Stitcher's Guild

Dh and I have been invited to an "UnGala" event.  A good friend of mine helps put it on, and it's a lot of fun.  The theme this year is Latin, so all the food will be from south of the border, and they'll have someone there teaching salsa dancing (last year they had someone teaching belly dancing!  How cool is that?).  I need an outfit, preferably from stash, and I need it by May 20.  ;D  Did I mention we homeschool, the baby is 20 months, plus I'm taking a quilting class the first three Tuesdays of this month?  I am insane sometimes.

Anyway, I thought of Vogue 2711:
(http://img.sewingtoday.com/cat/20000/itm_img/V2711.jpg)

I have, in my stash, 3 yds of leopard print silk chiffon, plus a brown moleskin.  I was thinking I could make the blouse out of the chiffon, and the shorter skirt from the moleskin, or go over to Joanns, and get brown satin.  My friend said people dress up, but not in evening gowns (I'd really like to make Vogue 2802 or 2880, but seriously would not have the time).  Think this would be good?

I have brown heels (fabric, so more of an evening shoe), though maybe some strappy heels would be better?  I'm always up for shoe shopping.  ;D

Help!  I so rarely get the chance to get all decked out. 

Goodness that sounds like fun, Linda!  I really like the pattern, but am concerned that the tight fit through the knees may not let you move enough for salsa dancing.  But as I don't "salsa" you should run that by some one who does...

I look forward to seeing what you make!

Lisa

Well, I think you have it already happening  ;)  Love the outfit and love the fabrics mentioned.  At firstl I thought the satin would be better for the drape but it will be shiny and would make you look larger on the lower half and accentuate the curves - could be a good thing but depends on your figure.  So the moleskin would be matt and would let the chiffon be the star, but would it be too stiff?

The chiffon sounds just the thing and the fabric shoes sound perfect (but don't let that stop you from getting new ones  ;D)

This sounds like fun......

I rarely look at the evening wear section of the Vogue catalog, so I had never noticed this lovely pattern. The blouse looks so feminine without being overly fussy. It will be gorgeous out of your chiffon; you MUST make it. If you think the skirt is too tight around the knees for salsa dancing you could always shorten it, widen it, or make a different skirt.

Strappy gold shoes maybe?

I like this plan too!  If the skirt's too tight for salsa dancing, just open a side seam for a slit.  You can always resew it later.  It would add to the Latin flavor, too!  If that's too risqué, you could always make a slip with a ruffle/flounce in the slit area from the chiffon.  ;)

You've already got some good suggestions ~ so I just want to be a cheerleader and say go for it!  I think you will look spectacular in either the chiffon/moleskin combo or the chiffon/satin combo although I prefer the latter.  Strappy sandals definitely!!!!

Linda, I think your Vogue pattern choice will be great. :)  I think you ought to invest in the strappy shoes.  But then I have shoe fetish and I love to encourage everyone to buy more shoes.  One can never have too many shoes!!!!!! ;D

It might be kewl to line the skirt with the leopard print (I know how you love animal prints, Linda, so this outfit is right up your alley) so that it peeks out in the curved area.  Depends on how tall you are with the heels, because it could break up the look a bit, with leopard blouse, solid skirt, and then the leopard peeking out of the inside of the back of the skirt, so you'd have to see how it looks as you are building the outfit.  I sure would give it a thought, though, just to make the outfit more fun. 

Ruffles and salsa dancing go so well together.

Linda, I think Kathryn's suggestion is right on!  I can visualize the outfit as she has described it.  Since you like animal prints, I think it will look fantastic!

LInda, love the outfit and the event sounds like so much fun.  I also think Kathryn's suggestions are right on and would go for it if you think you can pull it off.  The shoes you have sound good but strappy sandals are always nice (I always encourage shopping for new shoes).  I think the outfit, including the skirt would be perfect for salsa dancing! :)

i don't have enough of the leopard print to line the skirt (i have 3 yds, blouse calls for 2.5 i think).  maybe i can find something similar.  i'll have to take pictures of the chiffon and the moleskin.  i'm prolly 5'5" with heels on (5'2" in bare feet).  i plan to do a quick and dirty muslin of the blouse, to check fit. 

i'll definitely have to go shoe shopping, just to see what's out there.  ;)

viva cinco de mayo!  :)

Viva cinco de Mayo backatcha, linda!  You wouldn't have to line the whole skirt with it, just use plain Ambiance until you get to the lower part that actually shows.  I bet you could do it with that extra half yard... 

I'm hoping David will take a photo of you when it's all done.  (picture me with fingers crossed).

I hope you dear friends can help me.  I will be the mother of the bride at a September 30 wedding in Louisville, Kentucky.  At the quilt show in Paducah a couple of weeks ago I bougth two pieces of silk that go very well with Susie's colors.  I also bought coordinating bone buttons.  Here is a close-up of the two fabrics and the buttons.  I was thinking about a princess seam, slightly below the knee dress out of the soild and a jacket out of the red/black.  The jacket sleeves will have to be the solid red and I have enough of the soild to line the jacket.  I don't think I want too many seams in the jacket that would interfer with the diagonal line. 

I am pleasantly plump and 5'4".  I 'might' lose some weight before the wedding but I am pretty realistic and am not going to stress out about my size.  (The grooms mom is tiny, blond, cute, etc. but really sweet so I can't hate her.  And besides she did a real good job raising her son.)

The solid red is silk dupion and I think the red/black is silk crepe de chine.  The lady who sold it to me said she goes to the Orient a couple of times a year to buy silk right at the mills.

Help me pick out a pattern that will really show case this great fabric and create a slightly elongated line.

Thanks a million.

Let me show you the whole piece for the jacket.

Jeanne, from your choice of fabric, you appear to be more of an art-to-wear type of girl than a tailored girl.  If this is correct, then the patterns that come to mind are of course those from Sewing Workshop and some of the other independent pattern companies from www.thesewingplace.com.

Are you thinking of using the silk doupioni for a jacket and the red/black for a dress or top with a silk doupioni skirt?  The fact that they dyeing on the silk crepe de chine is at a diagonal can be used as a real design element, but it has to be strategically placed. 


You could do a simple Jackie O type of sheath, as is so popular lately, from the doupioni, underlined with silk organza, and lined with silk, and then make a floaty jacket from the print to go over it, like this Sewing Workshop pattern:

(http://www.thesewingplace.com/productimages/patterns/sw458_1.jpg)
Sewing Workshop Deja Vu Jacket, photo credits at www.thesewingplace.com

You could do a swing top also, like this Vogue pattern:

(http://img.sewingtoday.com/cat/20000/itm_img/V8146.jpg)
Vogue 8146, photo credits at www.voguepatterns.com

or this:

(http://img.sewingtoday.com/cat/20000/itm_img/V2852.jpg)
Vogue 2852, photo credits at www.voguepatterns.com

I guess the first thing is to decide on the silhouette that you are most comfortable with, and then begin narrowing down the pattern selections accordingly.

Keep us posted of your thoughts and decisions for this gorgeous fabric!

A bit late maybe but there is a whole article in the UK Sewing World magazine, for June I think, devoted to patterns for salsa dancing. Do you want me to look it up? They were all a bit shorter than the Sassoon one.

Salsa patterns, from this magazine:

Simplicity 4217
Simplicity 4242
Simplicity 4628
New Look 6370
Simplicity 5093

Thank you Kathryn and McGintie,  the wedding will be in the afternoon and outside.  I think the bridesmaids are wearing tea length dresses so I was thinking below the knee or maybe tea length.  I really like the swing jacket.  We will still be outside after the sun goes down so I will either need a dress with sleeves or a jacket.  That late in September, I might need sleeves at the wedding.

My daughter is coming home in about a month and we are shopping for her dress and the attendents (my other daughter and daughter-in-law).  After we get the girls dressed, I'll have a better idea what would be appropriate.  I do like the idea of something kind of art-to-wear.  I guess that is why I fell in love with the dyed fabric.

I am leaving Friday for a three week trip to Washington state and Canada.  I am going to try to mull over my options while we are traveling.  I kind of like the idea of drawing a croquis and trying out different styles.  The last Threads had a good article about using croquis.

One of my friends told me last week that no one will notice what I wear; but they will notice how I act. 

well, due to various things (bascically life in general), i was not able to sew up my outfit.  i decided to not add to the stress in my life, and didn't even try.  instead, i wore a sparkly top i made for christmas 2004 (an OOP KS pattern).  i was almost overdressed!  there was such a variety of dress:  denim jeans/skirts with tops to my sparkly top/skirt/heels.  dh and i had a lovely time, we did learn the salsa dancing (though dh doesn't have much rhythym, so that sometimes makes it difficult.  :D ), and it was fun to be out -- alone -- and dressed nicely. 

here are two pictures:

(http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b319/mamafitz/ungala.jpg)

and

(http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b319/mamafitz/ungala2.jpg)

what i really need to focus on now is a SWAP.  i found oodles of fabrics in my stash that all look pretty good together (everything is pretty much black, white, red, or gray). 

You look great, Linda!  I love your sparkly top, and it sounds to me like you were very appropriately dressed for a fun, festive evening out with your (very handsome!) DH.

Your colors sound like a well-planned SWAP to me!  I didn't SWAP this year, although I did the first 2 years, but I do try to make sure I have things that go with a color-family I have or have planned.  That was really a great concept to take away from the SWAP method, besides the clothes, of course!