The Vampires Wife inspired dress (version 3) - sugar skulls and roses

So here is version 3 of The Vampires Wife inspired dresses. Or as it is so far. I decided to show you this depsite my problems with it.

Its based on TVW Birthday dress. I did the double elbow frills here and a single hem like the Birthday dress. All have rolled hems.

I am not too keen to be honest on the double sleeve frills and will probably not repeat unless its a very thin fabric ( which this actually is). maybe the sleeve frills are just a bit too long?

I did not pattern match at the waist so added a thin red satin ribbon which covers this and defines the waist. This dress does feel very 1980s. I had just under 2m of this so pattern matching was not possible. I have very little left over.


This is a 100% cotton. Its a very thin fabric - I managed to slightly rip the neck whilst fitting the bodice during construction - my own fault for not top-stitching round the neck - so its got a slightly lower neck than the first two versions to hide this. Having said that I think its a better size for the neck so thats one to remember.




It will be a perfect fabric if we get a hot summer though.

The fabric should be OK for work because it looks at first glance like its floral.

In fact it has sugar skulls as well and hearts and anchors. I like it.

I am not at all a fan of floral dresses which of course nearly all of the The Vampires Wife range are. I did use floral fabric for version one of my dresses inspired by this look but that was because I have a whole roll of floral cotton light weight curtain fabric which seemed a good choice - being a dress weight cotton - since this would allow me to make multiple variations as muslins in the same fabric to get the first dress to work.

As it turned out I did not need to make multiple versions because miracle of miracles the blocks I made actually fitted me - or nearly. I did need to adjust the top of the shoulders where the sleeve joins - not sure of the correct terminology for this bit of the pattern. Anyway I think probably the fabric I used for this dress is actually more authentically The Vampires Wife style than my previous two versions.




The sleeves have a slightly different block (see below)


After my analysis of the TVW sleeves in this post https://brackencrafts.blogspot.com/2019/04/update-on-vampires-wife-sleeves.html

I slightly altered my sleeve block to add more fabric down the centre of the sleeve at the top:







So below is my original sleeve from version 2 - the blue dress

My original puffed sleeve block

Version two sleeve was gathered. I realised later that the proper TVW dress has pleats at the sleeve head not gathers. I also read that it has shoulder pads - 1980s style!

I am not going to add shoulder pads to my dresses. I also think it has more volume mid sleeve as well so decided to attempt this.

To make my sleeve fuller I cut down the centre line of the original puffed sleeve block but I left the hem edge still intact and uncut then and spread the rest out to add some more space in the middle, drew the top line in and made the sleeve block below:

New fuller sleeve block with extra space in centre of sleeve

This is not a very good photo but all I took of this sleeve during doing this. I added seam allowance as you can see when cutting.

So I went ahead and cut this sleeve for version 3. Then though I found this version of The Vampires Wife dress the other day - see below orange dress. Its different in that the sleeve frills have a contrast lining. Easy to do of course assuming the lining fabric is not too thick because I had some problems trying to gather two layers of cotton fabric for my first version of The Vampires Wife inspired dress.This time I gathered each separately and then sewed on separately.

This picture of the orange dress is interesting in the fact the sleeves seem quite narrow, like my own version 2 pattern which I used to make the blue dress, but my third version I have added a little extra fabric to the centre of the sleeve block by slashing down.

I am now wondering if I needed to do this at all. But then its not about making an exact copy of The Vampires Wife dress but a similar style which fits me and makes me feel comfortable and keeps the essence of that look so I suppose really that does not matter.

AND I am learning how altering a pattern effects the end result here so its all very interesting!

Version 3

I realised that version 3 is bigger - wider across the bodice which makes it more boxy. I also think the sleeve/ shoulder heads are too far out on my arms. Or not properly on my shoulders. These sleeves are pleated not gathered at the shoulder but even then its just not right and does not fit which is a shame since this is the more expensive fabric. I already took the shoulder in by about 1cm - making it harder to unpick!

Unfortunately this dress is entirely overlocked inside as well!

I am not keen on the shape at all if I have no belt. Its just not as fitted as it should be. Though I think the version the model wears above is too tight. Its not stretch fabric and I need to be able to move.
But having said that this version of mine is too big for me.

Its not a simple job to take it in. It will need to be deconstructed and remade but possibly better to attempt this than leaving as it is.

I am now considering taking the sleeves off and resewing the bodice side seams but keeping the skirt width almost the same because the bodice darts do line up as intended with the side seams as here. I have not taken a photo of the skirt and side seams but will add one later. It all lines up anyway.

It is definitely not as fitted as I would like. Or as fitted as the first two dresses. I do not want to end up with a tight skirt again though and have to let it out as the blue dress.

But probably it would be worth me taking the extra time to make this version right, as I did with the blue dress. I now love my blue dress despite a few imperfections.

However as already stated this fabric is pretty thin ( unlike the blue dress fabric) and not very strong so maybe in some aspects it is best left alone.
What a dilemma!

I will be risking wrecking it if I start to take this apart. 

Without doing so tho I probably will not feel I want to wear this so I should make the attempt to put it right and the fabric is much liked and has been hoarded for over a year waiting for something worth making.

Something for me to ponder on I suppose. 

I am also not at all sure about those fuller sleeves. I cannot change them of course for this dress, but may not repeat them.

Should I make yet another version of this dress and go back to the version 2 sleeves?

I do prefer this length of skirt so that is a plus.

I was not going to make a fourth dress but may have to just to get it right one time.

Ah this is a project all right!

UPDATE: I have now taken this dress to pieces and am going to remake it. I just could not live with an ill fitting dress when made of such lovely fabric. See later for more on this particular project.

Bracken

27th, 28th, 29th and 30th May 2019

27th May
It was Bank Holiday on Monday. and we were busy with gardening, dog walking etc. I wore my lovely skull print gypsy top with myfaux leather RTW skirt. I am currently attempting to wear out all faux leather having had two differnt items of clothing disintegrate on me which is a waste. In both cases I wore them rarely since they wre somewhat " precious". Obviously a complete waste so now I am wearing the rest of my faux leather to death and getting as much out of it as possible. This skirt is actually a really nice wrap skirt with a zip fastening. I should copy this one.

And look at my lovely puppies - now approaching 9 months old. You will have toe excuse the mess - this was taken amid putting up of gazebo, planting bedding plants and installing two water features (thats what is in the box next to me). These have to be packed away every winter so they do not freeze. Summer is really here at last when they finally come out of storage!

28th May
First day back at work and I wore my lovely Oki dress. Its the first outing this year for this dress which works well in summer and spring but less so for winter and I wore it to work as well and yes it works just brilliant as a work dress so I will be wearing it again. I felt really good all day!

 

29th May 

I wore one of my "odd bits dresses" which are made form the off-cuts of fabric from other projects. This is an early version. I think the skirt is a bit too long but I suppose thats good work-wise. It does not quite feel right somehow. Its comfortable but lacking something. Too frumpy maybe?

Still its a work dress thats a bit different for no outlay other than time taken finding bits of fabric that will fit the pattern pieces and since the bits of fabric were all small-ish thats actually quite a bit of time, but still well worth the effort I think. Oh and time to sew it up but that is fast.

Not my favourite version of this pattern but good all the same. Gives me a different look on rainy days when its actually quite cold despite officially being Spring. And you cannot love everything that you make if you really do make everything you wear. Its just how it works.

Like not every RTW dress you buy will turn out to be a favourite either. Some are just staples. There will always be favourites and this one is not a favourite. I have since made several other versions of this pattern that I prefer to this one, thats all.

One other thing with this version: if I wear all day as I have in this photo the faux leather gets very creased. Some of my other versions look better at the end of the day. Down to fabric differences or fibre differences I think rather than my skills.

This defo does not compare with the Oki dress though. Now that is a lovely different dress. I should make a few more of them.

30th May 

Today I decided to finally get round to wearing my version 2 TVW style dress for work. After all it took me ages and loads of effort to make this and the weather forecast said no rain. Just in case I wore proper shoes rather than sandals since it has been pretty rainy the last couple of  days. I am reasonably happy with version 2 now I have changed the back to fit me better. Despite this I seem to only see what could be improved. Its still a pretty nice summer dress though!

Anyway May 2019 is nearly done with. So sad. I have been enjoying myself this year,

Bracken

20th to 26th May 2019

Monday 20th
Yellow top and black pinstripe flares- it was too warm a combination for the day so will not be wearing again this summer unless we get some very wintery weather!

Tuesday 21st
Ladybird top  with RTW trousers and vest underneath it.

Wednesday 22nd
Not at work today so wore things I would not wear to work
Navy mesh top with gingham trousers ( made for Gingham Along several years back - I really enjoyed kingham along!)


Thursday 23rd
Khaki top and black panel trousers

Friday 24th
Burda Style A-symetric dress 
To be honest wore this with black leggings for work but was too hot and took them off when I got home. Nearly forgot to take this photo in fact!
I do not like my black leggings. They go baggy at the knees despite being made form a  lycra rich fabric. Not good for work in future me thinks. Did not realise how out of shape and fat I look in this dress till I saw these photos. Kind of sad because I like this dress. In fcat I made twoof these because I love it so much. Never mind once I get my hip op I can hopefully get a bit toned and look less old and saggy.

Saturday 25th
Black upcycled top which started life as a  very cheap New Look dress. I only chopped it a few weeks back and do not think I blogged about it. Easy change though I just chopped and overlocked the hem. It is suddenly worn lots to rather than less than once a year sowas a good idea depite my wondering if I was doing the right thing. No point owning stuff if you never wear it. And of course thats the whole point of Me Made May. With my top I wore my red wrap skirt. It's mean't to be worn with the wrap at CF but I usually seem to wear the shorter bit at the side. Doesn't matter, its a good skirt either way and made from a free pattern.

Sunday 26th
Another upcycled T-shirt. I love this skulls top.
Worn with ancient camo trousers which I use for gardening and decorating. I suppose you could say these are Me Made since I broke the zip many years ago ( back in the 1990s ) and added a lacing to the fly to close them and of course cut them off and covered them in paint ( by accident).

I have to admit all of these photos except for Tuedays I had to take at home at the end of the day due to having totally forgot about it. Life is just too hectic. I have worn Me Made all week tho so never mind. I do prefer in situ photos rather than at home ones because I have very little choice of background scenery having just a normal sized garden. Still these are my photos.

Thanks for visiting my blog. Sadly just a few days left of #MMM2019 now and despite my feelings at the start of the month I have enjoyed this year of Me Made May after all.

Bracken

Sunday 19th May 2019

Sunday 19th wore my self drafted lovely top made form thin unknown fibre fabric.


This particular top is an old one - I am off to the garden centre here and it was just starting to rain.

Despite the simplicity of this design I probably wear these more than any of my other me made items.

Mesh version of my self drafted tops

.

I have lots of these tops. 

I wear them over my T shirts, vests, dresses, swimwear and bustiers in summer and winter. 

A bit punk with their exposed seams, I can also wear them with the seams the normal way inside ( as above) but prefer the outside exposed seams look and did actually design them to be worn this way. 

If I am honest I just put them on and wear whichever way round it turns out. That, you have to admit makes for an easy clothing item!

You can find out how to make these easy versatile tops here: 7: Dark navy top with a step by step tutorial guide to making

Thanks for popping by

Bracken

Saturday - slobbing whilst decorating #MMM2019

I know not at all glamourous!

Saturday I continued in repairing the decorating to my lounge which was wallpaper stripped by my lovely dogs so I wore old clothing for this and then after the decorating I went out and started on cleaning out my hens so needed to wear practical old clothing for that also  - My huge warm  me made jumper and upcycled celtic cycle Tshirt.







The jumper is made without a pattern so is just rectangles with some sleeve, shoulder  and neck shaping so its amazing to have virtually worn this out cos I love it so much. Yarn was from Aldi so was not expensive and my first venture in about 20 years into knitting so was a big success despite being a shapeless huge thing. That does make it very warm and very comfortable though.

In fact I really need to get round to making some new jumpers because all of mine are pretty much warn out now. The problem is I have a small amount of free time and tend to spend it sewing. Maybe its time for a small break.

Mind you before long that will be enforced for 6 weeks due to my impending hip replacement op so maybe I should spend that time knitting. As I understand it I am pretty much going to be unable to sew anything, so knitting could be a good way to go whilst healing. Also it would mean I could reduce some of my yarn stash. The yarn stash is no where near as big as my fabric stash but considering I average finishing a knitted item about every 4-5 years its far too big. If I could get two half knitted jumpers ( I have several half knitted items!) finished in 6 weeks that would be really helpful both wardrobe wise and life wise. I reckon its possible. Mind you I also want to learn ( via You Tube) to play the ukelelle so thats on my recovery to do list first.

Anyway must look out my pictures from Sunday now

Bracken

Friday 17th May

Friday 17th May I wore my Navy sailor trousers and my red top.

 You can read about both items here:

Sailor style trousers:

https://brackencrafts.blogspot.com/2019/01/navy-sailor-style-trousers.html

Red hoody top:

https://brackencrafts.blogspot.com/2017/07/red-dress-from-mccalls.html 

 

Thanks for visiting, see you tomorrow

Bracken

More inspiration or information - The Vampire Wife style

According to this report:
https://www.redcarpet-fashionawards.com/2019/03/14/zawe-ashton-in-the-vampires-wife-betrayal-press-night-after-party

The Vampires Wife dresses have a shoulder pad!

Thats how the puffed sleeve top is achieved!

Well in this at least my own version will remain totally different. Its one thing being inspired enough to copy a dress and quite different to start wearing 80s style shoulder pads. No not for me!

I do like these sleeves although would want them a tad shorter myself - I sadly must live in the real world of washing up/cleaning, dog walking and work so sleeves of this length would annoy me.

The billowy balloon style though I do like and could be a but shorter so they become live-able.

One for next version maybe.

I have to complete version 3 first.

I found this and the below dresses from The Vampires Wife to be good inspiration for my next DIY dress based on these designs. I very much like the sleeves on this dress because its often cold in summer in the UK or at least we wake up to lovely sunshine so you dress in sandals and a summer dress but by mid morning it starts to go cold and rainy.

I tend to carry a second pair of shoes to change when it rains cos I hate wet feet in slippy sandals.

The Blossom dress

The Splendour Dress

Living in the changeable weather of the UK, I am sometimes stuck freezing with a short sleeved or sleeveless dress because it starts off lovely and then I go to work so the Splendour Dress pattern would work perfectly to be cool in the sunny part of the day and then when it gets colder to stay warm enough to not need an extra layer.





 The frilled cuff is also a nice feature. I have not so far tried to copy the Blossom dress sleeves. I like it but I have not yet figured out shirred clothing. I have been told by one person its easy but another finds it hit and miss so I am unsure how well I could make this. I really do not want to trash any nice fabric.

Anyway this all gives me food for thought,

Bracken

Thursday 16th May

Thursday May 16th

Today my upcycled check skirt with my raglan sleeved black top and a 1990s one button RTW top which I added (2) new reclaimed antique glass sparkly buttons to, to make into a waistcoat.

It was only yesterday when I started to decide I should skim down my wardrobe somewhat that I realised this really old top/waistcoat which I picked up when a student in the 1990s for £3 of Coventry market is virtually the same colour and pattern or weave as my skirt. Yey I have anew outfit!

I have not actually got rid if anything as yet though but at least now I am looking at what is hidden in my wardrobe.

See you tomorrow - maybe with more rediscovered items of clothing

Bracken

Wednesday 15th May

Wednesday 15th May I wore my favourite top.

 

Its the Black Slate High Low top which I got free by signing up to Melly Sews newsletter. I omitted the side darts which makes it more swing-top-ish. I found it a bit old fashioned feeling with the side darts but thats probably just me. It turned out to be one of the best things I ever made and despite the spider web lace trimming the sleeves ( not seen here but you can see on the link to the original page)  I have worn this for work even in a corporate environment for the last 3 years and got away with it.

Its looking abit crumpled here at the end of a long day at work but when clean and pressed works well even with suits ( they cannot see the lace with a jacket of course!). I added black stretch lace to the neckline and black satin ribbon binding to the hem. Oh and its a synthetic mix stretch gingham. I made it here:

https://brackencrafts.blogspot.com/2016/09/62-gingham-along.html

I made this top as part of a "gingham along". I also made several other gingham items from this fabric: a Skirt  and  Leggings and Jacket.

I actually wear the leggings loads but rarely wear the jacket or skirt. I have recently been considering altering this skirt to include the zip similar to the Working Wardrobe skirt ( its the same Burda pattern) and maybe also put right the dodgy frill which should not be sewn into the hem!
I was not so good at sewing then but I do like the skirt so probably should sort some of these old items out now. Actually the Working Wardrobe skirt  also needs alterations. I do not wear it because the zips unzip as I walk - making it very revealing!. It would work well if I was to turn the zips the other way up.  

As for the jacket - not really sure what to do about that one. Its nice but too thin a fabric for a real practical jacket and not really very wearable. Maybe time for the charity shop?

I have to have a clearout of some of this stuff soon. I now have so much Me-made its taking up too much space and means if I put things away in my wardrobe they end up creased and I cannot wear them for work which defeats the object of having a wardrobe at all because I do not use it.  I have a four poster pine bed and I leave everything I wear for work hanging off the rail.

Totally messy my bedroom at the moment! I need to decide what I do or do not want to keep and be ruthless and delete everything else.I am starting to get a pile of clothing on my sewing table that needs to be altered now as well! 

I hate minimalism. I know that is unfashionable, but having been illegally evicted once by a landlord and lost everything, and I really mean everything, I tend to lean more towards the hoarding than minimizing school, and I shall stay that way.

However, there has to be limits and when you find you cannot put your clothes away, everything becomes messy and its time to re-think a bit. So clear-out time is coming up soon for me because it just has to. I may have to salvedge a few findings off the jacket though because I could use the buckles for example to make one that really does work. I enjoyed making that jacket so could make a second one from something more substantial such as velvet. And maybe even reuse the leather bits as well - got to take it to bits I think!

So what is happening then for me for me-made?

I am finding what does not work well and needs either removing from my life and recycling, altering or simply throwing out so that I end up with less items but decent clothing that actually works!

Maybe Me Made May is after all worth doing this year. I was getting a bit bored a week or so ago but its making me re-examine what I own including those items I am not wearing when they relate to what I am wearing - if you see what I mean here. There is a real reason I do not wear that stuff and being precious about it because I made it once - long ago now- really is not making my life easy.

See you tomorrow

Bracken

Tuesday 14th May 2019

Nearly half way through May and now its starting to get easier to remember those photos I am meant to get taken.

I particularly liked wearing this ensemble yesterday ( yet to take photos of todays so just a quick blog post to record what I can).


Black multi media T shirt, black stretch (woven) satin Lindy Petal Skirt and my much loved purple leopard print scarf given as a present to me many years ago by my brother Charlie. Its not Me Made but still very nice!

The T shirt top was a challenge made for The Monthly Stitch
You can read about the Tshirt here:

https://brackencrafts.blogspot.com/2017/10/multi-media-t-shirts-tms-october-2017.html

The skirt breaks the rules. Lindy Petal is meant to be stretch Jersey. This is not. Its woven but it works all the same and I really like this despite it being a very basic item in my workig wardrobe.

https://brackencrafts.blogspot.com/2018/12/lindy-petal-in-faux-leather-and-satin.html

 Thanks for visiting

Bracken

May 13th #MMM 2019

Day 13

 

My black wide leg trousers with my paisley T shirt

Thanks for popping by

Bracken

Red Lisette mesh side panel leggings - Sunday 12th May 2019

Sunday 12th May
I actually got round to taking photos of what I wore on Sunday and here they are:

 

My red leggings with an old sports top and my Frieda Petrenko mesh top. And I am feeling brave and not too fat which is possibly a first! Must be the idea of my hip op making me understand soon I can do sport again though apparently running is to be avoided but cycling is according to my consultant "perfect". I need a new push-bike!

Photo-bombed by Hughie

I thought I had already blogged about these leggings but when I looked I have not. They are made like my earlier winter weight leggings from a stretch crepe jersey. Because I decided I have the crepe side as the wrong side they are made using the reverse of the fabric which is not so good in someways because when my dogs jump up it does snag on their claws. Mind you I got caught up in some raw chicken wire in my chickens run and they did not get ripped, so not too delicate either. Other than that though its turned out to be a hard wearing fabric which is very warm, seems to contain some % of lycra and its very successful. The side panels are power mesh and they have a pocket on each leg.

I never got round to blogging about this pair of leggings before today but I made them back in February. These are the Lisette 6295 side panel leggings.

I actually cut these out just after New Year when I was mad on making sportswear that was a bit warmer than the usual thin lycra stuff.  I sewed them up in February.  Being a more basic design than the other pairs I made, these got left on my sewing pile till last. 

The only interesting parts really are the mesh side panels – which have ankle ruching – and the side pockets. They are ot a very transparent mesh either. I was inspired by fashion to make these but the mesh is too thick really. Making a new pair with more transparent mesh panels is high on my current to-do list.

I have several basic side panel leggings so side panels is nothing new for me and is not really that interesting.

It was, when I bought this pattern, but that was a few years ago when there were far less activity wear patterns available.

The side panels and side pockets are quite a thick power mesh. The top of the side panels is a black crepe lycra fabric used to make my yoga pants and my ribbons top and the black multi-media top. Its very silky fabric. I used the reverse of this silky black crepe for these and they look like normal lycra panels. I did the same with my cream and orange leggings.

The power mesh is left over from this wrap top and this skirt.

These are actually very wearable leggings despite the bright red colour which was a worry when I was sewing them up. AND surprisingly I do not look that fat in them!




The lace front top pictured in these original photos of these leggings is the same red fabric with a black stretch lace overlay – it does not really go well with a more activity look.

I generally wear the top for work on colder days with “office type trousers”. It just happens to be made from the same fabric that’s all.

I suppose this does show how the different pattern choice changes the fabric into whatever you want it to be!

See you with more me mades tomorrow!

Bracken