Not The Regency Dress I Was Intending...

but it was on my list anyway, so it's all okay.  Let me explain:

JoAnn Fabrics has this wonderful white cotton with pale blue stripes that I want as the fabric for my Regency dress to be worn at the Hydrangea Festival in June.  Because it is a "coordinate" fabric, it falls under a certain group of cottons called "Baby Basics" on the shelf.  You know, mix-y match-y stuff for a nursery, etc.  For the longest time, it has been on sale.  But not a very good sale.  Like, part of last month, it was $1 off per yard.  It's originally $5.99/yd.  $5 a yard isn't terrible, but I knew I could do better.

It finally did come off being $5/yd, only to be on sale for 30% off.  Which makes it $4.19/yd.  Ok, yes.  Less than $5/yd, but still not quite the deal I'm striving for.  Then this week I got a load of coupons for a "make your own sale" event.  YAY!  "Surely,"  I thought, "surely it will be off sale and I can use the 50% coupon and get it for $3/yd.  Please, please, please!"

No. Such. Luck. :(

It is STILL on sale at 30% off ($4.19) until March 17, which is the day AFTER the coupons expire.  Argh!!!  But it's ok.  I'll keep watching and waiting.  Eventually sometime between now and May 1st, it just has to go off sale and there also be either a 40% or 50% off coupon in the mail.  Preferably the 50% one, but you know, I'd even take the 40% if that was the best one offered, because that would still make it $3.59/yd.  Anywhere less than $4/yd would be awesome.

So there I was in the fabric store, with a bunch of coupons in my hand...

And I remembered the sheer overlay confection that I have wanted to make and absolutely could not justify spending the money it would cost on.  I couldn't afford it at regular price; not in my wildest dreams.  But for half off, well now... I might could shift some other projects around to make that happen!
And that's what I did.  I ended up with this:

This photo does not do those sweet, sorbet colored stripes any justice!

I'll be working up a concept board for it this week, so you can better see what it will become, but the general idea is a short sleeved Regency era dress; the main body of the gown being the white muslin and then the sheer stripe wonderfulness over that, with the front skirt part split up the middle to the waist line so it is all flow-y and gossamer and ethereal.  The sleeves will not have the muslin under them.  They will just be sheer cap sleeves.  Don't forget how hot it gets here in June!

I'm planning on wearing this on one of the two days of the festival, since it's a hassle to sweat so much in one on Saturday, get home right away and have to wash it out and let it hang dry and hope it is ready by Sunday morning!  This way I have a dress for each day.  And more justification for buying the pretty sheer! ;)  If you really want to know, it was more than $20/yard at regular price.  Those 50% off coupons make this little seamstress a happy camper.  Er... sew-er. :)

That white and blue striped cotton will still be mine.  Eventually.  For now, I have materials to play with while I watch and wait for it to go off sale again. :)  I'll post the progress as soon as I can!