Makin’ Dolly Proud: Cambie Style

So, I’ve been doing a lot of sewing lately, but I haven’t really felt like blogging much, which is evident. Could be the undiagnosed SAD, or the -9 degree weather we had earlier this month, or the lack of sunlight after work to take photos.

I have completed around three dozen projects since I last posted about something I made, and thinking about starting to blog them where I left off was giving me the same feeling as when I take a ton of shit out to use, which gets strewn all over my sewing room, and then have to face the prospect of putting it all a way.  A mixture of anxiety and oddly placed doom.

Maybe when I have a lull in current sewing projects, I’ll jet back in time to share some of my blog-neglected makes of late 2013 and early 2014, but for now I’m just going to start up again with what I’ve just completed…

Drumroll, please…

Another Cambie!

This time in View A (here’s my first Cambie using view B).  I whipped this beauty up for my bridal shower, which just happened this weekend and was beautifully hosted by my wonderful sister, cousin, future mother in law and future sis.

 

I’m also entering it into the Sew Dolly Clackett contest to be judged by the fabulous Roisin.

The contest is in celebration of Roisin’s impending nuptials which are on May 23rd, which is just ONE DAY before Mr. 5 and I are tying the knot, so the irony that I’m entering a dress that has been used for my own wedding-related activities is kind of perfect.  Best wishes to Roisin; I’ll definitely be thinking of her on her big day!

As with my first Cambie, I made a swayback adjustment (1/2″ but could’ve done with a bit more, I think) and a 3/4″ FBA (1 1/2″ total).  I cut an 8 at the bust, 6 at the waist, and ended up with about a 4 at the hip.  Since my hip is 37″, I originally traced a 2, but it seemed a bit tight in the muslin, so I added another 1/4″ at each seam for a total of 1″ extra ease, which effectively makes it a 4.  I also deepened the sweetheart neckline by about an inch (I used stay tape at the neckline, but it doesn’t seem to be pulling it in as well as my last version – le sigh) and raised the bust darts 1″.

I also found in my original Cambie that I had limited shoulder/arm movement due to a small armscye, so I added a 1/4″ to the upper back and sleeve sections.  This was a bit much, though, as it ended up loose and I had to sew the gathered flap in a bit farther than with my last one (though, not a whole 1/2″ farther), so I’m unsure how necessary of an adjustment it was.  I do feel like I have a lot better range of movement with this dress than the last, though.

Somehow, even though I cut a 6 at the waist for both the bodice and the skirt, the darts in the back don’t match up.  I noticed this in the muslin AFTER I cut out the dress, and it’s a bit of a mystery to my why this would have happened.  Drafting error?  Or me just being me?  I’ll investigate…someday.

But, hey, look at how nicely that waistband matches up…outside and in.

I used a beautiful cotton voile print that I bought back in January 2013 from Fabric.com that is quite sheer, so the whole thing had to be underlined with a coordinating Robert Kaufman cotton lawn (also picked up from Fabric.com).  Each pattern piece was basted together, along with each dart, before I started sewing the dress together.  What a pain in the tuckus.  The dress is fully lined with a lovely feeling cotton/silk elegance from Martha Pullen, which would NOT iron out completely smooth, but I think it’s still pretty delightful.  Basically, I cut 3 dresses out for this, and I was not sure in transit, but the end product was worth it.

I am especially proud of the innards of this Cambie.  For once, I took the time to do things right.  I used rayon hug snug binding for all of the exposed seams (AKA the skirt)…Even the pocketses!

And even employed pretty hem lace:

Enough of my tiring chatter.  MOAR PHOTOS!  It was 30 degrees outside when we took these photos; you can see the goosebumps on my arm in the back close up.