Black Velvet Ruched Dress

In the sew "frosting" vs. "cake" world, I would consider myself a "cake" sewist. The idea of working on a project for hours or days only to wear it once or twice doesn't sit well with me. However, the longer I sew, the more I dislike the process of shopping ready-to-wear, especially for special events.

That being said, I have attended two special events this year, and I've made the garments for both. I was intentional with my design and fabric selections because I intend to modify both garments to get a bit more wear out of them. This black velvet ruched bodycon dress is a Mashup of McCall's 7910 and McCall's 7465.

I've sewn both patterns before, so the pieces were already cut, which was perfect since I started on the project 3 days before the event. I cut the size 12 for the bodice and the size 14 for the skirt but graded it to a 12 at the waistline. I also lengthened the front bodice by one inch and added a spaghetti strap. I knew from my first experience with M7910 that I would need to adjust the bodice to prevent gaping at the top. The adjustment on the front bodice was perfect, but after I finished I realized the back bodice was still a little too wide. For the lining, I used compression mesh, which is great if you don't want to wear shapewear. I had to use two different black crush velvets because I didn't have enough left over to cut the bodice after I made the skirt, and you can see that they are a different shade if you're really paying attention. The fabric for the bodice was purchased at Hobby Lobby. The fabric for the skirt was gifted. I loved the final result, and I can't wait to modify it to rock it for brunch or date night. I hope this will be my last special occasion project for the year, but this is the sew "frosting" season, so I won't hold my breath.