From the Archives: The Lady in Red or, finally getting back to the sewing machine

Words and photos by Susie Sandford Smith

Photo of NYE 2014 collage 1 disco ball and sewing

Photo of NYE collage 2 disco ball and Alex

About three years ago I bought a few (a couple or so) metres of a gorgeous, true red, silk dupion with the intention of making it into a figure hugging pencil skirted dress for Christmas. So Christmas came and went, and came and went and, I think, came and went again, and still I hadn't managed to cut into this damn cloth. And, if one of my ASOS purchases had suited me just that tiny bit more, I wouldn't have cut into it this Christmas, either. As it was, Christmas did come and go again but, finding myself with nothing to wear on New Year's Eve and with, for once, a little bit of time, I decided that now would be the time to conquer this particular piece of fabric.

As I didn't have much time, and because I'm trying to go back to using patterns a bit more (am doing the same with cooking, trying to take more proper notice of recipes to increase my knowledge), I decided, rather than making my own pattern, to make up a dress I'd been eyeing up in 'Gertie's New Book for Better Sewing'. The dress in question is the 'Sultry Sheath' and, I dunno, it's the perfect dress, with the perfect name, for a beautiful bit of red silk.

I did briefly toy with a different project but, it was a bit of a disaster and the less said about it...the better. I set to cutting out my fabric and lining on the evening of the 29th and began sewing on the 30th. I didn't make a toile or a wearable muslin (didn't have time - had to just risk it), and thankfully it worked out okay but, there were issues with the fit. I'm certainly going to make this basic shape again but I think that I will try to make the necessary adjustments to get a perfect fit - one of which is taking the bodice down a size and then doing the dreaded (looked a bit complicated to me for my available time) full bust adjustment.

I REALLY enjoyed being back at the sewing machine and somehow, the little issues that I'd been having with the machine last time that I used it had all but vanished. I got loads of the sewing done on the first day (which, considering the second day was New Year's Eve aka The Deadline, was a good job) and only stopped to go out to meet Hannah for cocktails. Oh yeh... and coz I'd sewn the skirt lining to the bodice the wrong way round so that the skirt lining was on the right side and the fabric was on the wrong! See below. Losing the will to live (slight exaggaration) I packed up my kit for the evening and headed out for an evening of chatting and merriment. Unfortunately, while I was out, I got an email saying that the event that I was going out to on NYE was being cancelled...aaargh!

Photo of red silk dress inside out lining

I had really wanted to go out for NYE to somewhere where I needed to dress up (not, I hasten to add, that what I was going to do really called for being dressed up to the nines) and now that my plans had been scuppered I found it quite hard to motivate myself to get on with the dress on New Year's Eve day. Especially so as the first thing I had to do was to unpick my schoolgirl error from the evening before. Gah.

I must say, I'm not sure how sensible it is to embark on making a fully lined and fitted dress with only around a day and a half to spare. It's quite a simple pattern though, with not too many pieces and the instructions are great. Kudos to Gertie!

Once all the sewing was done and I'd breathed a sigh of relief because PHEWEE, the dress fitted me.., it was time to string up the disco ball, crack open some prosecco, and munch on some pizza with my darling daughter.

And after a quick shower (I had planned to light up a scented candle or two and have a nice leisurely bath but, you can't do everything) and a bit of slap....

Ta da! It's really not a bad fit at all, too big on the shoulders and the back (not shown). Clasping a gorgeous clutch that my niece gave me for Christmas and wearing a pair of earrings that I'd temporarily stolen from my daughter.

And finally... a little, rather grainy, snap of Alex and me ready for our respective nights out.

After waving goodby to Alex, my sister and I danced round the kitchen listening to Kisstory, managing to get ourselves out of the door with just enough time to get to where we were going before the strike of midnight. And, I'm happy to report, my dress survived my dancing round the dancefloor and the kitchen and the sitting room. Well done me - I'm rather pleased with it.

Have any of you sewn any of Gertie's patterns? What's next on your sewing list? I'm half way through 'The Portrait Blouse' and was given a great pattern for Christmas by Amy Butler for a weekend bag so I'll be starting that soon.