When You Know What You like // A Mini Lookbook
You see, there is a good reason I didn't film these projects...it's because they are all nearly the same exact dress 😅 I guess after all these years of sewing for myself I just know what I like! I am sorry the full length footage came out so dark for this. Because I am still working on next week's video too at the same time here, I didn't have a ton of time to get the lighting juuuust right like I normal try to for my "real" lookbooks. Hopefully this captures a moodier sense of what these garments might look like when worn out to dinner, say at Disneyland's Blue Bayou perhaps? I could certainly go for one of their monte cristo sandwiches....
The fabric for the first dress can be found here: https://www.moodfabrics.com/mood-exclusive-sylvan-spectres-stretch-cotton-sateen-md0643
The houndstooth-ish Cotton Woven (literally $4 dollars a yard, so you can see why I added some to my cart, makes this a $10-ish dress ) : https://www.moodfabrics.com/italian-black-off-white-stretch-cotton-print-306719
The Dark Floral Print of dreams is sold out in the black sateen, but the cream colorway is still available, and the black still comes in a voile, which if lined would still totally work for this wrap style top! : https://www.moodfabrics.com/catalogsearch/result/index?q=garden+of+earthly+delights
Dark moody foliage print cotton twill : https://www.moodfabrics.com/mood-exclusive-army-green-take-it-or-leaf-it-stretch-brushed-cotton-twill-331316
Black cotton pique : https://www.moodfabrics.com/black-stretch-woven-cotton-pique-320409
I show how to move the side darts into the shoulder and sew them externally like you see for many of these dresses in this video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OI9k1tj9o5Q&t=806s
And the wrap back top tutorial is here : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOvq55ruBbw
Thank you so much for your support! I'm going to disappear for about a week or so here as I dive back into some writing, but I won't be gone long ✨
Comments (53)
That chocolate wool-silk blend is dreamy! I for one would adore a video of you styling your outfits with some of your most wild and colorful accessories. Your glove collection is so rad but I feel like we don’t get to see them much!
If you’re looking for “week off” options (the doctor -lite) episode, if you will), consider the lawn care channel. When it rains, there are no lawns to mow. So they do a top five edging transformations video and even ask people if they have left one out (encouraging re-views!). So here’s Bianca’s great opportunity! Top five dresses with all-in-one sleeves and a pencil skirt! We can nominate our favorites :) PS: they are all my favorite 🖤🖤🖤
Thank you Susan! 😂
I like the lighting, it's very moody and cozy. That chevron dress is just stunning!
Thank you Kathleen!
Love the color block dress. Hair and make up are divine, as usual. And the sleeve caps on the rust colored dress add polish and sophistication. Thanks for the mini look book - those are my favorites!
Thank you Eve!
Very nice Bianca! They all look beautiful on you. I'm going to give the wrap-back top a try soon as I have a block pattern that fits me now, thanks to you!! Good luck with your writing!
Thank you Tracy! I make /too/ many of those wrap tops now, it's my favorite pattern 😅
Even though the same pattern was used, the dresses really do look different because of the fabrics. All were stunning!
Thank you Peggy!
Stunning!!! I love it!
Thank you Shannon!
These all look great. I have no problem with seeing the same dress in different fabrics: it's good to compare how the same look isn't the same look. It reminds me a bit of some of the catalogue reviews you've done where the catalogue has the same dress available different ways.
Thank you Megan ❤ I suppose it is like those catalogs with the multiple fabrics 😂
Love the sophisticated choice of fabrics. Thanks for being such an inspiration.
Thank you Rach!
These are all stunning! The variety in patterns and colours and textures really keep them from feeling samey. I have the opposite problem, as all my clothes are 100% black...
I feel like that is a very valid choice, I love black clothes so much 🖤
Oooh that left over chevron dress....yes!! These are all beautiful, if it ain't broke don't fix it! ❤️
Thank you Ailsa!
I think you just invented a new aesthetic: 50s in the dark jungle....JUNGLECORE
My former summer safari style has shifted into nighttime jungle leaf love 💚
Aww you look so beautiful and the dresses look amazing. I think I need to try the all in one sleeve wrap top 😊 xx
Thank you Lizzie! I am already in the middle of making yet another one of those tops from some striped fabric I had in my stash...I'm addicted to that pattern! Plus, a top pattern with no buttonholes to make, or zippers to sew? That's good stuff. It takes me around 2 hours to make one they are so quick!
I have to say I would not mind AT ALL to see videos of these dresses! I love listening to your voice - it has a super calming quality - so a video where you just go "I'm gonna make this dress, see these videos for the pattern drafting" and then just cut the fabric and sew the dress would could be a break for you if you need a break for the normal sewing videos. :) Kinda like the patreon video where you just pattern drafted - it was super chill and nice! <3
Thank you Linnea! This is good to know because I always figure I have to make something new/different every video, and it can be hard because I do know what I like most at this point 😅
I'm positively SWOONING over that color blocked number! 🤩 Hot damn!
Thank you Mary!
Wow, I think I am beginning to want to learn to sew...
It allows for a lot of magic! ✨
I love your Look Books ( ! ) and you can even make brown look sumptuous, sleek and rich.
Thank you Rob! It is a particularly good brown fabric that one, a bit of extra texture and a subtle shine from the silk content really help.
Wow, the color block dress is amazing!
Thank you Elle!
You look so gorgeous in all of these dresses. I love the dart modification up into the neckline and the winged sleeve cuff. Definitely pin-up vibes 🥰 Like @Carmen Grima, I'm working on my basic bodice and skirt blocks. From your dart manipulation video, I can see there is so much that can be done to individualise the looks of the bodice. You are a huge inspiration, thank you 💚 Sending best wishes, safe travels and good vibes from Down Under 💚💚📚💐🇦🇺😎
Thank you Rhonda! The bodice can definitely be changed in thousands of ways from the block. I find it very fun to start with the same pieces every time and take a new pattern far away from the starting line. 💚 I have started properly booking the travels and am so excited!
These all look lovely on you! ❤️
Thank you Eva!
I would have watched all of the videos for these dresses, even if they were repetitive. Marvelous work, as always 💙
Thank you Josie! 😅 This is good to know, as I always fear using the same patterns over on the channel for something else 😬
So love your look books. You are such an inspiration to me and have help me get back into sewing which I love so much but have been in a slump lately. I am in the process of finalising my block bodice and skirt pattern then full steam ahead to making some amazing dresses. Thank you for all the amazing outfit you make and I know it takes a lot of work and time. Look forward to your posts here in Patreon and you tube. Luv Carmen ❤️🇦🇺❤️
Thank you Carmen! ❤ The block pattern is indeed a hard grind to get through, but so worth it in the end!
I definitely would have watched videos for all of these!! I fall asleep to your videos all the time, its like a sewing buddy sleepover lol but no really you just have one of those voices that could do audiobooks. Have you ever considered doing a video like that? Or perhapssssss sharing some of your writing through an audio reading of a chapter or pieces of chapters?? Maybe just with your patrons or something? Also the audiobooks of Harry Potter SUCK, I wish you read them instead!! Ugh that would be SOOOO good 😩 but your voice would probably be wRECKED by the end lol
Thank you Kacie! I would love to do audio work really, but I haven't any clue how one would get started doing that kinda thing. I actually read my books aloud when I edit them, so really I have "done" the audio book for them hundred of times ha! Just not with anything recording it. I had a chapter up here on Patreon once, but chickened out later and took it down...I'll do it again one day when I have something new to share 😅 Try the Stephen Fry (UK) versions of the HP books if you can find them, I prefer his narration to Jim Dale's (the US version) personally.\
I have 4 projects on the go at the moment. Did I buy that delightful houndstooth like fabric for number 5? Yes, yes I did.
It was gonna be hard to resist at that price 😂 Sorry about that! ✨
Loving the colour block dress! I forsee a version in my own wardrobe this year 🤤
Thank you Yvonne!
How precisely did you plan out the colorblock lines on that dress? The line at the hip sits so nicely to accent/contrast with the curve of your body. Since you've done some other blocked patterns where you used the style lines to get rid of more darts, I assume you chose the line near the bust to not do that either because you wanted to add those stylized shoulder pleats, or because the plan wouldn't play nicely with lines crossing the apex. Basically, make this one on camera plz?
So the bad news is, I did not actually agonize over/plan the placement of the lines literally at all 😅 The angle and width of the chevron patterning used was directly correlated to the size of the scraps of fabric I had left, so I just needed a shape that would work for the weird pieces of wool I had left in each color was all. The dart could indeed have been eliminated, but I was in this phase (clearly 😂) where I wanted external shoulder darts on everything ha!
OMG when you color block!!! Ahhhh they are so awesome!!!
Thank you Thea!