Black Concert Dress

 

I made another Lady Skater Dress. This pattern is so great! Each time I make it I like it even more! I have been in orchestra for about 2 years and we are required to wear all black for our concerts. I had been wearing a black shirt and skirt, but I've been wanting a black dress for a long time.

 

I went to Joann Fabrics on Black Friday and found some crushed panne velour on sale for $2.99/yd. I decided to buy the black for a Lady Skater concert dress!

 

This dress was fun to make, but there were plenty of challenges along the way. First, I have never sewn with panne velour. It is a knit fabric with a 40 percent stretch and you have to press it on the wrong side. It can be slippery, so pins are a must especially for the neckline! I did not catch part of the neckline when sewing and had to use my seam ripper. It's hard to use a seam ripper on this fabric especially when the thread is the same exact color! It all worked out though and the fabric is pretty forgiving.

 

Here's a close up of the dress. It's hard to tell here, but I used the wrong side of the fabric for the neckband and arm cuffs. I ran into some problems with the arm cuffs. The right one went on perfectly! The left one was slipping a lot and so it is a little crooked. It's not noticeable when I'm wearing it (except by me).

 

I didn't have any clear elastic left, so I used 1/4 inch regular knit elastic. It worked fine, although the seam is somewhat bulky. That may be partly due to the fabric too.

 

Here you can see the arm cuff where I used the wrong side of the fabric. I love experimenting with using the wrong side of the fabric which usually isn't seen. It works great here!

 

I was able to wear my new dress for our Christmas concert on Dec. 8th. I'm planning on wearing it lots more too and not just for concerts. Black dresses are so versatile.

 

~Elizabeth

P.S. I also chopped off 11 inches of hair! My little sister and I donated our hair, and I love my new style. I haven't had a major haircut for a couple years and the change feels so great!