Lace Laurel: My Sewcie Tea Dress

Quite some time ago I bought a remnant of blue lace from Tessuti. It had been sitting in my stash, as I didn't really know what to do with it. And then Melanie announced that Sewcie Tea was taking place! A high tea event with sewers - what a perfect opportunity to wear my blue lace!

I ummed and ahhed over which pattern to use. I had visions of a fitted bodice with a circle skirt, but the reality was that I didn't have that much fabric. I was also really reluctant to have the hem of a circle skirt show through, as I knew I wouldn't be able to use the selvedge.

Then Colette Patterns released Laurel - a shift dress. It was a pattern-fabric match made in heaven. The bonus is also that I know I will get a lot of wear out of this lacy dress.

I made the underlined version. I used anti-static lining from Tessuti in a antique-y silver colour. I found choosing the lining colour very difficult - thank you to Bree from Tessuti for helping.

I made a muslin and made the following alterations:

• I made a size 8 at the shoulders and in the sleeves and a size 6 every where else. Maybe a size 4 through the waist - I had to take it in quite a bit there, but I did it on the dress rather than on the pattern, so I don't have an accurate record of the sizing in each part. 
• I also had to take 6cm out of the neck at the back. I did this by taking 1cm out each side of the zip, and then folding the rest out above the back dart by creating a small dart (I don't actually have a neck dart on the dress, I just folded it out like a dart). I had to slash the back dart up a little (essentially making it a wee bit longer) to get the pattern piece to sit correctly. 

I wore it with my wedding shoes and jewellery. My shoes almost cost as much as my wedding dress (!) - they are Guiseppe Zanotti shoes and are divine. I bought them at Jean Brown in Brisbane over 5 years ago now! My jewellery was made by a local Brisbane designer, Chelsea De Luca (I believe she has a website), and are fabulous art deco pieces. I love being able to wear them again.

Sewcie Tea was fabulous. Here are a few pictures I 'borrowed' from sewbrunswick.blogspot.com and Melanie:

All 26 of us - didn't we look fine!

Lara (thornberry), Anna (blogless Anna), me, Leith (Sew Brunswick)

Our table - what a gorgeous bunch! 

Mingling - me, Kat, Lizzy, Rachel

All the details of yesterday are on Melanie's blog - thank you to Melanie for organising such a wonderful afternoon - I had a blast, and I know everyone else did too!