When I set out to make my One Year One Outfit last year, I was totally determined that it would be something I would wear often, and what happened is that I’ve made something that, although wearable, probably won’t be worn too often – doh! Let me start at the beginning though. When I was in Iceland at the end of 2015, I found this book and felt it was the inspiration I needed. There are some magnificent things in this book!
I swatched a few of the circles and finished up making one called “Brunhilda’s whirl”. I figured I would make a whole dress of these circles and it would be lovely. What could go wrong? I bought some yarn from Bilby’s Yarns that met the criteria and started knitting.
I knitted the doilies on our Great Australian Roadtrip, but they began to wear thin somewhere around the Nullarbor, but I pushed on for a while. I could make one a day if I stuck at it, but estimated that I needed around 40 of different sizes. That’s a lot of knitting!
I used different sized needles to get different sized “doilies” which was a cunning plan, but, you guessed it, some of those doilies were really transparent. I needed lining, so knitted some sheets of fabric to go underneath. I did this on my knitting machine. No way was I going to handknit miles of stocking stitch of 2ply yarn!
Then began construction. I had an idea of how I wanted the sleeves and neckline, but then couldn’t figure out how to fit the rest of the dress together. It needed to be draped on a dressmaker’s dummy and I’m not good at draping, so I took it off to Sarah at my patternmaking class and it came together quite quickly as a concept. Then began the handsewing. Each doily was chain stitched on and then the fabric cut away underneath and finished off by hand. A few things became apparent when I tried it on:
- there was no shape to the dress
- the top doilies couldn’t support the weight of the dress and began stretching out
- I needed to create some firm edges under the arms
I began with the shaping, fashioning in some darts that were on the outside of the dress and felting them in place with an embellishing machine. This really improved things.
Then to deal with the drooping. The dress needed some under support, but how to accomplish this? Sarah suggested building in a bra, which would resolve another issue – the top was quite transparent.
I built the bra from the knitted fabric and lined it with wool roving. All edges were handstitched and then felted together. I used the Maya bra pattern as the basis and went from there.
Here I am felting in some side seams for the bra – the back is wider than a regular bra to help support the dress
One of the interesting things to note is that if you use one of these embellishing machines to felt wool it basically shreds it, but a strip of roving slipped in between the layers to be felted resolves this and you finish up with a wonderfully strong seam. Interesting huh?
I used this roving and felting technique to make shoulder straps that went round the side of the bra, connecting it to the arm opening. This was stitched and felted. Here it is tacked in place (with some wool I dyed in 2015).
and stitching it.
So, I then had another white outfit, which I so didn’t want, but loved the ’20s vibe I had going on. At one point I wondered if I was going to have to knit some Spanx to hold me in, but in the end, I think I’m ok.
The dress sat around for months whilst I dithered about the colour. I felt it needed to be soft, probably pastel, either pinkish or bluish. I did experiment with Aloe from my garden but it turned out to be a dingy, dirty sort of a colour, so that didn’t work. I was also stressing about the size of the pot I was going to need – this dress is quite big and my 10litre op-shop pot was not going to allow the fabric to move freely.
Meanwhile, Mark had been collecting avocado pits for me, so I made a do or die decision (aided along my Nicki’s deadline of – eek – today!) to dye it with avocado and be done with it. I went to a camping store and bought a massive crab pot, at vast expense, put the avocado pits into the insert and boiled and simmered. The dress was soaked in water with no mordant as I didn’t want more “cooking” than absolutely necessary. I did a test swatch which came out red/brown, which freaked me out, but threw the dress in anyway. I simmered for about half an hour and then checked the dress. It was a pleasant shade of musky pink and the water was – completely clear? No point in leaving it to sit overnight then. I rinsed and blocked the dress and this is what it now looks like. I’m not wearing shoes as the ones I made in 2015 do not work with the dress and I just couldn’t make more.
So that’s the dress. However, if I am to wear it in public, I need to add a few things so I auditioned a bit of jewellery and some shoes.
First up my Christian Louboutin’s that go with everything and a really old strand of pearls (around 1915) which I wore for my wedding
The back view. The dress has changed shape somewhat, growing longer and narrower. This may be my poor blocking though.
and Salvatore Ferragamo shoes with a modern strand of pink pearls. I like these less with the dress, but prefer the shoes as I think they fit the ’20s look I’m going for.
I think this is the look I like.
So, this is the dress component. I have also made a jacket and bag, but this post was so long that you are going to get a second post on the topic. Back soon!
Absolutely stunning. The avocado dye bath gave this dress a beautifully soft color. I’m just in awe of your talent and ingenuity 😻
Yes, I was quite pleased with the colour in the end!
Stunning, you look stunning in that stunning dress. and your ability to construct is amazing. You must have been an engineer in a former life!
Thanks Roma, I come from a long line of engineers so perhaps something rubbed off!
Amazing. Just amazing! The entire project is truly a labour of love. What a beautiful work of art!
Thank you, I must wear it somewhere!
Stunning! Feminine and gorgeous fit
Thanks Rachel, will I wear it in public though?
This is so beautiful! And the way you went about problem-solving is inspirational. A wonderful post. Thank you.
Thank you Anne, I really appreciate the comment.
Amazing. Such commitment and creativity. You look stunning!
Thank you Caroline! I am so glad to have finished.
Well, they are stunning doilies! It has come together beautifully. So very creative and local too.
Yes, every bit of it is local, but I’m beginning to wish I lived somewhere where they weave cloth or produce thread!
What an amazing beautiful and unique dress. It really takes you back to the roaring 1920s.
I hope I captured that 1920s vibe, thank you Sonja.
Wow, just wow! A lifetime achievement award goes to you.
Thank you Jenny, I like that idea!
This is not just a dress, it’s an exquisite work of art, Sue. You have just had me googling embellishing machines, now that’s a whole other rabbit hole. Your work is truely inspiring.
Oh yes, the embellishment machine rabbit hole! Mine is the Janome FM275 and it’s really good. I’ve even felted denim with it!
Wow! How much work that dress took. What Patience! Hats off to you!
thank you Sadhana, it was a lot of work because every bit of it is hand sewn.
Oh. My. Goodness. This is amazing! What persistence and artistry!
Thank you Fiona, persistence is right, but I’m not sure about artistry :)!
An amazing result ans amazing work. The two looks are perfect and very nice. 👏👏👏
Thank you so much Agnès, I’m quite pleased with the final dress.
A-freaking-mazing. I wanted to come up with a new word because this dress deserves nothing less. It is so beautiful, truly a work of art. I like your accessories and shoes, great job.
Thank you so much Tanya, I am so glad to be finished!
Oh I so love this. The colour is gorgeous as is that knitting. I am amazed. It looks amazing on you. I love the gold with the avocado pink.
Yes, I think the gold shoes are best. I am quite pleased with the colour and the shape, and I hope I find somewhere to wear it!
I am speechless! Your dress is gorgeous, I love the style very much and it suits your slender figure so well. It is an interesting technique as to felt the seams. I like what the Romanians say: “Wear it in health!”
Thank you so much, I am very touched!
There is a mouth hanging open in New Mexico right now. So the idea is to make an outfit from fabric that you make entirely? What a fascinating challenge!
The idea is to make fabric from only locally produced materials, which for me basically means wool and wood. All thread was wool and the only way I can get colour is to use natural dyes. The avocadoes were grown by a friend to make them local. Thank you Roxane!
The dress is absolutely stunning!!! You have knocked this one out of the park and I am literally speechless! And you have inspired me as I am about to pick up two knitting machines from my mom and I do not have a clue how to use them or what to do with them but you have motivated me to get creative.
If your knitting machines drop stitches, it’s because they will need a new sponge bar. This is never mentioned in the manual. You can usually buy them on ebay and just slip them in. Let me know if you need help. Diana Sullivan has some excellent videos on youtube if you want to get started.
This is absolutely fabulous and I hope you have somewhere special to go to show it off. As said in my comment to the jacket and bag I admire your tenacity and patience to get this perfect. Thank you for sharing your process. Putting that dress in the dye bath must have been terrifying – at least that would be how I would feel.
I was so terrified when I put it in the dye, but by then I just needed to get it done. Thank you Christine.
This is such a stunning dress and I am so impressed with your skills! Can’t believe you made a bra from your knit fabric, it looks great! And the dress is just beautiful! I like the shape it has after blocking a lot and the color is so soft and beautiful. You should wear this in public and give it the stage it deserves! And I need a knitting machine, no way around that.
Yes, I can recommend a knitting machine and you would do marvels with one! Thank you for your kind comments.
So elegant. I love the ways you accessorised it too. I can imagine it as perfect at a wedding or a cocktail party. You did a fabulous job with your one year one outfit
I was considering wearing this to my son’s engagement party, but I’ve lost my nerve!
But it’s beautiful – why ever not?
I think the weather has become too cold for it, but I am still considering it.
That’s difficult then. Hope you manage it
It’s amazing how you actually took this challenge of knitting your own dress. And you did not give up. I specifically don’t start massive projects in fear of not being able to complete it.
It’s quite nice to have a difficult project just moving along slowly in the background, with time to ponder problems. Having said that, I did get sick of it.
Hahaha! Still a great job done!
Your dress is amazing. It is now such a pretty colour and you look so elegant in it. I would never have dreamed of making my own fabric like you have. You have taken slow sewing to a new level.
The idea is to make something from only locally produced materials, which means wool or wood here. It really was slow sewing though Lois!
WOW! That is an incredibly beautiful wearable work of art! Thankyou for sharing the process and result. And may I say again WOW.
Aw, thank you Hari, I really appreciate the comment.
Beautiful dress! The avocado-pit dyeing worked out perfectly. It does have a 1920s vibe but modern at the same time. Love the way you ised your feltng machine. I mean, how many things other than felting can you do with a felting machine?
How do you store the dress? Folded up? Or on a hanger?
The felting machine is quite handy for applique too, although I haven’t done any yet. The dress is stored in a space bag to keep the moths at bay.
This is just incredible Sue. I am in awe of your height and talent. The whole thing turned out so beautifully and you look amazing in it!
Thank you, Megan, as I look down on the top of your head :)!
Wow!
Thank you!
It’s truly beautiful Sue! You were very brave bunging it in a pot to dye after all that work but it was worth it. Wear it with pride 😃
Haha, I was just over it and took photos of the white version in case I couldn’t show the dyed version!
This breathtaking post unfolds like a Project Runway episode. Necessity is the mother of invention, yep, and you totally hit the nail here. I hope you have many opportunities to wear this exquisite dress reminiscent of the 1920s as it looks fab with pearls and any of your incredible shoes!
Thank you Hélène, I hope I get to wear it and enjoy it.
Fabulous dress Sue! In every way!!! You look fantastic in it and I hope you do wear it with those pearls and cute shoes! 🙂
Yes, I hope so too. I think our autumn is about to strike so I may have missed the weather window!
OMG. This dress is magnificent and a work of art. You are amazing. Thx for sharing. Can’t wait to see the jacket and bag. Just no stopping your ingenuity and artistic talent! Claire
Thank you Claire, this was a bit of a long winded make 🙂
I am really really impressed with this Sue. You look amazing. It is very dressy, and probably a little bit warm but it is flattering and interesting and I just loved reading the whole story. I expected more from the Avo but it still looks wonderful in every way.
I must say I was disappointed in the avocado, but I may have over simmered it. It’s not the last time that I will be using it though as I have already amassed a few pits!
You absolutely can wear this . It looks great and is a very elegant beautiful dress . It would be a crime to NvOT wear it in public ! Well done and thank you for all your posts I do so enjoy them
Thank you, Mem, I really appreciate the comment 🙂
This is incredible!!! I’m blown away you were able to get such a subtle, beautiful color from avocado pits!! It feels such a waste just chucking them in the garbage now.
It’s so easy to dye with them too – give it a go!
I can see you in this dress out at a gallery or dinner, it is stunning and looks fantastic on you. Love the last styling.
Thank you and, yes, that last styling is my favourite. I’m going to team it with a shawl and wear it for dinner.
Wow the dress looks amazing on you! Who would of thought avocado pips makes such a lovely colour!! can’t wait to see what else your going to dye and with what!!xx
Thanks Tania, I’m just prepping for a dyeing weekend, so hold tight!
This is such a beautiful dress Sue – just lovely work! The creativity is amazing!
thanks Linda, it took forever to make!