JOAN CRAWFORD MEETS BETSEY JOHNSON, MEETS BUTTERICK B5152!

Joan Crawford has arrived at our house for Christmas...and LOOK!  She's brought along cigarettes!

Actually, I just finished this up this morning, and wanted to share...the last large present that needed to be finished before Christmas.  My daughter and I sat down one evening, a few weeks back, and shared some special Mother/Daughter moments watching the ever enchanting "Mommie Dearest"...I hadn't seen it in years, and she had never seen it.

Overly penciled eyebrows and batshit crazy outbursts aside, she was enchanted with the fabulous costuming of the 40s - especially the glamorous dressing gowns.  I was asked if I knew where she could get something like that for lounging around the house, and spewing her new favorite snarky quote from the movie, "I would rather be here, with you, than anywhere else in the world".

Shortly thereafter, I ran across this in the Butterick pattern book - and at 99 cents for the day at Joann's, it SCREAMED (No wire HANGERS!) to be turned into a Christmas gift for my Jaci.  The fabric is something they label as Simply Silky Prints - a stretchy, satiny/shiny polyester (perfect for washing) charmeuse, in "Betsey Johnson-esque" (another of my daughter's fav's) pink and yellow roses.  The pattern was marked "Easy", and they weren't lying!  I put this together in a day - start to finish.  I haven't sewn an actual garment in some years, and was PLEASANTLY surprised at how well this went together.

My daughter is built much more slender than my antique mannequin, so this should hang pretty close to the illustration on the pattern cover (she's built like the girl in yellow - we should hate her, by golly).  Where there should be "two" on my mannequin, is but one...a "dove breast" from the late 1880's.  Sadly, there is no "lift and separation" on this old gal, but she's pretty great for display purposes.  I am expecting this to drape exactly like the pattern, once on.

Black lace overlays on the front and back bodice - like I said, this really went together beautifully...especially for being a vintage pattern.

Extra wide sash belt - big flowing sleeves, gather into tiny bands at the wrist - fabulous and uberfierce!

Who knew they still made shoulder pads?!  The pattern called for them...Joann's had tons to choose from, happily.  I thought (or perhaps, wished) they had died with the 80's.  Yeah, who knew!

I think the only thing missing from this ensemble now are marabou mules for her dainty polished toes...

and a padded, satin hanger!  Happily retiring the sewing machine until after Christmas - hope your weekend is wonderful.