I then did the same on the other side – but the 2 pattern pieces are not yet sewn together, they are only attached with the strip of leather. I like the look of this false french seam, though I can’t imagine sewing seams by hand would be strong enough! I’ve used a variation of a faced hem recently when, instead of bias binding, I used straight strips of fabric to turn up a straight hem on a dirndl skirt. I felt that the length of the dress would probably be too long for me so I took some of the length out of the skirt pieces before I cut them out in fabric.

To me couture means tailored garments that are fitted on you and have all the little details that make them fit better on the person. But I honestly think it can sound a bit pretentious to describe things as couture, (if you're not speaking in french already! One of my stranger tasks this year was to carry out a socially-distanced dress fitting on a doorstep!I created this collage of a few of my projects made using thrifted, salvaged, reused, donated or repurposed fabrics at the start of August but I never posted it. Next I stay-stitched all the neck edges on the machine 5mm in, if you have a very loose weave fabric it would probably be sensible to stay-stitch the bottom edge of the front bodice piece to prevent stretching. I agree with Lynn, applying “couture” techniques won't make us “la petite main” = hand worker who executes the garment sewing in the atelier. Maybe not all people know that “Haute couture” is a trade name given by the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture to only some “maisons” that match high standards of garment execution.

Judith’s idea for the challenge is a simple one-we use only fabric which is already ‘in the system’, especially if it’s already sitting on our shelves. Before lockdown started I had been commissioned to make a dress for a work colleague of my daughter Katie.The pattern cutter would pass me the initial pattern to cut as a toile so that she and the designer could assess the shape and fit on the stand. In America we don't have these classifications or for that matter the apprentice system that supports and protects it.