Tilly's Françoise Dress!

#SewingFrancoise

Phhewww! I've been sewing like crazy this last week. My husband is missing me (that is a positive thing, haha!). But I am soooooo satisfieeeeeeed!

I had in mind a dress in wool with a "Chanel Jacket" to go with it, and when I saw Tilly's pattern I though it was perfect to be made of wool: the 60s style, the raglan 3/4 sleeves, the little neck on a contrast fabric... besides, she was setting a contest and a deadline, and I don't know why but I am always into crazy sewing deadlines (for example, now I have to sew the jacket in 9 days, 'cause I want to wear it at the School Christmas Festival with the dress, kill me!).
So, I bought some wonderful fabric at Linton's, and believe me, their fame is justified. The fabric is just awsome, and their service top.
So, come on, come on, I downloaded the pattern last saturday, cut it, ensambled it, made some adjustments (my bust size is bigger than waist and hips), and copied it into a muslim. I was so madly working than I forgot to take pics of most of the process, but I'll explain...
The muslim was almost perfect, I only had to take some fabric off the centre back. Easy thing.
Since I did no t have the fabric yet (it was flying towards me), I started to do the lining. I used some wonderful black silk I had in my stash, bought from China. I ADORE natural fibers, kill me!

Then, at perfect timing (thanks Linton), my fabric arrived on monday evening. So, I passed the muslim pieces into the fabric itself (which required no pretreatment) and marked it with tailor stitches. This is the method my mum taught me, and it is perfect for me.

After marking, basting the pieces togehter and machine sewing it. I did not use any interfacing, I had no time to get silk organza, and I could not find nothing suiting the purpose... so I decided to baste the sleeves seams tight until I put the silk lining and sew them to it to prevent them from giving (bias cut).
At first trial, I had to make some adjustments which I had not seen in the muslim, but it was easy, I only took some fabric off the side seams, specially under the arms. 

There is lots of hand sewing done here. The seam allowances, the zipper, the lining, the sleeve seams, etc etc... I've been sewing some hours everyday after work, and all the weekend.

But it was totally worth it. Today I wore the dress to a big event, and it was so beautiful, special, and confortable, I felt like a queen, hehe... One of my students told me the dress was so pretty (he had seen the swatches from Linton and recognized the fabric inmediately, he is 7)

The pattern is really nice, and I will use it again for sure.
So, here goes a proud woman to watch some TV and do nothing for a while, hehe (tomorrow I start the jacket!)

Tilly, I hope to have done a good rendition of your wonderful pattern! And I hope you all like it ;-)!
PS: I did not even pass the first selection. That is my last sewing contest ever!