Red Velvet Compare...

Close enough for me. I wasn't comfortable with the shoulders as far off as in the portrait, and I didn't end up adding a ruffle to the neckline (already got enough there as it is!) and to the edge of the antique shawl, but all in all, a fun project.

CC Countdown! (and Other)

I made my split drawers, and then decided I hated the gathering...unfortunatly I had already done the buttonhole, so I could only undo the waistband so far. It ended up pretty good in the end, however. I love the lace at the hem, it's totally cheezy cute. The split goes all the way around the crotch, but when they're on, you can't even tell. I'm really excited that absolutly all sewing is done, and I have 3.5 days to go! It feels weird, almost like I'm cheating.

:D



And the red dress is done! Once again, I forgot to take picture of the whole ensemble while it was on! After this picture, I added lace to the sleeve edge.



Things I need to do (X is finished!!!)

Underclothes/Accessories:
X-Wash gutchies
X-make drawers
X-sew buttons on petticoats
X-starch petticoats
Current/Ongoing - iron petticoats (I've done both of the 'easy' ones...all I have left is the flounced petticoat. I'm intimidated! I bought a new ironing board cover, since all the ironing I did last night finally did in my old cover.)
X-Make hairpieces
X-Wash shawls
X-Wash cap

Red Velvet:
X-Tack neckline and sleeves
X-Make lace inserts (sleeves)
X-Sew skirt

Purple cotton:
X-Sew on hook & eyes (This would be done, but I only had 2 hooks, I need three!)
Starch dress - I think I'm going to wait to do this for when we get there, no point in starching and ironing dress only to have it packed away in a hot car for 12+ hours!)

Other:
Current - Dye hair. I'm going to wake Holly up from her nap as soon as I'm done posting to help me dye my hair again.
Eyebrows - hopefully will do this tonight!
Ongoing - Pack!!!! (I'm slowly gathering all the stuff I need to pack. I am SO paranoid I'll forget something!


******

Ok, now the more different other stuff. I showed up late (by 15 minutes!!) to the Desserts competition. All the time, money, and energy! I just about cried my eyes out in front of everybody. I was so crushed. But, I set up anyway, and cooked a whole shload of cakes for anyone who would eat them, and it turned out super fun in the end. There was a whole bank of people watching me cook. ;)

I didn't end up with a single cake left over, and I have the feeling that I could have doubled the total number of cakes, and still not had any leftovers!

I have TONS and TONS of butter and clotted cream left over, though. I need to start giving it away, there is far too much for two people to eat!

CC Countdown!

I starched all my petticoats again, since the summer heat has taken it's toll on the almost 4-month old starching job I did. They stand up again! :) I just need to get them all ironed up nice.


I'm almost completely done with the red dress. I spent today fiddling with the bodice and getting the skirt underway. I got the neckline pinned. I'm not completely happy with the way it turned out in the end, but as a first attempt at not only this specific technique, but also a first for the period.


And another view of the pinning...


There are some fitting issues, but they're mostly hidden. My list of dislikes:
-I hate the back of the sleeves. I didn't cut a deep enough curve to fit my armscye
-I'm dissapointed that the neckline doesn't lie as flat as I'd like it to. Steaming the pleats helped a bit
-I wish I had cut the skirt a smidge fuller. I didn't realize how poufy all my skirts would end up after all the starching.
-I cut the back of the bodice up a smidge (ok, more like 1- 1 1/2") too high, the skirt gaps...unfortunatly, I'll have to add hooks and eyes to the skirt and bodice to keep the gaposis to a minimum.
-I made the back of the neckline a bit too big, and I have to keep the shoulders pulled down quite tightly to keep it looking like it's supposed to.
-The bottom of the bodice ended up with a weird slight flare at the bottom, so it looks kinda weird. :(

I'm not wearing my corset, and it's not pulled very tight, but you kinda get the idea. I originally was going to tack up the sleeves for a layered pouf, but I think I like it better without. Also, I tried adding lace to the neckline, but I wasn't too fond of it, so I think I'll leave the lace for the sleeves only.


I tacked the neckline pleats with a weird reverse blind stitch I kinda made up. (I'm sure it's an actual stitch -- I've just never used it before, and I don't really know what to call it!)


Neckline half the way done...


Bodice after tacking, clipping, and steaming the neckline.


I got my hairpieces and headwear done! I need to remember to dye my hair before I go!


I am not sure if I'm going to wear the hairpieces with the bonnet or not, but I think it is kinda cute!


I put on the whole kit 'n kaboodle this afternoon, but I forgot to take pictures. I'm sure I'll be putting it all on at least once more before CC, so I'll try to remember to take some pictures!

Things I need to do (X is finished!!!)

Underclothes/Accessories:
Wash gutchies
make drawers (?)
X-sew buttons on petticoats
X-starch petticoats
iron petticoats
X-Make hairpieces
X-Wash shawls
X-Wash cap

Red Velvet:
X-Tack neckline and sleeves
Make lace inserts (sleeves)
CURRENT - Sew skirt

Purple cotton:
Sew on hook & eyes
Starch dress

CCRVD - update

I've been slowly plugging away at this, but have not been posting much of it. I got the sleeves on (which I'm not totally thrilled with), and the armscye bound. Still left to do on the bodice:
-tack ruching/tucks on neckline
-tack ruching on sleeves
-attach ribbons to sleeves

Not looking very impressive, but there it is.


Binding on the armscye....


The pleating on the sleeve cap. I totally fail at this sleeve. I like the front OK, the back is horriffic.


Inside view of the sleeve...gathered to the sleeve lining to create *pouf*


Headdress before addition of velvet 'ribbons'.

Last of the cupcake updates, and more RV CC updates

Cupcakes all packaged up and ready to go....


A little over 2/3 of the cupcakes set out on the table...


And some closeups...


I ran out of batteries before I took any more pictures of the wedding site...it was beautiful! Just like a miniature Moroccan palace! I'm sure they're on the web somewhere, I'll post links when I find some pictures!

I finally worked a smidge on my red velvet dress. I just barely finished the bottom binding. As far as the bodice goes, all I need to do is finish the collar (tacking down and pressing the pleats) and making the sleeves. I don't think the skirt will be that big of a deal....I'm leaning towards the separate skirt idea.



My overall to do list is:
-stitch belt for purple dress
-attach hooks for purple dress
-make sleeves for red dress
-tack neckline for red dress
-make skirt for red dress
-make headpiece for red dress
-make ringlets for purple dress
-starch petticoats

Weekend Plans Go Awry...

I was SO SICK yesterday, I spent the entire day on the couch, sleeping my life away. *ugh* I'm glad I made the frosting well before I got sick, or I would have 200 cupcakes worth of frosting to throw away. I still have not frosted the cupcakes, I'll be doing that this afternoon just in time for the wedding tonight. I also have my family bbq in a couple of hours, hopefully I'll make it through the rest of the day!

As I was making tea this morning, I spied a fox walking along the ditch in the field across the road! I grabbed my phone as quick as I could, but he all but dissapeard behind the large bush in the center of the picture. Nature is good and all that, as long as they leave my widdle puppies alone. (Kinda makes me nervous)


Holly sent me a picture of the jewelry for my CC dress.....OMG I am so excited! (Yay Holly!)

Even More Red Velvet Dress

I spent the entire weekend on the couch, alternating between working and handsewing. Both were quite productive.

I got all the hooks sewn on, the lining tacked down, and the thread bars worked. (Picture on the left is the hooks sewn in with the lining tacked, middle is the bars...light flecks at the edge, with the lining not tacked in yet, right is the outside of the bodice, with the hooks all done up)


Here's the inside of the bodice with the piping tacked down at the neckline, and the hooks and bars finished....


This picture is pretty lame, my camera was not focusing well. Anyway, this is the inside of the piping at the neckline....


And the outside of the neckline.


And here's me wearing the bodice, before the piping was finished. (Ignore my giant arms. ugh) there's a slight issue with gaposis at the back apparantly. I couldn't see it in the mirror! (I may be tacking a little flap of velvet to the hook side to give just a smidge more coverage in the back.


I conned Holly into braving all the pins so I could futz around with the neckline. I think it will probably turn out OK in the end, but it is going to require a lot of futzing and a log of tacking and steaming to get it to set the way I want it. After watching the Xmas Dr. Who on BBC last night, I think that there is a more-different-other better way to get the look of the portrait neckline, but this will work as well.


And now I'm wanting to make the Dr. Who dress too!!!! (I even have the *perfect* gold silk too! Dang, I need more venues to wear these gowns to!!!!

Here's the Doctor Who dress I was referring to earlier...i'm totally in love with it.......and not just because it's red!! The detailing on the bodice and neckline is amazing. (This picture isn't the best, but it's the only one I could find on the net!

Red Velvet Dress - Collar/Bertha

I've spent most of the morning draping the collar for the dress. A few drafts later, and I think I've finally come up with a workable pattern. I'm stalling cutting out the velvet right now!

Obviously, it's not perfectly pinned, but I think it's close enough that I can use the pattern. I wanted to do it in one solid piece, but it looks like that is not going to be possible. There is a seam up the center to make everything fit right. I kind of wish I had been able to get it just a smideon more pointy at the bottom, but I think it will work just find the way it is.

Red Velvet Dress con't (more different other from the RVIoD dress, btw)

Thankfully, I decided to work from home today....I woke up to two giant piles of doggie barf in the hallway...it took almost an hour to get cleaned up........eeeeeeugh. o.O

But now on to more pleasant things.....I've go the bodice sewn back together, and this time, it fits. (phew!) I flatlined all of the velvet with a thick black canvas. (The reverse side shows the seams quite well!)


I need to edit the neckline a bit....I looked at the portrait again and it's more of a "V" rather than a scoop. I've learned that it is Very Important to constantly check and re-check my source, since my mind automatically fills in things that are not quite correct (Case in point, below)


I'm struggling with the boning channels. Normally, I do not bone my bodices at all, with the exception of the center back seam. I think this bodice is going to need some extra boning up the front, and down each side as well.....I thihnk I'm going to use the old standby, zipties. I'll be covering the boning with bias tape, and then tack the boning casing to the seam somehow. This is out of my range of experience, so once again, and SUGGESTIONS ARE GREATLY APPRECIATED.


The first boning in it's casing....only two to four more to go (depending on if I decide to do two rows down the sides or not.)


It's been crazy busy at work today, so my whole plan of sewing inbetween client fires has been totally shot down. poo.

Red Velvet con't

Upon closer inspection, it is starting to look like the bertha/collar thing is ONLY on the front. There is a ridge on the shoulder seam that looks like the collar dissapears into. If this is the case, then I think my whole "well, how do I get into it if it's solid all the way around" problem is solved. I still, however, need to figure out a way to attach it to the shoulder without looking like poo.

I've asked Holly if she'd be willing to take on a commission for the jewelry...I'll see what she says! ;)

CC '09 updates (Cranford and Red Velvet dresses)

Cranford Dress -

I still need to:
*Hem (done!)
-Add hooks up the back (will be waiting until closer to CC, in case I loose more weight!)
-Make bum roll (I'm undecided about this one....may not make it)
*Trim bonnet (done!)
*Add ties to bonnet (done!)
-Trim side curls/make hair piece
-Make sleeve puffles? (or tack into place for less poofy style)
-Make belt - need to find out if I need to use fusible interfacing for stiffness.......ANYONE HAVE SUGGESTIONS FOR MAKING A BELT OUT OF RIBBON?
-Make reticule (?)

I'm really not as angry as I look in this picture! I'm actually quite pleased with how it turned out!






I started on the Red Velvet Dress last night -



My math is teh sucks....I made all the seam allowances too big, so after I had sewn the entire thing together, I had to rip it all apart again to make it fit. (I need to sew it all back together again when I get home from work today) *sigh*

But the pattern itself looks like it will work quite nicely. (I ended up chopping off about 6" from the neckline, it ended up far, far too high for the evening gown I'm trying to make.

There are three major areas that I am concerned about now that the bodice is (mostly) figured out:

1. Collar/bertha - I think this will be mostly resolved through creative draping. I'm mostly concerned about the neckline....do I sew it in inbetween the lining and the fashion fabric, or do I let it drape along the outside, tacking into place?

2. Skirt - Do I do an attached or a detached skirt?! Gaah...this one is killing me. I am SO undecided. I'm kind of leaning towards the detached, but I am very concerned that the velvet will be too bulky underneath such a tight bodice. boo.

3. Sleeves - Another thing that will probably be resolved when I acutally get to draping them. Also probably my least of the three.

High-level to do -

-Sew bodice back together (with correct seam allowances), add boning/hooks
-Make skirt
-Draft sleeves
-Draft collar/bertha
-Make headpiece/hairpiece
-Find/buy ribbon and lace for sleeves and neckline
-Find/buy jewelry

Luckily, ALL of the gutchies for the Cranford dress will work with this dress, so all the hard work I put into them will get triple use! (Cranford, Red Velvet, Sunday Undies) Although I will need to find laundry facilities so I can wash my chemise. I don't have the energy (or time) to make another set, and I think I'll need a fresh set with so much wear.