Eleen Fashions

There is a huge difference when using a vintage pattern to a modern pattern. The gathering on these skirts are so tight. Lighter fabrics are fine but when you are dealing with heavier fabrics watch out. I broke 3 needles on my serger to finish the edge. It wasn't pretty and I added a zig zag for extra reinforcement. The lining went just fine. I have this fear that if a dress has to be alter that the seamstress is going to point out every flaw. Kind of like computer technicians tend to do. I know crazy thoughts. Here is a small section of the mass gather. This dress is going to weigh 3-4 lbs I'm sure!  I still need to hem. Not looking forward to it well the chiffon part of it. I want the larger hem that the original vintage dress had so I cut the overlay a lot bigger. All I have to do is hem the dress and it is completed! I totally love it and thank you Jen for allowing me to make such a remarkable gown. It has been a true joy and hope it meets your expectations...

This has been on E-Bay for so long. I've seen the price go up and drop down. I give them my offers and they refuse each time lol. I would love it to be in my collection but for almost $200.00 I don't think so. It is  Spadea Claire McCardell Dress. C'mon already no one has bought it in a year take my offer!

I have to admit it is a relief and refreshing to get back to making my favorite era of dresses the 1950's! After making the same dress over and over again I'm thrilled to being doing something different. I got so much done today. All this includes cutting! All I need to do for this dress is French seam the chiffon and attach it the skirt and bodice. Add a zipper and hem. I'm thinking the petticoat is going to take me longer than the dress! I modified a vintage pattern McCall's 5817 to start the recreation. I had to modify the back to create the V Back. The cummerbund on the pattern is not attached to the dress. I modified it to fit the dress properly and added the seam to match the inspiration photo. Here is the color palette & photo of pattern. The olive greens are for the petticoat. The fabrics are chiffon, organza, lining and Duchess satin. The dress itself is champagne with an off white chiffon overlay. I'm going to try ...

I keep saying no more patterns...but then this little number came along. It is so beautiful! Don't ask when I will be able to make it lol

They are boxed and being picked up tomorrow. I have 5 more of these to go but they are at a later date. Fun fabric for those. Here is the Coal and the Green. I should of ironed before taking the pictures. I iron so much then box them up just to arrive wrinkled. The green in person is not so bright it is actually a forest green. It is Kaufman Ultra Sateen and simply stunning. I had to buy a bolt of it. Lucky for me I can use it for my Green dress with bolero. Had some fabric woes. I received my order from fabric.com and was missing 3 yards of Black Duchess satin! I e-mail them and they are now out of stock. I've been having some problems with them. It is because they are under staffed right now. That is too bad for me and them. I ended up getting the satin from Vogue fabrics. I may have to find another source. I run too tight of a schedule to mess around with fabrics.

So you've seen my troubles with alterations, unpleased customers so here is an update and hopefully my mistakes will help you out. Blue dresses although I made it to her measurements I took in to her new measurements at no charge. I did tell her that I should charge her and I even went as far as to offer to make another for $50.00 to cover the costs of fabric, because I was afraid I would not be able to take it in enough. Good news she was happy with the new fit :) This is the one is a huge mess. The purple dress straps too long and wrong color sash. She wanted the petticoat fuller too. I'm so trying to be flexible. I offered to alter it and of course get her the right colored sash. She takes the dress to a alteration shop who says that the petticoat needs more 20 yards.  I charged a mere $120.00 for this dress and petticoat. Sorry but a petticoat like she is thinking I would charge $120.00 just for that. Not that there is anything wrong with my petticoat. ...

So I'm anxiously awaiting June. I have four elaborate dresses to make. The Funny Face Gown, the dress from my sketch and these two little dresses. This will be fun month for me for sure This one will be the same except as she described it an obnoxious teal for the bow. I love teal!  I adore this dress. It will be a champagne with a off white overlay and a olive petticoat.  How many more until I can start these four dresses? Back to work!

I have two more of the light colored gray then I can move to the coal and give my eyes a break. Here is the completed halter version. When I make myself one I'm going to have these straps.  I think I've posted enough on the light gray dresses. I will post a coal one when I'm completed with it. My blog doesn't have much of a variety this month, but next month just you wait!

This is for the seamstress without the invisible zipper foot and a basic machine. I personally hate putting in zippers. Me & my sister joke that we will take $20.00 off your order if you put in your own zipper. I've changed up the way I do them and wanted to share to help a customer who is on the road to becoming an seamstress. I've seen her projects and am quite impressed with her natural abilities. Look at the zipper lurking at me saying I'm not going to line up...but I'm going to wait until you finish sewing me so you have to take me apart. I've been doing pretty good with this method. I pinned the zipper rights together. Now I sew close to the edge of the jagged edge of the zipper. I take the pins out as I sew and keep the edge of the zipper lined up to fabric.  Tough part at the end. You want to lift your pressure foot and zip up the zipper to be able to go all the way to the end. These are sometimes my throw a  fit moments as I can't zip the zippper...

Okay I'm sold on this version. Almost done, skirt lining, zipper, hem and a good ironing. I love the halter straps on the dress though. I added a pleat not sure if you can see that clear in the pictures. We'll see how the spaghetti straps look next. Although the dress has halter straps I still treated it as a strapless dress. Fully lined, underlined and boned. When these dresses are done...I just may give them a hug. I really do like them! I will be posting a small how to on the zippers, which I hate and it is extra hard when you have line up so many sections in the back. One of my customers told me she was inspired by my work and went out a purchased a sewing machine. She sends me pictures of her projects. She is truly gifted and will be surpassing me in no time :) She struggled with her first zipper. Hopefully the way I do them will make it easier for her.

I have to say I am in love with Kaufman Kona Cottons! Easy to work with. Excellent quality and it even has a slight stretch to it. I had to special order it and had to buy by the bolt. I'm sure I will have some of this fabric left. I have seven of these dresses to make. I've done one. Should of been done yesterday but I had my usually goofs. Four of these are going to be this grey. The other three are going to be the coal same color as my piping detail. For the coal dresses I will use the lighter grey for the piping. I think it gives them dimension. The next dress will be the lighter grey but I'm going to add some halter straps to it. We'll see how that turns out. Three of the others will have the spaghetti straps (one removable). I love this dress! Which is good because I think I have a total of 17 of these dress that I have to make in the coming months. Well 12 this month 5 in the near future. Wait until you see the fabric for those. LOVE IT!!!

I have another floral dress, Breakfast at Tiffany's and this cute little number shipping tomorrow. Mine is different of course :) It is pale pink and will have removable spaghetti straps. I'm a bit disappointed with the fabric. It was supposed to be a light weight denim & it seems just like a regular cotton to me. It is so light weight I had to line the skirt or my customer would be showing all her glory. I think it will be OK though because where she is having her wedding it is super hot. I will post pictures of it later because I know she follows my blog. Here is the inspiration photo. Next I have to take in that one blue bridesmaid dress and I will be starting 7 bridesmaids dresses. Same as the floral dress but light gray & coal. I will be glad when this month is over. I only have 9 booked for June so I can take it down a pace.

I've posted this dress before and now I have another version of it without the piping but strips instead. It would be one less step and the both look great. Which version do you think is better? Here is the bodice detail. No piping to the left piping to the right. I should stick to taking pictures outside. Well I can't all the time because I live in the rain State!  I think I may have enough of this fabric to make one more. Maybe. I threw a tissy fit with one of the bodices from the three and had to redo it. Temper temper!

I don't post many crafty stuff here but I do enjoy dabbling with crafts. I have been stashing some fabrics for a quilt I want to make some day. I've never made one. I admire the quilt makers out there, it seems so tedious with all those squares. I love mice and thought it would be cute to do a little mouse pot holder. I used an old Joanne's paper for the pattern. For the tail/handle I just cut a strip. As you can tell I changed my mind with the size of the body, nothing a little tape won't put back together.  I wanted kind of a shabby chic to it so I have button eyes and nose. No whiskers because I was afraid something thin and dangling could catch fire. Two of my brothers laughed at the idea because who wants a mouse in the kitchen. I also have a plan to do a hen and....oh you will just have to wait.  It is super cute but not functional as a pot holder. I used quilting batting but when I tested it at 350 degrees I felt the heat. It didn't burn me but if I'm...

I took a rare day off today because it was my mom's birthday. It was sooo nice. We all went to the fabric store for supplies and just kicked back with my family. My sister is going to be making a man's suit. I will post it when it is done. It is for her friend's son 8th grade graduation. Tomorrow of course is Mother's Day. My plan is to get up early and get a little something done then go to my mom's in the afternoon....or better yet just in time for dinner lol I have all my fabric in for my 7 bridesmaid dresses, got the zippers, boning and strap slides & rings. I purchased the rattail for the piping at fabric.com. I just could not see paying 79 cents a yard. I got 33 yards. I think that will last me a long time. I need to get better organized and start having a bigger supply of notions so I don't have to spend so much time shopping for them. Tomorrow I will be complete with the green dress with bolero. The dress is basically done but not the bolero....

Today would of been Audrey Hepburn's 82nd Birthday. This post is in honor of her and my Aunt who also shares her birthday who is no longer with us. Both have influenced my life and the person I want to be. Of course my biggest influence is my mom! Hi Mom!!!  Two of my favorite pictures of Audrey. That smile just makes me smile. Genuine beauty. She shines!  She is a timeless beauty both inside and out.  Happy Birthday to two of the greatest women that ever lived!

So here are the three floral dresses! I love them. Some of you may recognize the pattern.  I especially like the piping detail. I have twelve more of these dresses to make this month. For five I will be using Kaufman dark green sateen. For the seven bridesmaids there will be four coal and three a lighter gray. I may have that the opposite. Yes I will double check prior to cutting. I will be using Kaufman Kona cotton for those. I just contacted her about using the piping & for the coal dresses using the lighter gray & for the lighter gray the coal. I think it would add more contrast and a little drama. If not she won't hurt my feelings if she says no. They also want to have removable adjustable spaghetti straps. I think that will be really cute.  These dresses are fully lined and underlined/boned in the bodice. They also have two front pockets if you can't tell from the picture. Super adorable. Now all I have to do is wait and hope they all fi...