The Hawthorn

I've been working on this dress since March.  Intermittently, slowly.  Trying to do things as well as possible instead of my usual rush job. I even made a muslin and decided to size down, knowing this satin would show every crinkle where the fit was wrong.  I am looking forward to finishing the muslin into something wearable too.  It'll be fine a size up in a light weight woven stripe.  I've put it off because of the buttons I think...  There are a lot of buttons.

This is Colette Patterns again.  They really write a beautiful pattern.  I want to go back and put smaller buttons on the collar to convince it to stay down on both ends and up the men's wear details on it.  I didn't have time to get matching buttons before the wedding when I realized that the collar just wasn't going to behave.  When my mother in law asked me to be in her wedding I knew I had to find something special.  Something pretty and simple and that I could nurse in and it had to be royal blue.  I decided it would be easier to make something than find it in a store.  Which is true in some ways.  I spent (with the pattern) about as much on this as I might have an off the rack item.  In the neighborhood of $60 (which of course does not include the cost of my time!)

The satin is a cheap polyester shantung style that I used wrong side out so it would look more like silk.  The inside is very shiny.  (It actually feels great on the skin, being so slippery.) I wanted a silk dress but couldn't do the $25 a yard price tag (since this pattern calls for 3 yards) and this does the trick for the look and is extremely forgiving in its wash and wear qualities.  I could easily wash and wear it every day for months without it showing any signs of aging I think.  Oh, the beauties of plastic!  I am hoping that I get over the dressy factor and use it as an everyday piece.  I know towards autumn I'll pick it more often as the weather cools down.  It'll be sweet with a cardigan and boots.

I sewed the skirt placket closed most of the way down so I wouldn't have to align any more buttons after I could wiggle it over my head.  Buttons alignment stresses me out. :)  The belt I spent an entire afternoon shopping all of downtown Asheville for. I finally got to Paul Taylor and had a belt custom made.  Brilliant. I didn't even know you could do that anymore! Perfect color to match my shoes. Perfect hard wear.  And the buckle is interchangeable!  I'm so excited about this idea....