Evening absolutly!! How many yards are we talking here?

[Garnet Rose]

I'd experiment with laundering swatches of the fabric to see what it can handle before sewing it into a garment. That way you'd know before risking all your hard work.:sailor

[Nellie Blue]

I've got 12 yds of 60" wide...so it "should" be plenty to do whatever I decide on...do I have to match those dang squares up????

I'm going to try a swatch, then the bathtub thing...I just hate getting stuff drycleaned! Remember my blue dress? It went in the washing machine before AND after I made the dress...still looks good! Pain in the %&* to iron though!

Anybody have any picture ideas? Any era....:wallaby

[Greeneyed Gypsy]

I agree Nellie thats why I do the woolite in the tub...and the ironing is not so bad because it is not overly agitated like it would be in the washer. I think 12 yards should do it! I would do the squares on the point like diamonds the way you have it posted in the photo...I think you will find that if you are careful with the back and the front bodice pieces that the sides will be okif they are not perfectly matched and show almost not at all because you arm covers it most of the time. A skirt will be not so bad either because they are not overly large and just remember the line you are matching is the one 1/2 in from the raw edge as that is the stitch line. I like to make with a mar-b gone marker ( you just dab with a damp cloth to remove the mark) on the inside of the fabric to mark the 1/2 line when I need to match a pattern I find it works pretty well.

Ohhh did you say 80's....hmmm I think we need some fashion plate ideas!!

[Nellie Blue]

80's or 90's....something elegant for the evening....something dreamy....something to catch a man's eye...you know...all that stuff!

[Fannie Kikinshoot]

Oh, oh..here ya go, an 1887 and an 1892 Worth Gown!!

[Nellie Blue]

Ohhh! Fannie...you don't by any chance have a picture of the front of the one on the left do you? Ooops! I meant on the right!!!!

[Nellie Blue]

Anyone have any photo/fashion place examples of how the puffy 1890's sleeves would go onto an evening bodice? LL, did you do a dress like that for Pink?

[Nellie Blue]

Fannie....I meant on the right side! Sorry! I'm really starting to like the 90's best.

[Fannie Kikinshoot]

Nellie, I'm sorry, but I don't have a picture of the front of that dress, but how about this fashion plate?

[Greeneyed Gypsy]

Hey Nellie sorry I am so lame with the help lately! I have been trying to pry myself away from the computer and sew...and it seems I never have the time to do all the fun research-y things I love to do!

[Greeneyed Gypsy]

BUT... there really cool thing about not being able to sleep at night is the time to find goodies like these!!

[Greeneyed Gypsy]

Or may be this one?

[Greeneyed Gypsy]

Or possibly this?

[Greeneyed Gypsy]

Then of corse there is this....

[Greeneyed Gypsy]

Or perhaps this one...

[Greeneyed Gypsy]

Ohhhhhh I LOVE this one!

[Greeneyed Gypsy]

and we can see it fome every angle!

[Greeneyed Gypsy]

I can just SEE your fabric as this...

[Greeneyed Gypsy]

Ohhh and I bet we could figure a way to make it more evening friendly too.

[Nellie Blue]

Oh, THANK YOU, GG!!! The peach one with burnt orange sleeves is talking to me!!! Now, I finally have inspiration! :jp

[Iron Ed]

I like the dark pink(?) one labeled "and we can see it fome every angle!" :)

[Nellie Blue]

OK...now to decide on patterns...

For the skirt, I'm thinking either TV292 or TV298...

[Allie Mo]

Hi :Nellie,

That orange dress is very pretty. You could use mauve velvet for the sleeves and trims.

The bodice front looks like it wraps. LM103 is a wrap front with the poufy sleeves. I avoid anything that buttons up the back. Hubby's hands are so bad he can't button me. As you are single, it's something to consider.

If you leave the collar off the LM looks like the orange. She's my friend, so I've got to plug her patterns and they have great instructions. Also, that bodice comes with multiple sleeve types.

Happy :sewing!

Allie Mo

[Nellie Blue]

Oh, Mo! I think that's a cool bodice...maybe I'll try that one.

[Allie Mo]

:Nellie,

I told JoAnn that I want that pattern too. I have no idea what I will make. I just want to be ready when inspiration hits.

GG,

Would you share the link to your source of those wonderful color photos?

Regards,

Allie Mo

[Nevada Skye]

Nelllie: I thank that material look as though it will make up nicely in the dress type you are thinking of.....what color or contrast or trim are you thinking about? Skye

[Nellie Blue]

I'm going to see if I can find some velveteen to match or taffeta...might be difficult, but I'm going to try.

[Allie Mo]

Hi :Nellie,

If you can't find the fabric you're looking for locally, check out this company. I have bought from them. Service and quality are excellent. Unfortunately, they are "pricey."
http://www.fishmansfabrics.com/menu_01_chf.htm

Happy :sewing

Allie Mo

[Nellie Blue]

Oooh! But I bet I can find a perfect match!!! Do you know if they sell swatches?

[Allie Mo]

Oooh! But I bet I can find a perfect match!!! Do you know if they sell swatches?
Sorry :Nellie, I don't know.

Regards,

Allie Mo

[Clancy]

Nellie... I found this picture and i thought your beautiful fabric may look good in this 1880 style dress. It is still very evening like.

You could almost make two bodices for it one summer and one for cooler weather with a jacket contrasting like this.

Just another thought to add to your choices.

[Nellie Blue]

I LOVE that Clancy!!! Now I have to make a decision!!! Any pattern ideas for the one on the left in Clancy's post?

I know ya'll are all busy with convention stuff, so if you come back to the post AFTER then convention, my feelings wouldn't be hurt! The earliest I can start on this is after Jan 1st anyway.