Finished Project: Hollywood 785

It's done! Just to recap, this week sees the Acadamy Awards theme over at Sew Weekly. The aim is to recreate an outfit from an oscar nominated movie. After a few ideas, I finally decided to create a dress worn by Kate Beckinsale in Pearl Harbour.



Not quite an aircraft hangar, but you get the picture?


My version was made using Hollywood 785 (undated, but presume early 1940's) in black polyester crepe. My version does not come with a peplum (I didn't end up having enough fabric) but I'm not bothered about it as the full gathered skirt really doesn't need it.

As previously stated, and you can tell by the photo from the film that my version does indeed have a fuller skirt, but as this was my first time using this pattern I didn't feel comfortable straying too far from the original design.

I had a few 'firsts' with this dress which was exciting, starting with the bound buttonholes mentioned in Wednesdays post, and I also made my own shoulder pads. I was a little skeptical about the shoulder pads at first (I had flashes of Joan Collins going through my head) but I have to say that this dress wouldn't look half as good without them. They really do give it that extra va va voom that it needs!

Inside the dress I bound the waist seam with some left over leopard print from this blouse, as well using it on the shoulder pads too. I hand stitched the hem and the sleeve hems.

Onto the problems... not as many as I thought there would be to be honest. The bound buttonholes were a little fiddly, but the more I do them, the better it'll be. Attaching the bodice & skirt together was the trickiest as the pattern doesn't call for the usual, 'right sides together & stitch' like every other pattern I've used. With this one you have to turn in the seam allowance of the bodice and pin it over the skirt. This at times was a little tricky, but I got there in the end. However, my top stitching needs to practised for sure!

All in all this dress was a welcome challenge, and I now know what to look out for the next time I make it. I'm thinking next time maybe navy, or a dark green?

Also as I was making this, Gertie revealed her next online sew-along course 'The Starlet Suit' pretty similar huh?

Pearl Harbour Dress Update

Hey! How's everyones week going?
Mine has been a pretty busy one courtesy of this dress.



Hollywood 785



So far so good!

So this is how I started my week by getting the bodice all attached

I then did the same with the skirt panels (5 in total), and added large stitches around the top ready for gathering. I then got the sleeves ready by adding 2 darts to each sleeve and hemming the ends by using a narrow bias facing in matching black cotton.

I then attempted something I've never done before.. bound buttonholes!

This was surprisingly easier than I thought it would be considering I've heard from quite a few sewing blogs that they are a nightmare. What do you think? Here's a close up shot of my attempts

Not perfect, but not bad for a first try no?

I've also attached the front facings, and have got the collar ready to be basted then sewn onto the neckline.

Next up will be to get the bodice & skirt attached together, then to make up some shoulder pads (another first for me).

I'll keep you posted!

Sew Weekly Theme: Academy Awards

I am super super excited about this weeks theme over at Sew Weekly. The aim for this week (so I'm interpreting) is that we can recreate an outfit from an oscar nominated movie.
Now I'm sure I'm not alone that when presented with such a task like this my brain starts going into overdrive. I have been non-stop thinking about iconic movie outfits, my favourite actresses, etc etc...

After the initial 'oh my god! what shall i make?' frenzy, I started thinking a little clearer and got some perspective. I wanted something that I'll wear again (so no fancy ballgowns), something that can be made relatively easy and within the timeframe of a week (so nothing too adventurous), and something made using things I have in my stash already. With these things in mind I started jotting down some ideas.

1. Natalie Wood - West Side Story



2. Diane Kruger - Inglorious B******s

3. Audrey Hepburn - Roman Holiday

The list could go on & on forever, but one outfit really caught my attention from a film I've only recently seen & it just so happened to have been nominated for an oscar. Drumroll please....................

Pearl Harbour!

The film itself isn't anything to sing about, but I absolutely adore this outfit Kate Beckinsale wears. These are the only images I've managed to find, but it gives you the idea.

I already have about 5 metres of black polyester crepe which is the same material I used for my 'Down Under' dress, plus I already have a very similar pattern, Hollywood 785.

The main differences are that the Pearl Harbour dress has a peplum style waist, has more of a pencil skirt, and has no collar.

The peplum is easy enough to add into the pattern by making a detachable one that Mena from Sew Weekly has done on one of her dresses. The skirt however, I'm going to keep to the original pattern as I have to say I prefer a fuller skirt.

And the collar I think I'm also going to keep, but we'll see!

So there it is! Wish me luck!