Piece #4 and Outfit #1 Finished!

My first completed full outfit is the Black Satin 4 Square Dress (with Teal Satin Belt). The basic idea behind this dress is pretty simple; 4 squares will drape in the same way as a circular skirt would, and the points would offer geometric, architectural-esque shapes. Using a simple math equation, I figured out that a square measuring a yard (36 inches) will be 52 inches if held diagonally, which is about an inch less than the measurement from my shoulder to the floor (originally I was planning on connecting the corners at the shoulders).

When I came up with this dress, I originally thought that the edges of the squares would just be thinly hemmed, since I don't have a serger. Once I found the scallop stitch, however, I quickly decided to give the edges more detail and use the stitch backwards. I really love the way the "bites" turned out. I ended up giving the dress straps, because the edging took off more fabric than I expected, making the dress about four inches shorter than I thought (I imagine this would have been more dramatic if I had hemmed the edges). I think the chain straps and the bitten edging work really well to make the dress less plain.

Because the dress is clearly entirely shapeless as a single piece, I wanted to make a belt to cinch it off at the natural waist. I was originally going to make it a single strip of the teal fabric that snapped or hooked in the center, but then I remembered that I had some D-rings from an old belt which I tore up, and a lot of various chains which I purchased for a separate line (the idea for which had to be scrapped due to time and cost). I made a rectangle, the width of the D-rings, stitched them around the rings, and connected the chain to one of the rings. The other ring has a hook which fits through the links of the chain. I love the way this belt turned out, and it probably only took me half an hour to make! The belt chain is different from the strap chain, but I don't really think that's a problem.

Here's the finished product! Great huh?

Total Hours Logged: about 10 (the edging took 7 hours!)

Fabric: Thin Black Satin 4 yards and Teal Satin about 1/8 yard

Notions: Chains (two different kinds), and 2 D-rings (mine were 1 3/4")

Cost (not including time): under $20