violet baudelaire

Started July 2005
Finished October 2005

I fell in love with this dress after I saw Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events and decided I had to have it for Halloween. The DVD has come out and I have studied this dress long and hard. For my study page on her dress go here.

Fabric:
Purple "Casa Satin" in I believe it is called "Wysteria". I've had some problems with this fabric shreding before, so we'll see how it holds up.
1/4", 5/8" and 7/8" Black sheer ribbon for stripes
Black silk organza from Thai Fabrics
Fishnet knee highs
Upper sleeves/front panel: black silk organza, siver organza underneath

Pattern:
Top: drafted own
Skirt: A half circle skirt from one half of Mcalls 7253
Petticoat: Made from old homecomming dess
July 14
So far I have my bodice muslin made, my skirt cut out of the purple fabric, and the bodice cut out of the purple fabric. I think my next step is to fuse the bodice pieces onto very light interfacing which will hopefully stop the material from shredding when I put a seam in it. I need to get ribbon the next time I go to Michaels so I can start on the stripes. Here are the only pictures I have so far, pictures of my muslin


July 18th
I made more progress on the bodice. I lined all the pieces with thin fusible interfacing to try and keep it from shredding. So far it's working, so that's good. I bought 5/8" and 7/8" ribbon for the stripes. I went to 2 different places to find 3/8" but they were all out, so I still need to get some. I even started sewing some of the stripes down to the bodice pieces. Only 2 each on the front pieces though, I'm waiting for the ribbon before I go any farther. The rest of the stripes in the picture are just pinned down so I could see where to sew. I also taped the skirt to prepare it for painting the stripes on. Picture of my progress:


July 25
I have most of the stripes on the bodice done. All I have left is one of the back pieces. I also painted gray stripes on the skirt. I used black fabric paint, heavily diluted in water (a little too much I think). And painted it on the skirt pieces. It came out a little lighter than I wanted, but it will do fine. I pinned one half of the bodice together to make sure everything lined up right. I need to get velvet piping to put in the seems before I sew them together.



August 16
After 2 weeks in Germany away from costuming, I finally have some progress. I bought velvet piping to go in the seams and I have the front, sides, and backs attached together. I also have the lining cut out for the bodice. I ordered 4 yards of black silk organza from Thai Silks for $5.70 (I think) a yard. As soon as that comes I can start on the skirt panels.



August 20

I ordered black organza from Thai Silks and once I got it I pinned it to the underskirt to take pictures. I also have the duckcloth, interlining and boning sewn together and attached to the purple fabric.



October 3

I know I haven't updated in forever, but I got alot done, just nothing worth taking pictures of. I put boning in the bodice and sewed the purple lining to it. I am now in the process of hand sewing the black trim around the edges. I also began the sleeves, but I really don't know where I'm going with them. I really need to start moving my butt. Halloween is less than a month away, and I'm not even halfway done!!!!

October 11
The black trim is sewn around the edges. I also put all the eyelets on the back pieces, there are 15 on each side. I also made the "modesty panel" and attached that to the back.
I also put the eyelets on the front two long strips. I had to handsew another length of ribbon along the edges of the long pieces because you could see the purple from the lining on the edges. It was a fitting issue, I couldn't take in it anymore because it would not have closed then. I also put the eyelets slightly closer to the center than the real one, but I didn't like how far apart they looked on mine. Anyway, here are some pictures so you know what I'm talking about, on a pillow since my dress form is at home:



October 17
The shoulder straps are sewn down and the front panel has been made. The panel is a layer of purple, then a layer of silver organza then a layer of black organza on top. It gives it a dark gray color as opposed to the black. (In theory this will match the sleeves which I have yet to make)



I also got the skirt panels cut out and all the stripes sewn on them. I cut out the bottom shapes and I need to applique them on tomorrow



October 19
I am so close to finishing this dress. I made a paper pattern for the appliqued shapes on the bottom of the skirt. There are 2 on each side panel and 3 on the front and back center panel. I attached all the of appliques by a zigzag stitch around the edges.

I also made the box pleats and attached them to the panels. I actually didn't have enough black fabric, so the pleats don't reach the edge of the panels. But the skirt is so full on the bottom that you can't really tell.



I also made the upper sleeves. They consist of a layer of gray organza and a layer of black organza. I used a simplicity chemis pattern to get a rough shoulder shape then proceeded to guess the length and width that I would need. I gathered the sleeve where the ribbons would go and sewed the purple ribbons on over the gathered seam. I then sewed it into a tube and pinned it into the arm hole. Once I finish the lower sleeve I'll actually sew it in. Here's what the dress looks like with the sleeves pinned in place:



October 28
I am finished! The netting are sewn to the upper sleeves at the bottom purple ribbon. The upper sleeves are gathered on top and hand sewn to the bodice. I attatched a loop of fishing line to the netting to make it form a point. I just slip the loop around my middle finger and it pulls the sleeve into the right shape. You can't even see it.

I put a zipper in the underdress in the back seam. I pounded the eyelets into all the panels and basted them to the waist of the underdress, leaving half of the back panel free so I could open it and get to the zipper. I also attatched a waistband that closes with a hood and eye in the back.

The locket is on black ribbon and is a locket I found in the bottom of my jewelry box. The green ribbon for tying my hair back is from Joanns on a spool. The thin green ribbon is from Hancocks.