gold Archives • Jessica Smith Creates

The final new piece of my TARDIS puzzle, the blouse, was a rush job.

I’m talking the day before I left on a trip that I’d be also using for my first photoshoot of the costume, when I realized that the shirt I had planned on using looks crappy with the jacket. And I can’t really change the jacket, since it’s lined and I love it.

It also occurred to me that because I’m not necessarily stuck in a summer con that I can wear long sleeves. So I did, and I think it helps balance out some of the elements.

I used the pattern I made for my Peggy costume, which is quickly becoming my favorite close fitting button up pattern (also known as my only close fitting button up pattern).

The back needed to be redrafted so it was a single piece with no gathering, and I removed some of the curve that is meant to help with swayback, since this would be worn over a corset and was short enough not to really effect it.

The front was redrafted for a shawl collar, which would start its separation above I also decided that long diagonal darts would be neat for a change to the front. I wasn’t feeling the tucks this time, and they would be completely hidden by the outer corset anyway.

The fabric that I showed in this post three years ago that I thought I’d use for a bustle was originally going to be used for this shirt. I got all the way through making it, and was ready to cut the facings when I decided to try it on. And the fabric next to the side seam tore about three inches. Worst feeling ever.

Granted, the fabric was old and holey, and I think it’s silk, so I should have expected some mishaps. I ended up going to dinner with a friend, and once I got back I assessed my options. I looked at the pile of fabrics that I earmarked for this project, and I found this very neat, and very stiff home decor fabric. It would work for the body of the shirt, and I could use the same fabric from the apron for the sleeves. I was able to reuse the broken silk version for the facings, so that is could still be involved.

The body fabric doesn’t press very well, which may have to do with the fact that it essentially feels like lightweight bendable plastic, so the seams and the darts aren’t flat, but most of that is hidden by the outer corset.

There is a slight stain on the gold fabric I used for facing, but that also means I have an excuse to use my Eleventh Doctor’s sonic screwdriver pin. I felt it was fitting.

Now that I’ve worn it once, it’s not quite as fitted as I’d like, so I’m considering taking in the side seams, and maybe adding another dart, a smaller one, to help with some accidental saggy boob look, from being too loose at the bust with a tight corset underneath.

But regardless the shirt does it’s job, and once I bind the inside seams to keep fraying at bay, it’ll serve its purpose for as long as I need it to.

That wraps it up for the new construction. I’ve got some more posts, like updates on older pieces, and I don’t think I ever showed you the TV purse, and also hair and makeup… But I might save that for next week! See you later!

Every time I think about this skirt, I think about the song My Party Dress from the musical Henry and Mudge (which I’ve never seen but I think I’d love, because of the song). I think this is the first version I ever heard, and I still love it, no matter how many versions I hear. I think I like the song because I always feel a bit out of place in fancy clothing.

I’ve grown to like wearing skirts and dresses (secret pajamas anyone?), but most of mine are solid (1,2,3,4), made of cheap jersey (1,2) , or are rather simple in design/execution (1,2). The majority are twirly, but rarely are they fancy. I don’t do flashy, you might say.

So when I was trying to get out of my sewing funk in the latter half of my winter break, I surprised myself and reached for this polyester brocade. I bought this from Joann’s two years ago in order to make my Belle cape, but at the time I was not well versed in making circle skirts, or the like, so I ordered too much fabric.

Because it wasn’t particularly wide, it made a small capelet rather than anything like a full cape, but that left plenty of room for this skirt!

It started as a rectangular tube, and then I pleated it to fit a simple black waistband. There’s also two gigantic pockets and a center back zipper. I did have to use a lot of heat to get the pleats to span the width of the skirt, and I was very worried that I was going to burn the fabric, which would have ruined the whole effect!

I knew from experience that this stuff frays like crazy, so I had my FrayCheck at the ready, and used it every time I cut. But I also figured that a lining would be to my advantage to cut down on additional fraying. I had this brown cotton lawn, I think it is, and I’ve never figured out what to use it for. But it makes a great lining. A little staticy, but it’ll be okay. With the weight of the brocade, it won’t ever stick for long!

The zipper did puzzle me for a bit, and I had to put it in and take it out a few times. I guess my original seam wasn’t deep enough, so I had to take it in a smidge.

But the skirt had its first outing before that! I wore it the same day that I originally made it, when I went to a social ballroom dance, and it passed the twirling test at least! There was the issue when I was leading a friend in a swing dance, and her hand got caught in one of the pockets as we were passing each other, but that was a fluke.

Then I let it fester in the alterations pile until now. I’ve since fixed the zipper, and if I ever need a fancy flashy skirt, I have it!

So… do you like my party dress? Or rather, skirt?

Tag: gold

TARDIS Blouse

Do you like my party skirt?