Sewing for other people: The Mandarin Collar Dress

I hope everyone is having a splendid holiday week.

Mine is going well. Dance class, cleaning, the dog and friends. 

My Christmas plans are looking to be me grabbing a lot of junk food and just watching crappy movies. Ah, one of my favorite past times.

I don't know what has been in the water, but I have been bombarded with sewing projects! I'm making six pairs of gloves, taking a part a pair of men's pants and making a pattern from them (more on that later), and with now I'm making a dress for one of my dancing friends.

She likes the Chinese dress look from the 60s, but danceable, so shorter lenght and higher sleeves.

We went shopping for fabric in the LA Fabric district, and she picked out a lovely deep turquoise fabric with a bit of stretch. She's a petite gal, about 100lbs, so I can see why the stretch. It will make the dress formfitting as well as danceable.

As for the pattern, I just pieced one that would give a good 'feel' for that style of dress. She wasn't too into historical accuracy, and I can understand, but more the flavor of the look.

This was my first time working with a BURDA pattern and I can say that it's been pretty uneventful. Not to say that it's been bad, other than the fact that the pattern itself it too big. It starts at a size 10, which is about a 36 bust, as I thought. Well, the lady at the store assured me that a size 10 was for a 32 bust. Um, no. After reading the documentation, I knew I was right. Factor in ease, and the fact my friend is a 32 bust, and I have a mountain of trouble.

Good thing I took tons of measurements.

I altered the pattern accordingly, and cut out the mockup in a striped fabric.

Here is my friend trying it on. She likes it. I have a few odds and ends to fix, but I consider this fitting a wild success.

She needs it by the 26th, so I'll be sewing in addition to 

my junk food eating and crappy movie watching.

Also this weekend I cut out six pair of gloves! SIX PAIR!!!

The original pair I made were good, but they wanted thumb holes. I was REALLY trying to avoid those thumb holes. Ah well. Three pair down, three to sew.

I also designed a party poster this weekend! Man, was I just busy all around.

I love all of this work, but I can't wait to sew on my own projects again. 

What have you all been working on?