picking up where we left off…
this turned out to be one of those “add-on” projects. you know – the kind that start out relatively simple (TNT pattern, easy fabric, no embellishment, etc) until you begin to branch with a bunch of “oooh, let’s add THAT to it!” i decided i didn’t like the way the fusible interfacing acted when i used it last time, so i used muslin as a stabilizer (basting it to the facing pieces, then trimming it out of the seam allowances). i decided to hand-embroider the yokes – this was actually really really easy, just time-consuming (done during my lunch hour over the course of a week or so. and yes, my coworkers are used to me doing this kind of stuff in the lunchroom :B). then i decided that i didn’t like the way the facings looked serged, so i trimmed all the edges in straight lace. i hand-hemmed the sleeves & skirt bottom. and i covered all 16 buttons, using the shittiest coverable buttons i could find (aka in my stash), without a tool. my fingers hurt and i should have learned my lesson from my last ceylon, but nope. at least i used all the buttons up – and i won’t be buying them again. at least, i don’t think so. ha.
i made one small adjustment to the pattern fit – tapered in the waist & hips to a size 0. i kept the bodice at a 4. i love the fit & i didn’t have to make any further modifications after cutting! yay! i also narrowed the skirt a little, to get it to fit on my piece of fabric. i had 2 3/8 yd of 44″ fabric (which is more than a yard less than the requirements on the envelope), but i managed to get everything cut, on-grain (!!), using some very creative cutting layouts & narrowing the skirt side seams.
i put a tag in… makes me happy 🙂
OH GOD THOSE COVERED BUTTONS
lace-trimmed facing 🙂 you can see it in the sleeves, too – look closely.
embroidery detail – forgot to take a close-up on the finished dress, whoops
here is the embroidery pattern i used – it’s free! i used 2 strands of cream-colored embroidery floss & outlined everything in a backstitch. there are a few french knots, those used all 6 strands.
lace hem
oh! i also made a covered belt to wear. it is the same shade of cream as the embroidery. i used muslin and a self-covered kit. i had high hopes of putting in cute eyelets & making the whole thing super jazzy & special, but i didn’t realize i needed a tool & those eyelets were shitty 1-piece eyelets anyway and now i’m pissed off. so have a slidey belt:
what do you think? can’t decide if i like it or not. i wanted a green belt but i definitely did not have enough green wool left over after cutting out the pieces.
overall, i’m very pleased with my new dress. the fit is perfect & the wool is very warm – which is great for a southerner like me who thinks anything below 60*F should be against the law :P. the only thing that bothers me is the lace is white, and my embroidery is off-white. i considered tea-dying the lace, but it’s polyester & also i’m lazy.
special thanks to my kitchen wall for being such a gorgeous & colorful backdrop xoxo
LLADYBIRD 
This is stunning, you look gorgeous, and I’m totally inspired!
Oh my god, where to begin! There are so many things I love, love, love about this dress! I love the colour/fabric, I love the embroidery and I love the fit (especially the slightly blousey effect of the back bodice)! You look absolutely stunning in it and your hair is gorgeous!
aw, thank you!!
i actually cut my bangs for a halloween costume (i was a hipster lol) and i was staring at them this morning, trying to decide if i had made a bad decision or not haha 🙂
This has such a gorgeous fit!! I love the waist section on this and for me the belt (although lovely!) detracts from the beautiful waist details of the dress. Gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous. I think this may be ny fave make of yours to date.
Px
It looks so good, way better than the version I made! You def have the right body for the dropped waist. I think I like it better w/o the belt too- it makes you looks at the details (buttons, embroidery) more without it.
It looks amazing!!! And I vote “yes” on the belt.
This is my favorite Ceylon that I’ve seen! Great work on the dress. (And I love the bangs)
This is just a great dress, your fit and finish are impeccable. I like the embroidery, it contrasts perfectly with the texture of the fabric. Not so much a fan of the belt, the dress already has a lot going on and it sorta grabs too much attention.
I have to ask about your method on setting in sleeves. Back when I was learning to sew, sleeves were always set in after the bodice was assembled. Then, in the 70s, the new method showed up, where you set in the sleeve, then finish the sleeve and side seam of the bodice, in one. It changes the direction of the seam in the lower armscye and affects the way you clip. But, it’s fast and easy! Do you have a preference of one over the other? If so, why?
Love this dress, it looks fab on you.
thank you very much!
i prefer to set my sleeves in the old-fashioned way – constructing the bodice & side seams first, and then setting in the sleeve. i occasionally will set them in the other way (i.e., flat) if i’m working with stretch fabrics, but i’ve noticed that it tends to put too much stress on the underarm & it eventually rips/pulls. not pretty! the old way is a little more time-consuming, but i think it makes a nicer finish and it is sturdier.
Thanks!
I do them both ways, depending. On some things, it is just easy and doesn’t matter so much. I think it depends on how much care I am putting into the garment, overall. For a dress like this, it would just seem wrong.
Wow! I have to agree with trisha- this is the loveliest Ceylon I’ve seen too. Such a clever fabric choice and I love your ” just add that” approach to the wonderful details. The embroidery is genius and I also think that it shows the fit and the style better without the belt. It’s so pretty
Love, love, love this!
I’ve been so lazy with the Ceylon… the pattern pieces have been cut out (of a cheap test fabric) for so long and I haven’t started constructing it… but I want to now! Yours is so perrrty!! As many others said, the fabric choice, the embroidery and the general cut look great on you. I personally think it looks better without the belt because of all the buttons on the dress (it’s just a bit overkill).
Great job… so inspiring!
Your first Ceylon is my all time favourite dress and this one is a close contender. It’s just beautiful and you look gorgeous. Your waist is sssoooo tiny and looks even tinier without the belt, so I say lose the belt with this dress and wear it with something else.
I love the fact that you’ve trimmed your facings with lace – what a perfect little detail. x
It’s BEAUTIFUL! I love it! The fit is perfect and I just adore the details such as the embroidery and the lace trimmed seams!
It’s gorgeous! You’ve totally proven that by adding in a bit more time for the awesome embroidery makes the dress extra, extra special. You’re waist looks so itty-bitty from the side…. I’m quite envious. heh
The dress is amazing and I love the new do. 🙂
Oh my! This is stunning! I adore the embroidered yoke. It’s simply gorgeous!
Gorgeous, Lauren! I was looking forward to your completed Ceylon dress. The embroidery really retro-fied the dress…the fit is really good!! Thumbs up.
Oh my goodness, that is stunningly made. I am very impressed. I love the dress in wool. (I’m a big fan of wool fabric!) You look gorgeous. The embroidery is an inspired idea.
This is my absolute favourite ceylon I’ve seen. The line at the back where it gathers into the midriff piece makes your waist look so teeny tiny. What a stunner!
What a beautiful version you’ve made. The embroidery takes it up a notch. I love it.
Wow your Ceylon is Ah-may-zing! Inside and out it is impeccably made and ditto for the fit. I have this pattern too, I’ll get to it one day. I made the Rooibos just recently, I love Colette patterns xx
What a great Ceylon! One of my favorites so far. Great great fit on you!
Wow, that came out absolutely adorable! I love the added embroidery details!
I have always loved the Ceylon and wanted to make one myself, but your version has sent me to tipping point with envy, the fit is stunning! I love how much effort you put into the finer details, I too am a (slightly OCD) detail orientated sewer!
You look absolutely stunning in that dress! I love the color, the waist tapers perfectly and I do love the belt, not sure about the color though. JUST AWESOME!
Ah!!! I love the dress!!
Really.
Amazing. I always wished to sew it myself as well, but I’m not good in sewing yet.
Maybe I’ll buy just the pattern and ask some kind dressmaker to sew it for me.
I think I just found the perfect dress! Now all I need to do is find the pattern – I’ve never heard of this brand!
oooh you’re in for a treat, then 🙂 i buy mine from sunni at a fashionable stitch – she’s awesome awesome 😀
if you make one, i want to see it!
I love the embroidery on this – I hadn’t thought of doing that myself! I’m planning to make it in black as a good staple for work so I might have to follow your lead and jazz it up a little.
Love it, well done!!
This is so gorgeous. Your blog is gorgeous. I’m going to add it to my Google Reader so I can weep everyday at how pretty your projects are. But seriously, I might need to make myself another Ceylon with this embroidery. Fantastic touch!
This is so cute! I’ve never really wanted to make ceylon but now I’m totally convinced. And the embroidery is a really great touch.
I love this version! Just wondering at what stage in the construction you embroidered the yoke?
The yoke was embroidered before sewing it into the dress, so technically at the cutting stage. Make sure you stay-stitch first, since handling it too much can distort the size of the pattern piece 🙂
Hiya, thanks for getting back to me earlier. I’m trying to do some embroidery on my own dress, but I’m having trouble transferring my design onto the dark wool (similar to yours). What method did you use? Thanks!
I traced it on using yellow tracing paper – the lines were very faint, but showed just enough where I could get a general idea of where to embroider.
Okay thanks. I’ve been using white carbon paper and it seems to fade really quickly. Very annoying!
Hi!
I was so inspired by your beautiful beautiful dress I embroidered the same pattern on a dress I made:
http://dinosaurgirlfashion.blogspot.co.il/2013/01/40s-shirt-dress.html#
Thank you so much for inspiring me! I absolutely LOVE this dress!