Cambie LBD

The little black dress - Cambie style. I have to admit I didn't have a little black dress in my wardrobe and what better dress to own than the Cambie!

I initially bought this fabric with a Miz Mozelle Dress in mind according to this post. I'm really glad it turned into a Cambie instead though. The cotton is just the right weight for the Cambie and it really wouldn't have draped the way it needed to for the Miz Mozelle.

I asked the question on Twitter if I really needed to make a muslin for this dress and it was a big, resounding yes from everyone that answered. I'm so glad I actually listened. My measurements sat perfectly in a size 10 but once I'd tried on the bodice I was swimming in it. It needed so much adjusting it was actually easier to go back and trace a size 8 and start again. The 8 fit me perfectly so I'm guessing I don't personally need as much design ease as Sewaholic offers. I did notice that my first Alma was a touch big as well so I may err on the side of smaller sizes when it comes to tops and bodices for Sewaholic.

Confession time - I didn't line this. I'm not really a fan of linings and the summer gets so hot that I don't want any more fabric on me than necessary. This is part of the reason why I've chosen a black cotton because it didn't need the lining to make it less sheer.

I used black cotton bias binding on the neckline and sleeves which I handsewed on. It took forever but the end result was worth it. There are so many curves on that part of the dress that sewing bias binding on by machine would have done my head in. Plus no visible stitching all the way around.

The only spot that has visible stitching is from where I attached the sleeves to the bodice but it doesn't really bother me.

The only things I changed were to insert a lapped zipper instead of an invisible zipper because I like the look of them. I sewed some ribbon around the inside to cover up the waistband and gathered skirt seams. Also I took 11 centimetres off the skirt to make it sit above my knee - so if you're 5"2 like me you might want to check the length before cutting your fabric. It's a fabric eater this dress!

The dress came together really easily except for the bit where I forgot to switch to a longer stitch length to gather those loooong skirt pieces. FYI it is excruciating to try and gather fabric on a 2.5 stitch length. Don't do that to yourself. Much less on a Cambie.

So all in all it was only user error that made this dress hard. Other than that it was a breeze to sew!

So easy in fact that I've lined up another Cambie straight away and I'm intending to have it finished by Christmas. Nothing like a deadline!