New Project: Watercolor Blues Dress

Project Title: Watercolor Blues Dress
Short Project Description: White and Blue JSK with matching boucle bolero.
Projected Deadline: March 31st
Pattern(s) Used: For the JSK, the bodice pattern from Gertie's New Book for Better Sewing "Sultry Sheath", rectangle skirt. For the bolero, Simplicity 1780
Materials Needed: JSK: White with blue undertone fabric with a beautiful drape, dark blue satin for bow + cartridge ruffle trim + under trim, underlining fabric, white satin for cartridge trim. Bolero: light blue + white boucle. Sew in or iron-on pearls, standard notions.
Challenges/Obstacles: This one will most certainly be an uphill battle! Not to say that's a bad thing--- just that I'm absolutely certain that this dress is going to be a big one. I don't expect to find the right shades of fabric right away and will probably have to just worry about one piece at a time. I think the white dress fabric will probably be the most difficult to source. I'm looking for something with a solid, but beautiful drape with cool undertones... which are hard to look at in a fabric store if it doesn't have good lighting. The colors I'm looking for are more viewable in my Pinterest board dedicated to brainstorming on the dress~ you can check that out here.

I may end up settling for something white with a silver-ish brocade finish. The ruffles aren't hard, just time consuming, even with a ruffling foot. Also, lots of hand sewing in my future with a design incorporating pearl beading. The bolero is more of an after thought, I think... It would be a great addition to just my normal ward robe so I haven't decided the length of it yet. Plus I've never worked with something as un-ravelry as boucle, so it'll be interesting. That will need it's own lining and learning new finishing techniques as well.

I actually have quite a few things on my plate right now, so this is one of those projects I just want to work on with no pressure. I really would like to make myself at least two new pencil skirts (like my Speckled Skirt) for work and general use--- while working on this dress set. I also have some things I'm whipping up for the Etsy shop. The March 31st deadline is a good one because that gives me plenty of time to hand sew everything in and actually feel like I've redeemed myself from my Falling into Autumn disaster! I know quite a few people really liked that one, but I know I can do better and I've learned so many new techniques that will make the issues I had seem like a thing of the past...!