Sunday, January 22, 2012

New Look 6067 done: my $1200 dress.

New Look 6067 done
My batman shot....

I am so used to blogging in the dark...it is rare for me to blog in daylight!

So...New Look 6067 is done!

I first saw this dress at the American Sewing Expo in September.  I wasn't wowed by the picture on the pattern envelope in the Simplicity booth, but when I saw it on the model on the runway, I *had* to have it.  I mean, it has a belt with an incredible contrast piping opportunity and you know I love piping!!   and the dress had a lot of movement, too.
Next up:  NL 6067
Then it started popping up on the blogosphere, and when I saw it on Elizabeth (who then lead me to Sheila who made it in a double knit) I *had* to make it and make it soon.  It moved way up in my sewing queue.

As you know, I spent 5 hours on this dress on Sunday, and "just" had the facings, hem, evening up the darts in the back, and finishing the armholes (sleeves or no sleeves).  I thought, oh, it will take about 3 hours more.  It took 7.

In the poll I took last Sunday, there were 2 votes for cap sleeves.  I decided to go for it, as it's been a while since I've made a dress with cap sleeves.  I just love the way they are constructed.  They are lined with a very thin stretchy knit that I bought on Thursday from Joann's.

(I also bought a new, smaller rotary cutter and it cuts like a hot knife through butter, it's amazing!  I don't ever remember my old rotary cutter ever cutting that way....)

Here's a shot before the sleeve was attached to the dress.  The lining is sewn to the sleeve edge first, then the lining is understitched (can you see the line of understitching?).  This creates a nice effect and eliminates the need to hem the sleeve edge.  Then the underarm seam of the sleeve is sewn.  I was also pressing all the way during this as per Ann of Gorgeous Fabrics, which really does help!
New Look 6067 in progress
Here's the inside of it again, but sewn in:
New Look 6067 done
I hadn't set in a sleeve for a while, and these set in just fine! Lately I've been sewing sleeves in flat.

Then it was time for the facings. I had asked last weekend, slit neckline or folded over collar?   The votes came back, 11 for the slit and 9 for the fold over collar  (thanks for voting!!!).  I actually went for the slit. I don't have any dresses with this kind of neckline. Now I do! But it was a struggle!

Some of y'all expressed concern about the the neckline being too high. When I took the pix last week, that was without the SA on the neckline. But even with the SA, it felt too high. AND the slit felt too short, also like y'all mentioned. I also had HUGE issues with getting a crisp corner.
problems
So I fixed the problems via the following...
corners
I played with some test samples! The top two samples are where one side is interfaced and the other isn't (like the facing is interfaced but the exterior fabric isn't). The bottom two samples are where both sides are interfaced. The left-hand samples are where I stitched with 90 degree angles; the right samples are where I stitched almost to the corner, then rounded the corner, and continued stitching, as I had read that method would produce a nice crisp corner.

I used this wooden corner-turner thingie my mom gave me last year.
New Look 6067 in progress:  point poker, corner pusher, whatever
I preferred the sample where both fabric and facing were lined, and I had stitched a 90 degree angle.
Then I ironed on interfacing to the front of the bodice in the slit area, then, using my French curve,  drew a new, lower neckline, and wound up not stitching a 90 degree angle after all...  and I also lowered the slit by 3/4.
New Look 6067:  the neckline....annotated

And this is how it turned out after trimming, turning and pressing:


New Look 6067 done
Could be better, but it is an improvement!
Interfacing the front in the slit area also eliminated the drag lines.
New Look 6067 done
Then I cut 1.75 inches off the bottom and  hemmed it 3/4 with a stretch twin needle (my fabric is double knit, so no need for the kick pleat nor a zipper.  I also didn't line the bodice like the instructions stated.)
New Look 6067 done

And now it is done!

New Look 6067 done
Tights, Mary Janes....the whole 9 yards!
New Look 6067 done
The side view is pretty good:
New Look 6067 done
The back could be better, but I'm not tweaking it more. I eliminated the kick pleat as it doesn't need it.
New Look 6067 done
New Look 6067 done
I think it might need bra strap holders because the neckline is a little wide.  In fact, what looks like diagonal drag lines is actually my bra straps, pushed out of the way of the neckline.

It's supposed to be 55F tmw so I will wear it to work as styled above, and with a cardigan. 

I didn't make the belt with the piping because I like the look of the purchased belt a LOT!

On Emma:
New Look 6067 done

In the style of Elizabeth, my dress is $1200.  Elizabeth called this her $3300 dress (33 hours at $100 an hour). I was flipping through the January Vogue magazine this morning and saw prices like that for high end designer dresses--sounds right on for a custom dress! Mine was 12 hours so it's $1200. It took less time than Elizabeth's dress because mine does not have the zipper, lining, hand-stitched hem, or obi belt that hers has, and I didn't make a muslin either (a muslin was included in her 33 hours of sewing time.)  You want details like that, it's another $2200!!!

And thanks again to New Look for featuring it on their Facebook page before it was completed--very cool!


And here's your food for the week, chicken piccata on spinach, another Rocco recipe, totally delish:
Chicken Piccata on a bed of spinach from Now Cook This by Rocco DiSpirito--YUM
Be well everyone!!

29 comments:

  1. Wow, great sewing skills! Love the Dress for 1200$ :)

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  2. What a gorgeous dress. I've got to get that one made up.

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  3. Kyle - this is a great dress and you look fantastic in it!

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  4. Wow, I love it. You did a wonderful job, totally love the neckline! It would probably be a $10,000 dress for me!

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  5. That is one beautiful dress! I really like the neckline despite all the trouble it caused you. Very elegant! Make another!

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  6. I love it so much. Making it up in Ponte knit is genius. Now I just need to wean this baby and I can make mine...

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  7. Your sewing skills are growing by leaps and mounds! Your stitching is wonderful, lowering the neckline was the right thing to do and your corners look very nice. The whole dress fits you very well! You look very pretty!

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  8. The dress looks great on you and thanks for the mention.

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  9. Very nice! And that is one AWFUL envelope picture so it's a good thing you saw it made up IRL. I may need this pattern now myself...

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  10. Kyle, this is magnificent! I LOVE the cap sleeves and slit neckline. You make me want to put EVERYTHING on hold and make this dress. What a fantastic job!!

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  11. Spectacular! I had to really look close to see if that belt was the one in the pattern. And then of course, as I read on, you said it was purchased. And it is perfect! Great job!

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  12. This dress looks great on you! How about putting a red belt and shoes with it??? Or another color to make it pop sometimes.

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  13. Love your dress, and the belt! YOur outfit looks great and must be so comfy in a double knit. Nice job.

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  14. Awesome instructions on getting a crisp corner in different weights of fabric is on the Grainline blog. Here it is at: http://grainlinestudio.com/2011/11/30/perfect-points-tutorial/

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  15. Lovely! I think I may need to now make one of my own!

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  16. Love it! You look great. Thanks for the info on the neckline. I've made a not of it on my pattern.

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  17. Your dress came out lovely! And the finishing technique on the sleeve is great too--it all looks so clean and pretty!

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  18. This looks superb on you! I love it!

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  19. Kyle, You look great in your well made dress! Thank you for the best written review that I've read in a long time. Great details, pictures, red letters and arrows - how can I screw it up if I copy yours?

    Thanks to you, this dress will likely end up being my first New Look pattern.

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  20. Beautiful Job! The dress turned out amazing!!!

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  21. Ha! I'm going to start calculating the price of all my clothes like that. `-)

    This came out so great! A perfect, flattering fit and such crisp details. Wear it often!

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  22. This is a fantastic dress on you. Great styling.

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  23. I think it looks lovely, and well worth all the time you put into it. Personally I wouldn't try to factor in the cost of my time, since sewing is my hobby that I love and choose to do, and not my job!

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  24. This dress is wonderful! Now I want one too, LOL

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  25. Great dress and love your work 'Natasha'.

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  26. The $1200 dress looks like even more fabulous in person. It is absolutely perfect. You have great taste and sewing skills, Kyle.

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  27. Kyle wore this dress to work today and we all agree that she is a rock star. The new dress is very Jackie O with an edge. love the fingerless gloves, the fit is also perfect. BTW: I would wear both dresses in several colors - gorgeous.

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  28. I love it! Definitely on my must make list now!

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  29. This is one of my favorite patterns. Can't wait to make it in a knit like yours. Lovely!

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