January Jones Eat Your Heart Out...I don't really mean that.

What a whirlwind of sewing it has been. Hot, hot, hot!!! I am so pleased with how this dress came out. For the very first time since I started sewing a few months ago, I feel like a seamstress. I went all out in finishing this dress so it looks as good (almost) on the inside as it does on the outside. I am just ga ga for it.

I sit here, Thursday afternoon, waiting for hubby to come home and photograph me. He has not gotten used to the fact that he never knows who he might come home to. I could be all dressed up, as tonight, or still in my pj's. He does not really like the uncertainty of it all. I can't wait to hear what he thinks of this. Who knows, maybe he will like it, but I won't count on it.

I feel that I am a mix of Betty and Joan in this. Certainly Betty's shape, but the detail on the front neckline of the dress reminds me of Joans signature piece of jewelry. I did my hair more like Joan might wear also. My hair is too long to do a Betty hairstyle. I am also wearing foundation garments just as Joan or Betty might. Too bad I don't have a foundation to fill them with like Christina Hendricks. Oh well, not even close, but one can dream.

Let's remember the inspiration for my "BDD" Betty Draper Dress. This is a promotional photo for season 4. So it looks like with this dress I am right in Mad Men style. I like that too. I did not have the perfect shoes to wear with this dress. Betty would have. So would Joan.

I love how teeny tiny this makes my waist look. I will make this pattern again and again. Who could have imagined this pattern could look so glamorous? Well I guess I could.

Lisette at WWNDW has a tutorial on making a lapped zipper. I followed it completely and it came out perfect. I was so happy I could have jumped through the computer screen and hugged her.

The fabric was almost free. The zipper was in my stash as was the lace seam binding. The buttons, which I purchased over 10 years ago were $2.50 each and the most expensive part of the dress. They are beaded. I hope you can get an idea of how spectacular they are with these photos.

 

I got the seams in the back to match up perfectly. How did I do that?

The front skirt has a facing. Someone tell me what that is all about. Is it for structure?

I hand stitched the hem and used a sweet lace hem binding. I love how it looks and I'm sure anything that Betty would wear would have this nice element to it. I stitched it while listening to Pink Martini play Ravel's Bolero(worth looking at just for the vintage photos) Thanks Rachel for turning me on to that. It took 3 replays of the song for me to finish the hem.

Okay, if I must, here is a sneak peak at "BDD"

I know my sewing friends are feverishly awaiting the reveal of the "BDD/ Betty Draper Dress" and I have made great strides in finishing it, but, but, but, it is not quite there yet. It is coming out oh so fabulous and I am more excited about this dress than any I have created so far. It is HOT...oh I meant the weather, but the dress is going to be too. I feel it is a perfect mix between Betty and Joan, and if you don't know who they are, get with the Mad Men program, I promise it won't disappoint. For those few that do not know about this show and want see it, all three prior seasons are on Netflix or can be purchased. I would highly recommend you start at the beginning.

Anyway enough about that dress, I have today off and hope to complete it for a reveal on Friday. It requires a lapped side zipper and I have never done one. So I want to do it while I am fresh this morning. Then all I need to do is hem it. Okay a sneak peek if I must:

On another sewing note. Tuesday I eagerly awaited the fabric for my MOD dress and was thrilled when I saw a package in the mailbox, only to pick it up and know without even opening it that there was NOT 3 yards of fabric in it. After opening it my hunch was correct, there was only 1 yard. The order had been read wrong. Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh! I quickly e-mailed the seller back and she said she would refund my money and I could keep the fabric, as she only had 1 1/2 more yards of it and I needed 3. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

I quickly pulled out the pattern and figured out that I could manage the dress with the 2 1/2 yards and hopefully, fingers crossed, she is getting the other 1 1/2 yards to me. She was very apologetic and I eagerly await the rest of the fabric. I LOVE IT. It is a very soft and flowing cotton and I am so looking forward to making this dress. As you read this, on Thursday, I am off to find the perfect chiffon to go with the dress. Have you voted for the shoes?

With the heat hovering around 100 degrees all this week my garden has gone wild. I am just keeping up with it. I crawled out of bed this morning to get out and harvest before the sun became too hot, and this was the harvest.

I cleaned it all up and set out to give the tops to the radishes and carrots to my four legged friends out in the barn.

You can see who their best buddy was on this day. 

Me!!!