By Hand London - Elisalex Dress

2014 is the year of weddings - I have 3 friends getting married this year and I really can't afford that many new dresses and I find it very hard to get a good fitting dress, plus they are all friends from school so I can not wear the same dress twice as I have had to point out to my husband!!

So I decided that I was going to make a dress for the wedding, the theme was garden glamour.

I really wanted to make the Elisalex dress and already had the pattern so off I went to the Fabric Store in Sydney earlier this year when they have 50% off sale and purchase some beautiful cream and gold fabric! It had just the right weight to hold the tulip skirt shape.

I made a muslin, I had some fitting issues I cut out a size 14 and graded down to a 12 around the bust and shoulders.

I really didn't like the look of the sleeves once I put it on

So I decided to make it without sleeves, I lined it with a cotton Voile. It was lovely and soft.

I had to overlock all the edges and seams as this fabric frayed very badly

I made the tulip skirt in with the muslin and didnt like the shape it gave me at all so unpicked it and re-cut the Charlotte Skirt and just moved the darts so that they aligned with the princess seams

Sorry about the terrible photos but I was trying to get this all done for the Mad Men Challenge but got lazy with posting.

And Finally this is a photo my friend took for me in Berry all ready to go to the Wedding. I was so pleased with this dress that I have already cut another in a red wool for work. I got so many compliments!

If I had to make any changes they would be insert a kick pleat as it was very snug getting that skirt over my hips to go to the bathroom.. sorry too much detail :)

Louise

xx