Prada KnockOff Part II

Let me show you what I have done so far on this simple straight skirt. The underskirt is constructed with -2″ ease and is pegged at the hemline for a very slim-fitting underskirt. It has 2 darts in front, 2 in back, contoured side seams and a straight back seam. There is a slit in the back seam for walking ease. The lace hem is 1.25″ longer than the underskirt and hits about 1.5″ below knee.

The lace is cut with 3″ ease and has only one back seam. The extra high hip and waistline ease is taken up in cutting apart the lace and moving the motifs over, zigzagged back together using a 1.0 stitch length, 1.5 stitch width. The overskirt floats above the cotton underskirt but still fits closely.

OK, now here’s the details: I didn’t want thickness in the one seam on the skirt that would be seen and I didn’t want the walking slit to be flapping about with two layers going every which way. So I used fusible web to attach the lace overshirt to the cotton underskirt at the back seam and slit.

I’m still in shock at what I’ve done.

But it created the look I was aiming for: edgy, a bit techno, not Sunday School suit nice.

Here’s a comparison of the cut edge along the zipper edge which was fused and the waistband edge which has the lace sewn into the seam

The waistband edge is the lace and the nude cotton, stitched to a grosgrain ribbon. See the nubbins of reembroidered thicknesses sticking up? They cannot be trimmed but the zipper edge’s little frays may be trimmed. I do hope this works out the way I want it to! We’ll see.

I finished the waist with grosgrain ribbon that was shaped, stretched out on one edge on the ironing board and added a snap underneath to remove any strain that might be placed upon the zipper during wearing.

This is what happens when I don’t follow a pattern, I guess.

So now that confession of couture crassness is over here’s the plan for the shirt:

The blouse pattern does not include a belt, that is a separate item.

I had only one half the width of 2 yards of the lace left as I had cut the skirt so that the scalloped edge would form the hemline. And I had only 2 yards of the 52″ wide cotton left. I am having to piece together the lace to make the top and don’t have enough for sleeves so here, very loosely colored, is the top if and when finished. I will make a turtleneck out of the powerdry to provide the underlayer so that it will be washed upon each wearing, not this lace top.

The stiffness of the lace should work very well with the design of the blouse, holding out the front edge closing. I am hoping that the perfect buttons are waiting in the stash somewhere as I have only what is left of today to make this outfit up.

Yeah, some figuring and stitching left to do…hmmmmm