Erté toiles & jacket pics

[jennylafleur]

I made good progress today and here is proof! First two pics are of the first toile (after being fitted with pins) so you can get an idea of what the original pattern looked like, then the second toile and finally the third with the sari fabric pinned on for the effect.

All my guesses about what I would and would not like about this pattern (and how I would change it) were mostly right, so that was straightforward. I put the first toile together per the instructions, just to see what that was like. Definitely not the way I would have constructed the pattern. Lots of extra steps so that no seams show on the inside and the sleeves don’t have to be hemmed – whatever! So yeah, skipping all that on my frock. At least the extra steps were explained well, if that is the way you wanted to go about it.

The dress is a semi-fitted sack so the fitting was simple. In fact the easiest way to fit it (particularly at the waist) is to follow the Titanic Deck dress pleats. It’s the way the silk drapes naturally in this style. I love it when common sense is applied to fabric and costume design – it makes life easy.

I lowered the bust/waist line ¾” and lengthened the skirt 2”. I’ll lengthen it a bit more to account for the heels I’ll be wearing with this outfit. The sleeves are also shortened (so they fit without piecing – if you have the pattern you know what I am talking about). The two major changes were to split the back open for a zipper (not strictly period correct I know – sue me!) and adding the collar.

I’m not sure how I feel about the dodgy little collar at the moment. It’s okay but I’m not sure what I’d like better. I used my Rohan collar as the base and drafted it into the neckline of the last toile. I don’t know I may bring the “V” a little lower or something. I’m not used to higher necklines like that (just not my thing!) but this is a day dress so I can’t go too wild and let too much collarbone show. Mean Edwardians.


Oh yes and pics of the finished ruffled jacket. Don’t mind the wrinkles, it needs to be pressed from where I was working on it. Still haven’t gotten to the store for the ribbon for the skirt…

Comments

[jw182001.livejournal.com]

O mygosh I love it! It is coming together nicely. When the pattern first came out I did not think anything about the deck dress, but now after you mentioned it, it really does look like it. When I get to it, I will use this pattern for my deck dress. You will have instructions to make the deck dress from this pattern right. I wish I were going to costume college this year…because of the 1910’s theme!

[jennylafleur.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I'd definitely recommend this for the Deck - it's the closest pattern I've seen and it's easy to put together.

I have no plans of writing up instructions for adapting this pattern to the Deck. Just writing out my opinion of how the changes should be made is of no value. I'd have to work with the pattern, fabric and puzzle it out myself first and I have no plans to make an exact replica of the Deck.

Like I said, shouldn't be too difficult to do though - all the basic elements are there and the pattern is so full that fitting it to the Deck shape is easy. The hardest part would be the neckline and the back pleating.