Embelished Lace & Pure Silk

A couple of weeks ago we purchased the fabric for Brittney’s wedding dress. The outer dress is embellished lace.   Here's what it looks like.  This photo is a little dark but you can see the scalloped edge, the beautiful diamond shaped pattern, and just a little sparkle.

 

 

We decided to make the under dress with a silk and rayon blend. This fabric had a beautiful sheen and because there is no polyester fiber I will be able to press it with an iron.  We measured it out…sadly there was not enough fabric on the bolt.  However a quick call to the manufacturer and they located a piece in the same color and they would send out a swatch that would arrive in a few days.

On Friday that same week I received a call that the swatch has arrived.  Since I was already in town I went to Les Fabriques to check it out.  It did not match the partial bolt that they already had in the store.  Who knew that there could be so many shades of white? I came home and dropped Brittney a line about the swatch so we decided to go in and look at together. 

We planned to meet up at Les Fabriques after Brittney got off of work.  I arrived a few minutes early and checked the colors again.  This time it looked like it had lightened even more!  How could this be?  We left it on the counter for Brittney to look at and then Esther one of the employees at Les Fabriques helped me search for alternatives.  We found three bolts, two of them were polyester (not my favorite) and one of them was 100% silk.  We laid them on the counter and spread the lace over them.  They were ALL stunning to look at each one was a little different shade of white.

When Brittney arrived we shared the remnants and we decided the match was too far off.  Esther showed her the three alternate bolts of fabric.  I kept quiet.  She went right to the SILK because it really showed off the pattern of the lace.  How awesome for me!

On the way home I went to Michael's and bought a large box covered with wallpaper to put the fabric in and have it stowed in my sewing room in a place of honor.

 

Lesson for the DAY:  Silk has a nap!  Like corduroy the fabric feels smoother going one way and actually the color looks different depending on which way the fabric is turned. It doesn’t matter which way the fabric is cut as long as the nap all goes the same direction.

 

PS I have a photo to share of the silk but it rotates every time I try to insert it.  Stay tuned.