All posts by Peneloping

The backless Belladone

Backless Belladone

Backless Belladone

Backless Belladone

Backless Belladone

Backless Belladonedress: self-made, pattern here // shoes: Minnetonka // glasses: Bonlook

I had this dress in mind when I first bought the Belladone pattern but I never had the right fabric for it. When I was home recently, I went to my favorite discount fabric shop and found this gorgeously simple floral rayon challis (I think?) and I knew it had to come home with me and become this dress.

I’m *mostly* happy with how it turned out, but there are definitely some things I would tweak next time I make one.

I made the bodice according to the pattern, except the two bottom back pieces, which I basically slashed off a bunch of. I wanted the lovely diagonal lines meeting toward the middle, but I wanted this to be an easy dress to slip on so I opted for an elastic waistband just in the very back. This meant the bottom back pieces had to meet the waistband a little farther out than I had originally planned. For the skirt, I just drafted a circle skirt with a little extra circumference than the actual waist in order to accommodate the gathering.

I think that next time I’m going to include the original waistband in the back only, and then have the skirt come out of there. It’ll be easy to attach some sort of short back zipper closure (or buttons!) and I can have the bottom back pieces meet in the middle and not gape so much at the sides.

Anyway, this dress is super comfy and super easy to throw on. Plus, backless dresses are just tons of fun to wear!

In other news, I just realized my post title sounds like a weird and possibly skanky murder mystery.

25 Comments sewing - - - - - -

Datura #2

Datura #2

Datura #2

Datura #2

Datura #2

Datura #2

Datura #2
top: self-made, pattern here // jeans: AE // shoes: Seychelles // glasses: Bon Look 

I’m finding it slightly entertaining that it takes me way longer to get around photographing/blogging about my Daturas than it did to make them. In fact, I may have made yet another one today. (This is not it.) Does anyone know if Eléonore is planning on hosting a Daturas Anonymous?

Anyway, meet my second Datura. I hadn’t planned on making one with triangle cutouts but I decided that I had to try at least one. Basically, I love it. I’d drooled over this fabric for over a year but didn’t buy it because I couldn’t decide what to make with it. When this pattern came out, it seemed perfect! Sadly, I still haven’t found the right buttons for it so there are currently some boring light blue flat buttons sewn to the back just so it’s wearable. It’s also a little shorter than the others because I for some reason decided that just rolling the hem over twice would be a good idea. Note: I don’t recommend this. I only did it because learning how to make bias tape properly seemed too much for lazy Ping.*

*It’s not. It’s actually ridiculously easy and 100% worth it.**

**Don’t use store-bought bias tape. It’s awful. After four failed attempts with crunchy store-bought bias tape I wanted to throw the whole thing in the corner and toss my sewing machine off a cliff (ok, that’s a bit dramatic) and it still only looked mediocre. When I went to work on my next one using bias tape I’d made, it came together easy peasy in like ten minutes.

Out of curiosity, does anyone who’s made a Datura ever wear theirs tucked into a skirt? I’ve made six now, of varying fabric thicknesses and I have yet to make one look good with a skirt. I keep trying but something about the back buttons or the silhouette itself makes it look like I’m forcing it. Maybe with a cardigan over it when it gets cooler? Thoughts?

In other news, new glasses! I <3 BonLook so hard.

Totally unrelated, but for any Whovians out there looking for a new show, Seester told me about a show called Broadchurch. It’s got the Tenth Doctor (albeit a dark and brooding Scottish version), Rory Williams, the lady whose body Prisoner Zero takes over, and Argus Filch, and it’s about the murder of an eleven-year-old boy in a small gorgeous beach town in England. There are only eight episodes in the first season and I may have watched them all in one sitting..! (Also apparently they’re going to remake a US version? Why do they always do that?? Yargh..)

PS No, I have no idea why I only decided to cuff one pant leg.

pinterest-4f211

21 Comments finished sewing project - - - - -

Datura #1

Datura #1

Datura #1

Datura #1

Datura #1

Datura #1
top: self-made, pattern by Deer and Doe // pants: Gap // shoes: Minnetonka

We’re going to ignore my real first attempt at a Datura because I was having a bad day and accidentally ruined one of my favorite fabrics that I’d been saving. Denial ftw.

Anyway, this was my first successful Datura! I used rayon challis in navy and white and I absolutely love how flowy and comfy it is. It’s SO soft. I had some issues with the shoulders but it was mostly because I’d never done a lining this way and I just sort of skimmed the directions. I went with what I thought was the correct method and ended up with an inside out circle that was physically impossible to turn right side out. I gave up pretty quickly and ended up with a top that has one beautiful entirely enclosed shoulder and one slightly wonky one with an awkward french seam. Oh well.

I found these cute little silver heart buttons and sewed them on as non-functional buttons (lazy Ping is lazy). While they’re super cute, it’s kind of annoying sitting in this top because they constantly dig into my back. Not exactly comfy. Oh well, Peter Pan collar + tiny heart buttons > comfort, I guess.

Photo cred goes to Seester, who has not updated her blog in years.

(I finally have one set of photos of me not taken awkwardly with a remote! And with detail shots! Whee!)

 

PS My blog layout is going to look pretty heinous for at least a few more days while Google teaches me the inner workings of basic coding (or until I give up and buy a theme). Please don’t judge me.

(And please feel free to link any helpful tutorials!)

13 Comments outfit - - - - -