So, you know that feeling you get when an idea of yours is about to come into fruition after some long hard work. Each component is inspected and placed with deliberation. Very satisfying. You also know that feeling you get when you remember that either you or the pattern did something stupid and you are now x to the infinite degree steps beyond that mistake. Well, my dress/I did that this time. There were ruffles and a strange pattern indication that led to my tucking of the neckline between the center front and ribbon bound ruffles as a solution to a gaping neckline.
I decided to use some fabric that my grandmother gave to me several years ago from a dusty storage bin sitting around her house. It is a particularly fragile and sheer cotton, most likely a consequence of the age and humid storage conditions. When I pressed and steamed it, I could smell the antiquity of the fabric. Hopefully, you are familiar with the smell of old fabric. I had such high hopes for this garment, and it did not yield what I expected. It was't that disastrous, just not what I wanted.
The dress in the book:
I decided to add ribbon; I thought the exposed seam was a little ugly with contrasting thread.
Something you can't see immediately in the pattern and picture she gives is that the front is a solid 3in shorter and the dress lengthens towards the back hem. I really liked this feature and that it is accented with the huge pleat.
The strange mess I am still not satisfied with. The collar could use some work.
The huge pleat that I ironed the daylights out of.
I also placed ribbon along the collar-neckline seam to hide my pitiful topstitching...
I have found that I am taking more time in projects these days, and enjoying the process more, contemplating method and how to correct mistakes. It is so much more enjoyable than rushing through something and having quick satisfaction of instant gratification that may or may not have mistakes littered about it. The feeling of that just seemed more evident to me this time around.
In other news I have taken up a Sewing Dare from gilliancrafts. I plan to do it within a month, and I think I shall challenge myself to line it as well as add tulle to fill out the skirt of Crepe a bit since there is not a fastening to present itself as an...obstacle.
Yesterday afternoon I made a delightful trip to Joanne's to forage and purchase Renaissance fabric for my brother's Henry VIII costume. Astonishingly, they were purchased for something much less than what I had predicted. (This got me thinking about the quality of seams made possible by sergers. I have being pondering the purchase of a serger for a while, and I believe it may be happening within the month. Any suggestions would be welcome.) I also found some cobalt, gold, and crimson brocade with a dragon motif that my mother purchased as a thank you for making Will's madrigal costume and it will most likely be formed into a dress before the close of the summer. :)
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