SW- Going Patternless

This week's challenge on Sew Weekly is to create something without a pattern.  I had been wanting to make a holiday dress also, so I just sort of combined the two!  I was originally going to use a pattern I had gotten from Meg, the Vogue 8280.

I was going to make the black dress that is in the bottom corner.  I didn't like the back of the dress... it was too boring for a cocktail dress.  You can't see it on these photos, but it was just a full back with no special detail work.  Also, when I was looking at the pattern I had, it was the wrong size.  So I didn't completely go patternless as I used the top front piece... but I did the rest free hand and had to make lots of changes to that small piece too.

Oh, and Zoey tried to help me yet again... I don't know why she does stuff like this, but it leads to very cute photos.

I started by designing what I wanted the back to look like.  I copied the shoulders from the front and then pleated the lower back.

I had to redo all of the pleats, including the chest ones because they were placed oddly... or maybe I just have an odd body... I dunno.  The top looks kind of goofy in this picture because my dress form is really flat chested.

Sorry all the photos are dark... I leave for work with the sun rising and get home as it sets... so we are lit by Christmas lights!

And tomorrow night my husband is taking me out so hopefully I can get a photo to put up of me in the dress!