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This is the most beautiful dress I have EVER sewn. I think I could get married in it!!

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The fabric is a Guipure lace from Whitetree Fabrics, which was complimentary as a member of the Blog team. It is just beautiful to sew with and so if you are thinking of having a go this is a good lace to start with.

I decided to use another of my favourite patterns The Navy Squiggle Dress as I thought it would really show off the lace, particularly the beautiful scalloped hem.

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I cut the pieces out and rather than add a lining I bought myself an underskirt I could wear underneath. I used a normal sewing stitch on 1.5cm and then cut quite close to the seam and zig-zagged it.

 

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I had been so careful with my cutting out that the pieces matched exactly! Which was a bonus at the hem line. I changed the skirt slightly and instead of gathering I added six pleats to the front and back. I completely made up the bodice before I did this and then made sure it was exactly the same size to sew on.

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I added a 7inch invisible zip and it has hidden so well into the seam line.

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I really wanted to use the scallop hem for the edge of the sleeves but had to cut them smaller than the pattern as I did not have enough scalloping. I inserted them into the dress and tried it on. They looked great but I could not move my arms up or down! Seeing as I really loved the rest of the dress I felt it would perhaps make me not want to wear it, so I painstakingly took them out and cut new ones without the scallop.

This time I went the opposite way and cut the biggest size sleeve so they are too big now! However, I decided if anyone saw this dress they would not think for a minute I had made it because the fabric is just so beautiful , and so it must therefore be a design feature!

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After wearing the dress today on a day out into Leeds I think maybe I need to bind the hem inside the sleeve as it does show when I move my arms. I used bias for the neck and the sleeve hems.

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There had to be a bow somewhere!

We went for lunch in Leeds and decided the Town Hall and Civic Hall were good places to get some dress shots…..makes a change from the fuschia bush!

The Leeds Lace dress
Civic Hall, Leeds
Town Hall Doors
Coffee in the square

Pattern: New Look 6723

Fabric: 2metres of guipure lace from WhiteTree Fabrics

Notions: bias binding, 7inch concealed zip

Changes?? Next time I would make sure I had enough fabric for scalloped hem sleeves!