Spring is here!

Today has been a glorious day... I can finally believe that spring is just around the corner! I know, that sounds odd for those who have been enjoying 80-degree weather already, but winter holds on long and tight here in northern Ontario and I think its grip has finally broken.

With that in mind, I've begun working on my spring orders for clients, including a really pretty plus-sized dress that combines printed Swiss cotton, bias-cut edging, and a burn-out silk fabric.

I've mentioned before that my design style is sometimes very organic -- how it begins may not be how it ends -- and that is very evident here. In the photo above, you can see where I've chalked out several curved lines that flow from the neckline to hem of the dress. Only the last one made the cut... pardon the pun! :P

Once the style lines were (finally!) determined, I stitched bias-cut binding along each edge, as seen here on one sleeve. The bias is trimmed, turned under, and edge stitched for a clean finish.

Each piece of the dress -- front, back, and both sleeves -- will get the same bias treatment before the garment is stitched together. It's not finished yet, but you can start to see the big picture!