fo: Silky Coral Laurel (say that 3 times fast)!

You know, I've been holding off sharing pictures of my Silky Laurel because I wanted to get some more pictures of it, both on me and off, some detailed shots, show off my hand-stitched neck/arm binding and hem, etc etc etc.


But I'm stuck in camp with the dress in a wrinkled mess on my sewing table at home, and I just want to share it for cripes sakes!

ETA: Now with less squished photos.  Sorry folks, our camp internet is being stupid.

For those of you just joining us, my cousin was getting married in August, and I realized 12 days before the wedding that I didn't have anything to wear.  While I really wanted to sew something, I'd lost interest in the dress I'd planned to make.  But then I miraculously found a dress already cut out, stashed underneath my cutting table.  I only vaguely recall thinking about this project ages ago.  Pretty sure elves came in and did some of the work for me.

They didn't finish it though.  I cut it pretty close, and I'm so lucky that whatever modifications I did originally worked perfectly, because I only just barely managed to finish all of the hand-sewn hemming and neckbinding the morning before I flew out for the wedding!

Please forgive me cutting out my cousins - I didn't have their permission to post their picture online.  The dress, for those who haven't realized by now, is Laurel by Colette Patterns.  I finally used some of the raw silk I bought ages ago on clearance at Fabricland.  I think I need to buy (and use!) this fabric more often, because was it ever a dream to wear!  So breathable and so so nice against the skin.

Here's me and my (big) little brother.  If we're looking a little rumpled and tired, it's because we'd just spent the day running around trying to get all of the little (and some pretty big) things done that got forgotten about/ignored/etc. and are pretty pooped.  Sadly, we were losing daylight by the time I thought to grab him for pictures, and I swear my dress wasn't this...bright in true daylight.  Also, my brother's tie was cream coloured...

This dress though?  So fantastic and comfortable!  It didn't matter if I was acting cabbie for all of the out-of-province inlaws in this country town, playing photographer, or frantically setting up 150 place settings a half-hour before dinner was supposed to start, this dress was comfortable enough to do it all!  I barely noticed I was wearing a dress (except for those times when I nearly forgot myself and bent over to pick up something or other).  Pretty good considering this is the norm for me:

Yep, that's me, posing in my underground gear before heading into the mine portal.  Similar colour though!

And here's a ridiculous outtake, one of the many bad photos one of my cousin's tried to take of this dress.  Believe me, this was the best of the lot!  And it shows off the dress the best.  Ick.  I'm so pleased with the hem length; it's not a length I would normally wear a dress, but it was perfect for a simple shift dress.  The sleeves, I'm less pleased about.  I mean, they fit great, but I'm not sure about the length.  And I think I cut these as per the pattern?  Maybe?!

Laurel is such a versitile dress, I'm seriously stunned.  I think it can be dressed up or dressed down, depending on your fabric and accessory choices, and I think I probably need about 3 or 4 more.  Maybe one in wool for a winter dress?  I wonder if I can find decent wool in Whitehorse...

Have any of you made Laurel up yet?  Or have you made a dress that exceeded your expectations?

And has anyone else had projects worked on for you by unexpected elves?