A Titanic Rose

When I decided on the look of my sisters gown for the “Titanic exhibithion” I only knew that I wanted to make it simple yet beautiful. I needed to use pattern I already owned and find fabric from stash or cheap in the store. There would be no time to look for perfect fabric, or to indulge in intricate details on the garnment – quick and easy was the theme.

So when I found this wonderful black tuile, with black and silvery flowers on sale I bought the whole lot. I also got this wine colored viscose to match.

The dress immediately appeared in my head – a Rose inspired gown from the Arnold 1909s pattern.

I knew that this dress needed to go togheter fast (only one week until deadline) and that I would not get any chance to try the dress on my sister until the night before deadline.

Within those terms there was not much to do but to start sewing, and hope everything would run smoothly.

I cut the fabric for the skirts (black and red) and the bodice (just red). I then searched my stash and found a piece of black twill, leftover from the Laced corset, to interline the bodice. I also found a very small amount of soft black viscose for the bodice lining. Then I stroke luck a third time and found a piece of lightweight black chiffong for the little sleevecap. Sometimes it is good to be a maniac and save all the little pieces of leftovers.

This is all the fabrics for the bodice (left to right: viscose lining, twill interlining, red viscose and sheer tuile). I will also insert boning to get some extra strength and shape.

After basting all the interlining, I sewed the bodice together. I then put it on my dressform and draped the tuile over it.

After a lot of needeling I took it down, cut it clean and basted it all in place.

The skirts went together easy, and I used “french seams” for the flowery tuile to get a neat and clean look. Then I sewed the bodice to the skirt and attached the boning in the bodice seams.

I left the length, the back closure and the decorative waistband until the dress was tied and fitted on my sister the day before deadline. I also draped the little sleeves right on her body.

I got a bit stressed and had to scramble to get the dress done in time for the photoshoot and exhibition. But I managed, and both the dress and my sister looked lovely.