Monday, August 19, 2013

Eyelet Experimentation and a New Way of Underlining

I love eyelet fabrics. They are fascinating - the way they are constructed and held together, and there are some really beautiful ones available. I've been wanting to make something from eyelet and had thought that maybe I would make a fitted dress for Frocktails out of it. But I wanted to experiment first.

So I bought this MASSIVE eyelet from Gertie's Shop.


I admit, I didn't really pay attention to the measurement of the eyelet in the shop description and the circles are a lot larger than I had envisioned. Oh well, you learn I guess! I still like them a lot, but thought they would look weird in a fitted dress. I was worried a dart might end with a large circle, pointing right at my nipple. So I thought for a bit and made my sewing stalwart, Gabby.


I know this isn't really a sewing challenge for me, but I wear my Gabby dresses all the time, and I figured sewing something tried and true would give me the freedom to sew the eyelet really beautifully.


I wanted this dress to be trans-seasonal, so I underlined it in lawn from Spotlight.

I underlined in a different manner to usual. Instead of cutting the pattern pieces twice, once in eyelet, once in lawn, I cut them in the eyelet, then laid the eyelet on top of the uncut lawn. I then pinned the two layers together thoroughly and stitched them together about 1cm from the edge of the eyelet. I then trimmed around the eyelet - and voila! I had my underlined pattern pieces.

I have to say, this method works much better than the other method. I don't have any weird flopping where the underlining fabric is shorter/longer than the fashion fabric, and it just flows beautifully. It is so much more accurate.

For this Gabby, I used shop-bought satin bias binding for the neck edge. I accidentally threw out my leftover bits of lawn!

So there you have it. My first experimentation into eyelet. I have decided, after all this, not to make an eyelet frock for Frocktails. Instead I bought the most divine stretch cotton to make a Belladone dress. Gotta get my skates on though - if you're going to Frocktails, what are you making?

15 comments:

  1. That's a lovely use of eyelet fabric. Stylish too.

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  2. Great tip cutting them out as one, you could almost baste them together as well?

    Frocktails is sneaking up rather fast, and I feel like its a bit lazy but I'm making a saltspring. I figure the length makes it swishy enough, and the elastic will work well with dinner at longrain

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    1. A Saltspring will be fabulous! I have one made that needs photographing - it is a lovely dress. And - you don't need the zip. X

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  3. The Gabby Dress looks so good on you, the pattern should be renamed the Rachel Dress ;)
    Love the eyelet you bought from Gertie's shop, it's just perfect in this style. Simple and so stylish.
    Colette x

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    1. Thanks Colette! Up next is the Suzy pants in linen I bought yesterday - cannot wait to make them!

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  4. Hmm... you've got me inspired. I'm not a lacy girl but I can see how eyelet could be a viable alternative for me! I like the colour combo you used too!

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  5. oh i love eyelet...This looks amayyyzing!
    I have been sewing with eyelet too... i think our sewing spirits are lining up. first the belladonna and now the eyelet. Have you been lurking in my sewing quarters?

    can't wait for frocktails. long rain is a winner :-)

    Ps. Nice shoes...where are they from???

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    1. Thanks - great minds think alike! Very much looking forward to Longrain - always had such yummy stuff there. Shoes are from Funkis - they are new and are a b*tch to break in. But I love them! X

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  6. Such a lovely dress. Looking forward to seeing your Belladone.

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  7. Eyelet is fabulous! I've never seen one on the scale of this though - it looks wonderful as a Gabby. And very much looking forward to seeing your Belladone in the flesh! Bring the cocktails!

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  8. In total agreement with everyone here- this is super cute! I think the scale of the eyelet works perfectly for this dress too :) Awesome tip for cutting underlining- will definitely be trying that method out nest time, thanks!

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