Pattern Recognition

Now, as with any good dress, you have to start with good fabric. To that end my sisters (The Bride and Bridesmaid Other) went to about 438 different stores in the garment district in downtown Toronto.  We were disappointed to learn that, like NY, a lot of the stores had either disappeared, or become so specialized as to be totally useless. A BUTTON store? Seriously? Although in their defense, apparently the buttons were all very storied and pretty cool. So yes, you already know, I found emerald-green raw silk at a mere $25/yard and bought 9 yards of it. TO BE SAFE, that's why. Also, as previously mentioned, I am not a professional sewer, so despite asking the internets for estimating help while I was in the store and getting NONE, I was kind of at a loss for how much fabric I'd need. And I figured, better safe than sorry.

After hurrying home to put the fabric in my wall safe I started looking at patterns. Miles and miles and buckets and buckets of online patterns. The problem was twofold; I had something very vague in mind, and I had another dress (Bridesmaid Other's) to try and at least look semi decent against. I finally gave up and went to Fabricland, where I found - the PERFECT PATTERN!

No, I'm just kidding, I don't want to look like a sack lunch at the wedding.
It was THIS ONE!

I'm still kidding.
I'm hoping my sister The Bride hasn't fainted. She's pretty tough and is probably nodding her head like, 'Sure, those could work'.

I almost bought this one. If you look past the crazy fabric it's a decent base. Flare-y skirt, pockets, simple. I could do some sleeves, something with the waist, I dunno.
But then I saw this. And again, look PAST the fabric...

Now this, this I could make into something fun. It's the one on the right, but with the sleeves from the one on the left. And that weird waist thing turned into something else. What I just needed was something that wouldn't be too horrible on a larger lady, with a skirt that could accommodate a crinoline (because WHY NOT, that's why), and that wasn't grossly complex. I mean, I can sew in a zipper and a hook & eye, and that's all that's on the back, so let's do it. I think I should also do my hair like that. And stand like that. And also take Xanax through the whole thing like a true 1950's housewife.

Getting Some Green Dress, A Brief History

Now, I don't want everyone to go getting spoiled and thinking they'll get this kind of attention all the time with TWO, count them TWO back-to-back posts in ONE DAY.

But I wanted to explain the name of the blog, in case you didn't know, since I sure as heck didn't until last week.

So last week I went to my local Fabricland, which for my US followers is like a poor girl's Jo-Ann, and started the hunt for a 'base' dress pattern. I say 'base' in quotes like that because I know that no matter what I use to start with, I'm going to end up Frankensteining the poor thing. There just isn't a decent (plus-sized) pattern that isn't matronly or weirdly Lola-esque; it seems to be those two extremes. Also, since I had already purchased the fabric (I know, right, I bought the fabric BEFORE the pattern, daring right?!) and was thinking, "Maybe I'll do this the right way for once!", I figured I'd get interfacing and lining and, uh, notions. Yes, I had a notion to get notions.

Like I do with strangers I was talking excessively to the very polite and interesting-seeming shop girl about what I was going to be making. She kind of knowingly nodded and said, "Ah, so you'll be 'getting the green dress, eh?'" (because this is Canada, henceforth please just add the 'eh' on in your head). I was like, "Uh... yes?" because she seemed to be implying something unseemly, and I normally get a LOT of dirty jokes, but I wasn't getting this one. Turns out there's some sort of very old expression about 'getting the green dress' that implies a tumble in the grass of a physical nature - hence, the green on your dress. Which I find hilarious, because as a single mother of an almost- 9-year old who does laundry on Friday nights, there has been NO green on my dress in quite a while. But I liked the implication. So we'll see how many people at the wedding give me knowing winks and suggestive leers.

What the Heck is Going On Here

Hey look! A new blog! About making a dress! How thoroughly unique and exciting.

Well, yes, it is, as a matter of fact, because the blog is written by ME, not some other less crazy person with way too much time on their hands and mad sewing skillz. I am a sewing beginner of the very basic type; one who reaches for the hot glue gun and seam ripper as often as the bias tape and interfacing, which should make reading about my exploits much more exciting than the blog of someone who actually knows what they are doing.

So what do you want to hear first, the backstory, or more about how I'm a terrible sewer?
Let's start with the backstory...

I am the first-born child of two hippies, and - wait, too far back. Let's speed it up a little.
So my youngest sister (I have two of 'em) recently got engaged to be married. The wedding will be in early August (note to self: add countdown timer to blog page). My other sister found a perfect dress, and I decided it would be easier (ha ha ha!) to sew my own, since The Bride was pretty laisez faire on the style, design, color, you name it. Also, I like to use brackets a lot to comment on my own thoughts, so I hope that doesn't bother you too much.

Anyhow, so here I am, with $300 in fabric and some loosey-goosey ideas of what I'd like to end up with. Oh, and a full-time job, and I'm also getting ready to move in a few months. So there's that.

Welcome! Make yourself comfortable! It's sure to be an exciting time.