Best of Both Worlds

     In the interim between finished dresses, here are a couple of mock-ups illustrating Intaglio's considerable color-blocking potential (also doubling as something of a preview for the next project). Even without abandoning basic black and white, the entire feel of the dress can be changed completely.

Lesser Variegated Intaglios

Snowblind

    With a finished dress, a fresh shortage of valid excuses against it, and an incipient winter storm threatening to turn the current winter wonderland a little too winter wonderlandy, it became apparent that it was time to quit dragging my feet and actually take a few photographs of my very first Intaglio (the everything-and-the-kitchen-sink version). Without further ado, here is its debut!

Bare Bones

      A fashion illustration isn't always the best way to get a look at the actual construction of a garment- they tend to be more focused on showing the style rather than the substance, expression rather than details. The forest was drawn in 1930 by an unknown artist; now let's take a look at some trees.

   This first set shows the version of the dress depicted in the original illustration, complete with cuffs, collar, and belt. As is typical for both the era's preferred silhouette and modern fashion conventions, the original illustration is noticeably more elongated than the actual garment created by the pattern (fabric choices will also have quite an effect on the overall shape). The lower bodice pieces are gathered or eased along a seam located at the natural waistline.  

      This seam, along with the yokes and side closure, allows for significant fitting adjustments to be made (to varying degrees of historical accuracy). The set-in sleeves are also fitted at the forearm with a dart that apexes at the elbow and opens into a buttoned closure at the wrist.

     The skirt has a fair bit of flare, which should be taken into account when selecting a fabric. Stiffer fabrics will retain this silhouette, while fabrics with a soft hand will drape from the hip yoke into a more sheath-like, fluted shape. This same effect will be mirrored in the epaulette oversleeves, on a smaller scale, although softer fabrics can be interfaced if you wish to preserve the structure.

Two steps forward, one step back

Elementary school math class throwback time! If you take one step backward for every two steps forward, how much longer will it take to walk to your destination than if you just walked normally (assuming the same pace and stride)?

Answer: Pleats.

Also, three time longer, which is why adding basic knife or box pleats will reduce your yardage to 1/3 of the original length. This may be news to no one but me, but it's a handy visualization while I illustrate Intaglio's sewing instructions. There comes a time in almost every sewing project when the directions call for you to do some kind of foldy, fiddly thing and I have to take a moment to try to wrap my mind around the geometry of it, before giving in, forging ahead as per instructions in spite of the doubts, and by some strange sewing alchemy a bound buttonhole emerges. Well, the joke is on me, because now I'm the one making the instructions. It isn't enough to pinch pleats into place, now I have to understand how they work well enough to draw them. And the form that understanding is taking at the moment involves lurching around looking like an escapee from the Ministry of Silly Walks. 

The Intaglio dress itself has actually come together fairly smoothly, other than the initial surprise fabric shortage. I'll be posting about it soon, as well as starting the second one.