White Out! (The beginning of my Ribbon Frock for the 2011 Gatsby Summer Afternoon)

I am in the throes of my next technical challenge=creating fabric by applying ribbon. I have been thinking about this project for years and while I am happy to be upon it just now, I must vent (a little).

A company from whom I have been ordering cuts for YEARS has done it to me again. They have discontinued a fabric critical to my purpose! Long ago, I planned this project for silk net I can no longer source. So, I have settled for silk net organza, which is a much more dense weave than I prefer, but it will have to do.

I pre-washed and dyed it using Jacquard Lumiere in Super Sparkle to get it as white as possible.

Below, you see my basting line to guide stitching Judith M's 7/8" petersham (in white) onto the silk. I will space each ribbon across the fabric 1/4" apart.







With this process, I am re-creating an effect I enjoyed in an original 1930's net evening gown per my Sept. 2010 post, which you can see Here . I will do so by cutting a similar gown on the bias of my ribbon fabric for the chevron effect-so essential in the 1930's streamline dynamic!

Here is the original 1939 inspiration:




Here is the pattern I am modifying for a sleeveless version of the ribbon frock:


5.9.11 Update

I have completed the ribbon on one yard of the organza cut:


It has a wonderful transparent quality!


6.14.11 Update

First (bodice back) is cut and darts are stitched. This is just the beginning of the labor-intensive stitching process!



6.21.11 Update

Photo shows the process of cutting the bodice front. The pattern calls for self-facing with a fold at center front, but I am cutting along that fold line with a 1/4" seam allowance so I can stitch a strip of ribbon with a like seam allowance of organza so the transparency between the strips of ribbon is not compromised:





Using bodice right front to cut the left front for perfect symmetry!
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Shows the ribbon facing stitched in place before turning:



Ribbon facing un-folded:



Shows the alignment of ribbons at the shoulder seam and 'band' effect of center front ribbon forming the collar in one with the bodice front.
I have yet to determine how to press these seams to maximize transparency.

The armseye bias will be white silk organza to maintain transparency.



Bodice front (before gathering). I stitched the ribbon onto the organza with white silk thread for a nicer finish on the bodice pieces as they are more readily viewed up close:

The Ribbon Corset

I recently did this project since a 'Ribbon Corset' fits so well into my 'Luxe' theme for 2011.
See the original corset art here. It is Ageless Patterns' 1900 Corset in Net (on page 6 of her corset collection).

The following is my rendition of this corset (shown with bust panels omitted) in black silk net and finished with The Ribbon Store's black double-side silk satin ribbon to conceal the velvet stays inside. The top and bottom edges are finished with my trademark double-bias in double-side silk satin:




Without the bust panels, it is shown here over the 1930's evening brassiere:




...and a few technical details:

After stitching the corset seams, I put chocolate cotton velvet stays in place:


The velvet stays fit 1/2" spiral steel on the inside:


Stitching silk ribbon on the outside:


The outside with silk satin ribbons in place:


The following shows how I engineered the silk ribbon to conceal the loop side of the busk by seaming it to the net edge:


Busk edge wrapped in ribbon and ready for hand-stitching into place:


This is my (pre-laced) version with modified bust panels, but I am making them deatchable so here, you see them before I stitched the double-bias to finish the top edge:


Next...One of this year's ribbon frocks (for the Gatsby Summer Afternoon!)

New Patterns

Here is the lastest multi-size pattern:



A single-size pattern, the original of which was generously made available by Roberta at Treadle Yard Goods in St. Paul, MN:



And another single-size pattern made available from customer Shirley in New Zealand:



Also, a 1950's mail-order blouse pattern: