Layers in Ink

I am slowly working through the pile of fabric I bought in my mad I Must Sew New Clothes fit late last fall. That was when SR Harris opened its new branch close to home, and I was ecstatic because I could finally buy nice apparel fabric that wasn't kid knits. I always feel much more motivated to sew cool-weather clothes than warm-weather ones; I think it has to do with the richness of fall and winter fabrics - all the wool and other heavyweights are richer and drape so much better than the insubstantial cottons and voiles of summer and spring. 

So I bought fabric. And, as is the fate of all fabric that enters my home, it sat for long time on my sewing chair while I stared at it and willed it to magically become garments on its own.

If only.

Eventually, I finished the five skirts. 

And started on the two sweater dresses, one of which is finished. Hurrah.

This is Sweater Dress #2: ink.

I love the fabric. It's shawl-lacy and gorgeous.

And completely see-through.

Initially, I thought I'd just line the thing, but that would waste all the pretty detail of the weave. So I redrafted a separate slip instead. The armhole is wonky because I didn't think I needed an armhole dart with this knit and didn't draft it in. And then of course I was wrong and had to add the dart, which of course distorted the armhole. Were this an actual outer dress, this would be a faux pas of epic proportions, but fortunately it's just an underlayer. 

Here's a fuller-body shot, but the color is a bit off.

Here's the actual color of the fabric - slightly grey, slightly blue, just like ink. 

Photos when it's finished!