20th Birthday Dress - - Is she worth finishing?

[koolaidria]

I'm turning 20 on October 20. That's 10-20-2010, I'm turning twenty! Super awesome, right? So I need an equally awesome birthday dress. Or maybe long shirt with leggings. I'm going to Six Flags in celebration and I want a bright, unique dress that will stand out in the crowd.

Last night I took this yellow fabric and started painting a fun floral and wide cross-hatch pattern on the bottom. I was going to do birthday shapes (cake, gift box, streamers, balloons) but I want to wear it again and again. So I have several issues/questions:

1. This is hecka time consuming. And I don't need this until October 20, so there's 39 days (holy crap it's comin fast!). But what I have done is maybe twenty inches and has taken about 6 hours. Is this design cool enough to keep at it? Do the colors say 'I'm bright and happy and awesome' or do they just clash and induce a headache?

2. If I'm keeping this, how do I treat it so I can wash it and wear it again? I need at LEAST 3 wears out of this. I'm using acrylic, and a bit of black sharpie to fix where my black outline stinks. I may go get a black paint pen, not sure... What can I do to prevent fading and flaking? Should I take this particular issue to the image reproduction board?

3. What'll happen if I sew through the painting? Because I'll need to make a clean hem at the bottom, as it's just a raw edge right now. I'd think it would be okay but I'm not risking any screw ups. I'm leaving the teens in style, baby!

4. Any suggestions for a pattern? I'm size 18, though I'm shooting for a 16 by my birthday. I'm a 38DD so I'm fairly big-breasted, my waist is relatively narrow, and I'm pretty full around the tummy. No butt to speak of. And I'm 5'10". I'm still learning what looks good on me. And it can't be backless or sleeveless. Then again I could just wear a t-shirt under whatever, but ya know. And if you can't help me pick a specific pattern, can you point me toward a good site?

[Confuzzle]

1. It's friggin awesome! Keep at it, but maybe keep it around the hem, then after you put it together repeat something similar around the neckline.

2. I've had acrylics splatter on clothing where it shouldn't have been and not come out for literally years. As in ever. As in the clothes are rags now, that have been used so much that they really need to be thrown out, but the acrylic is still there. If that's any indication, you should be ok.

3. Not sure. If it's an issue, make some bias tape from some of the remaining fabric and run it around the edge as a trim. Should cover any issues you have with the paint.

4. erm.... Not sure, since I'm tiny, but judging by what my larger friends look good in, maybe a long tunic with leggings? Especially since you're hitting an amusement park, and dresses generally don't do well on a lot of the rides. Could do a simple tunic with a low-cut V neckline, and an addition of the painted fabric under that as a faux undershirt, maybe?

[DreamChild556]

Definitely get a black fabric marker. I know from personal experience that Sharpie fades in the wash. And if the outline's not all Sharpie, then it will fade unevenly. Not sure about sewing through the paint. Admittedly, I don't have that much experience with acrylics (because I hate painting). It should be fine in the wash, though. It looks great so far!

[Aislynn]

1.  It's freaking fabulous!  I love the colors, and the actual pattern is gorgeous!

2.  Stop what you're doing RIGHT NOW and go wash a test swatch of the same fabric with a few dots and lines of the paints you're using.  If it doesn't wash well, go to the store and buy fabric medium, which you can add to your acrylics, to make them into a washable fabric paint.  I've usually seen this stuff near the regular fabric paint.  It means starting over with the new paint, but you'll have a washable piece in the end.

3.  If you do start over with the fabric medium + acrylic, sew the garment first, then paint, thereby eliminating the need to sew through the paint.  If you don't start over, grab that same test swatch and sew through it!  See what happens.  It should be nothing, but depending on how the fiber is accepting the paint, you may see some flaking.

4.  Check out the Khaliah Ali patterns on Simplicity.  They're the best commercial patterns I've seen for curvy figures (http://www.simplicity.com/c-385-khaliah-ali.aspx?pagesize=99999999) by far!  I think 2947 is particularly forgiving and cute.  You could pair it with a pair of cropped black leggings and look super cute!

[kunoni]

1. It's spectacular!!!

2. you can gently heatset in with an iron. Cover it with a thin fabric and go over with and iron on a pretty low setting. Also, handwash and when painting, either water it down with fabric medium or water (preferably fabric medium) or use super thin layers. The thinner the better.

3. It shouldn't be a problem unless you painted it too thick. Worst case, do some touch ups when it's done.

here's a bunch of free dresses(you just have to join the site), if you're worried about the fact that you might eat to much cake, you can always enlarge the skirt and gather, It'll hide it:
http://www.burdastyle.com/patterns/nadja-1
http://www.burdastyle.com/patterns/coffee-date-dress-multisize-sample
http://www.burdastyle.com/patterns/coffee-date-dress (same as above but smaller size)
http://www.burdastyle.com/patterns/malissa
http://www.burdastyle.com/projects/amc-dress (this ones pretty)
http://www.burdastyle.com/projects/hope-wrap-dress
http://www.burdastyle.com/projects/katjusha (love this too)
http://www.burdastyle.com/projects/elsa-1-pattern-size-36?image=111230
http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=259541.0
http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=196489.0
http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=31949.0
http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=111426.msg1066086#msg1066086
that's all I got.

[koolaidria]

Wow, thanks guys so much for all your tips and opinions!! I love all those pattern links yall posted. Kunoni, I LOVE that milkmaid one here on craftster, I think I might go for that with a few alterations.

I've also decided that instead of a six flags trip with one friend, I'll do a huge backyard BBQ with halloween decorations and all that. Still deciding if it'll be a costume party or not, so if it IS, I won't be wearing this to the party. However, I'm thinking about asking my friend on a 'date' to the Alamo Drafthouse for dinner and a movie, so I will still get at least one birthday-related wear out of it! Ahhh I'm so excited!

[LMAshton]

1. Absofriggin'lutely fantabulous. Really. I would wear that in a heart beat. And if I had your talent, I'd want to do something similar for me to wear.

3. Sewing through painting isn't a big deal. Here, we have fabric (for saris and shalwaars, mostly) that are embroidered, sequined, painted, sometimes two or three of those. They're all sewn over and it's always fine.

[LMAshton]

Just another thought...

I'm thinking in terms of shalwaars here. It's pretty common to have the fabric only partially covered in fabric paint/embroidery/sequins, usually only the front of the tunic, and sometimes in a design in one corner at the bottom + neckline + sleeves, or at the bottom + neckline + sleeves or that sort of thing. I've also known women who've sewn the garment first and then did the hand embroidery or painting after to suit that specific garment.

Just thoughts that might spark something.

[koolaidria]

So helpful, thank you! And not only have you helped with this dress, but I'm also an artist and those shalwaars (I googled it!) are AMAZING! I'm all into drawing and painting details and intricate things like embroidery and you've just opened a whole new world of photo references for me! Thank you so so so much!

[LMAshton]

*laughs* You're welcome. I love shalwaars. I have a bunch in my closet and a bunch more waiting to be made. Here, at Eid (Muslim festival after Ramadan), everyone gives everyone else clothes, so my mother in law gets saris, my sister in law and I get shalwaar kits, and the men get boring stuff like business shirts or tshirts or pants. I LOVE the fabric for saris and shalwaars.