Evenstar Designs

I'm not dead!! I started college, so sewing has kinda taken a back seat to nursing school. But I got a nice long Christmas break, so I decided to whip up a new gown. It's inspired by the Sissi Movies like my pink one . I think I might decorate it more when I come home again in the summer, but I didn't have enough time to hem yards of ruffles and bows. Also, my mom got me a "Sissi Star" necklace from Vienna for Christmas. Empress Elizabeth was known for the star jewelry she wore in her hair. Jewelers in Austria make star hairclips, necklaces, brooches, and earrings to commemorate the Empress. I was hoping for snow to take pictures, and two days before I left, it did! Oh, and I finally cut my hair! I donated 14 inches on New Year's Eve.  New Year, new hair.

I made this dress rather quickly so as to have it done in time for our trip to Colonial Williamsburg. I pleated the back, and added the skirts and sides: One sleeve down: Two sleeves down: trying on a dress with that many pins in it is rather scary... But I survived. After stitching it all down, I added lacing hoops, and tried it on: I was a little worried about how visible the lacing hoops were, but the trim fixed the problem.  Next I made the sleeve ruffles. They are rather simple - just strips of pinked fabric and scalloped lace gathered on a piece of bias tape: I made box pleated trim from fabric that matched the petticoat and stomacher to go around the front of the gown, and around the sleeves. I wore this dress to the ball at the Governor's Palace in Williamsburg.  It served me quite well and was a joy to wear.

We arrived home from Williamsburg, and went back to our busy schedule. This last Friday it dawned on me that "Oh my! The Homeschool Ball is in one week, and my dress isn't nearly done!!" I reluctantly went to the sewing room. I say reluctantly because I haven't liked this dress from the get-go. But I need to have something to wear to the ball! Since fairy godmothers aren't the kind of things you can pull out of your closet whenever you need them, I decided to sew the dress whether I liked it or not. I sewed on the overskirt, hemmed the ruffle, put in the invisible zipper, then tried it on... To my surprise, I LOVED it!!  My younger sister was saying "told you so!" because she was  telling me all along that it would be great. I used Butterick pattern 6195 for the bodice, I made up the sleeves (you can't really see them because of the ruffle - the ruffle is just a long strip of fabric I sewed into the bodice binding), and I used Si...

We arrived home from Williamsburg, and went back to our busy schedule. This last Friday it dawned on me that "Oh my! The Homeschool Ball is in one week, and my dress isn't nearly done!!" I reluctantly went to the sewing room. I say reluctantly because I haven't liked this dress from the beginning. But I need to have something to wear to the ball! Since fairy godmothers aren't the kind of things you can pull out of your closet whenever you need them, I decided to sew the dress whether I liked it or not. I sewed on the overskirt, hemmed the ruffle, put in the invisible zipper, then tried it on... To my surprise, I LOVED it!!  My younger sister was saying "told you so!" because she was  telling me all along that it would be great. I don't want to share pictures until after the ball, but here is a sneak peak :) (just back views :) )