Okay, here is the first outfit...it's not stoned, as the person who I made it for will be doing the stoning. I'm not sure what she's going to do but she'll be using 20ss tanzanite and jet stones.

How bout pics of the finished dresses when you find your camera.

Thanks for all the compliments. It's really making me wish I'd taken the time to document it. This is the first Latin dress that's come together the way I planned it out, without major heacaches along the way. I've actually thrown away two previous attempts, and struggled my way to completion on a third, before I made this one.

The dress is really a leotard with a skirt attached to it. I made each piece independently and then, with the dancer in the dress, I hand-tacked the skirt to the leotard at the waistband.

The leotard is based on Kwik*Sew pattern #2931. I started by tracing the pattern pieces and then grafting the top part of the leotard to the bottom so as to get rid of the seam running under the bust. Then I made the opening on the back much much deeper. And finally, I put a deep V opening down the front. The collar is lined with non-stretch fusible interfacing and is basically what holds the entire oufit on :-)

The skirt is based on the "slim skirt" master pattern in the "Kwik*Sew Method for Easy Sewing" book. This is a book of generic pattern shapes for blouses, t-shirts, skirts and pants. I traced the slim skirt pattern and flared out the bottom of edge the skirt so that each piece was a half-circle. There are four pieces so that means the skirt is two circles around (it's like 19 feet at the hem).

The bra part is an old bra that beloned to my friend, I covered the cups by hand-tacking the purple and black fabric to it. Then, I had her put on the bra and the leotard and pinned everything in place with saftey pins. Then I machine-sewed the bra in place along the front and back openings. I think Sania gave me that tip, somewhere here on these boards.

Laura, not only is the dress beautiful, the skirt is also the latest style. The girl who won the Open Amateur in Manhattan this weekend wore a dress with a similar skirt, and I thought she had one of the prettiest and most interesting outfits of the whole event. I have some good pics of that, which I plan on posting in a little while, as soon as I'm done with a job that has a deadline today.
You did such a great job.

Laura, I've always enjoyed the pictures of the dresses you've posted and marvelled at your ability & creativity...this time is no exception. It's beautiful.

OK, I have got the sewing bug entirely...

A couple of months ago, I bought oodles of fabric which is a gorgeous colour (well colours actually) and after talking to Fluffy about this, I have finally decided to jump in and start working out how I am going to get the dress started, sorted and completed.

Just as a bit of background, I will hopefully start competing in the Supadance League in the UK, in September. For this, it is necessary to dance ballroom and latin, and so a dress which can convert between the two very quickly is probably the best option.

Anyway, the recent fashion in dresses for a 'star' body part and slightly different skirt section, seem to lend themselves very simply to the type of dress that I would probably want. Either that or some other form of what is essentially a latin dress, with a ballroom type skirt either over the top (which could start to look bulky, particularly around the hips) or where the ballroom skirt fits up, under the latin skirt, but over the bodysuit/panties.

So, as a result tonight I have decided that I am going to root through my small pattern collection and my cocktail dresses that I may be able to use as a pattern.

I shall add my name to the polethora of compilments, that dress is fantastic!! It is nice to see a latin costume that would be easy enough for just about anyone to wear... So after the two mens shirts, are the other projects dresses and do we get to check those out too?

I've gotten about 2/3rds of the first man's shirt done, and I'm really happy with how it's coming out. Unfortunately I don't have a good way to photograph it without actually putting the guy in it.

But at this moment I've put it all aside and am starting a Standard dress for someone else. The biggest comp of the year here is coming at the end of July and everyone wants their stuff by then. Whew! Anyway, the Standard dress is very plain and basic, but I'll post a picture when it's done anyway.

I would like to thank everyone very much for their compliments and kind words. Sometime the dress making process is extremely difficult for me, and having things turn out decently and have people make positive remarks about them does a lot for helping my self confidence when it comes to sewing! I almost stopped sewing entirely a few months ago because I'd get so stressed out trying to get things right. Now, for whatever reason, the current sewing blitz I'm on is going really well and I'm not stressed at all -- just busy as hell!

Perhaps I'll do another Latin dress in the Fall, and I'll take the time to document it then.

Laura,

I'd like to add my compliments to everyone else's!! I really like the design - especially the use of the purple and black fabric. I'd also like to thank you for explaining how to make that kind of skirt - I'd been wondering about that type ever since I saw Anna Bezikova's "corset" costume at Worlds a year or to ago. If you ever get a photo of the dress once stoned, I'm sure we'd all like to see it.

What kind of latin shirts are you making? I'm considering trying to make one of the 'karate ghee' style for my partner (if I get my new Standard gown done in time).

Good luck with all your projects,

Sania