Ugg, the "Motif" Dress

My last draping assignment was something called a "motif dress."  We had to pick a shape and drape around and into it.  The shape had to be inspired by a picture of a place that we've been to or would like to go to.  I was inspired by this picture:

I didn't take this picture, but this is how I remember Big Ben from my study abroad trip to London.  I saw it at night the first time and it was so pretty.  I think there was even some sort of crew working just like in the picture.  

I wanted my dress to have a circle as its motif and I wanted to keep the dress kind of columnar, but have some flare.   By the way, I hate it, and polyester georgette is EVIL!  Sewing wasn't all that bad, but cutting was a nightmare.  Especially with humongous circle skirt panels!  Sewing pleats into a circle was no picnic either.  

Here's the dress.

It had to be hand hemmed.  I didn't do it and didn't get knocked down because my teacher didn't even check!  I did a chiffon hem instead and it worked out pretty well.  I merrow hemmed the lining.  There is an invisible zipper too.  I wish the back straps were made out of the gold fabric, but I didn't have time to make pattern pieces for them. I used this awful, flimsy vintage ribbon I found in my stash.  It kept shredding as I worked with it. 

I was up all night working on this and then had to do more homework for my Creative Design Applications class.  I was also sick, so I'm not really proud of the dress.  I hope to be able to make things that I want.  I'm tired of making crappy garments that I am not proud of.  

Excuses, excuses, excuses.  ^