Monday, March 19, 2012

Eva Dress Pattern Contest!

So I finished my dress for the Eva Dress pattern contest!  Please go here to vote for me!  I posted a brief version of my story so as not to bother people, but if you're interested, here's the whole thing.

In my junior year of high school, while researching costumes for a play, I purchased “Everyday Fashions of the Thirties As Pictured in Sears Catalogs.”  A particularly beautiful dress with dramatic sleeves caught my eye, but it wasn’t right for the show.  Over two years later, my theatre design teacher in college gave us an assignment it was perfect for.  I used the dress for a costume design, but only a design; the dress wasn’t actually made for anything.  In the years since then, I have tried to find a pattern to make that dress.  I always thought of it as the quintessential 30’s dress, and I didn’t want to bother with any other 30’s dresses until I found it.
In 2010, I bought fabric for a costume contest that ended up being canceled.  I thought the fabric would make a great 30’s gown, and I went looking for patterns again.  THE DRESS was on the front page of the Eva Dress store.  I had a bit of a shrieking, flailing, omg moment.  So obviously, I bought the pattern.  And then I lost my job.  And then it was the holidays.  And then I started working on a show.  So it had to wait.  But when the contest was announced, I decided, come hell or high water, I WOULD FINISH THIS DRESS.  Because I have been waiting for this dress for…12 years.  I will definitely be wearing this, I don't care how fancy it is.  I plan to wear it to DragonCon this year for sure.

I made a couple of changes, taking the seams out of the front of the skirt, and adding a little godet fishtail in the back. I also opened up the back neckline, because my muslin mock-up fell open while I was trying it on and I liked the look.

The picture from the Sears catalogue

The design I did in college.

 And THE DRESS



3 comments:

  1. Awesome! What a great retro-starlet look, and it looks beautifully sewn as well.

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  2. Beautiful rendition of the pattern!

    I also wanted to let you know you won the skirt giveaway over on my blog. I tried to email you a couple of times, but hadn't heard back, so please email me at cationdesignsblog at gmail so that I know where to send it!

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  3. I just found your blog! This dress is beautiful! And what a great story.
    I looked up this dress on the Eva Dress site and just fell in love with it when I saw your picture. I think I'm going to get the pattern. Is it a difficult pattern to follow? I'm an intermediate seamstress.

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