Continuing On

Hours: 3.5
Tasks: finished scallops at zip; continued adding scallops to hem
Entertainment: Pride and Prejudice (BBC version)

Definitely on the home stretch. The back is complete; I've figured out a way to make the scallops go across where the zipper is so it's hopefully a bit more camouflaged than usual. The scallops are pinned to the back of the train at the hem and are looking beautiful. This is fun, straightforward work, and watching a Jane Austen costume drama always helps the sewing along. Pics to come soon.

Another Task Complete!

A great day of sewing done today. I finished up the back lace seam and started work on the small detail work of finishing the bodice scallops around the zip. The end is in sight. Still kind of far away, but in sight.

Hours: 6
Tasks: finished back lace seam; worked on finishing bodice around the zip
Entertainment: Jason, Chandra & Jeffy; Bride and Prejudice

Seaming up the Back

Hours: 2
Task: sewing back lace seam below zip: 25" complete
Entertainment: Chandra

Jason and Chandra are visiting us, but I don't want to miss the opportunity to work on the dress if I can, and luckily Chandra had some work to do as well, so I was able to get a couple of hours done on the back seam today. I am feeling like I'm on the home stretch! So exciting!

No More Machines!

Another daycare day for Ewan; another big day of accomplishment on the dress. I got a new zipper from Fabricland and successfully put it in. I sewed up the back seams on the lining and silk. There's a lot of finicky hand-sewing involved now in attaching the lining to the zip, putting beads back on that got removed for the zipper insertion, finishing the bodice scallops at the top of the zip, etc etc, but the big news is that I *think* I'm done with the sewing machine. From here on in, it's all hand-sewing (except possibly for the hem of the silk which - given yesterday's paranoia - I'm not doing to do until Karine tries on the dress one more time). Speaking of the hem paranoia, I figured out that if I did make the lace too short, I can always add on another layer of scallops to increase the length. This has reassured me to no end.

Hours: 3
Tasks: inserted zipper; sewed back seams of lining and silk; hemmed lining; did required hand-sewing to finish zipper properly
Entertainment: CBC Radio One

More Hemming

Today I spent another couple of hours working on hemming the front of the lace. I had no idea how stressful I would find this - not because it's hard, but because making sure I have the measurements right is so key. (Because the scallops get sewn to the lace, there's no chance of changing the hem once it's applied. This is kind of nerve-racking.) I'm paranoid now that the lace isn't even, or that it's too short. I think it's okay, but until the dress goes back on Karine, I won't know for sure. Ack! I keep checking it on the mannequin and it seems okay, but only time will tell.

Hours: 2
Tasks: hemming lace by sewing scallops of front edge of dress
Entertainment: CBC Radio One

Hemming It Up

Today I spent some time while Ewan was napping working on the hems of the skirt. I got the silk pinned and basted, the lining pinned, and the lace pinned on the front and partly sewn. A good chunk of work for 2 1/2 hours!

Hours: 2.5
Tasks: pinned and basted hem on silk; pinned hem on lining; pinned and began sewing lace border to hem on front of dress
Entertainment: CBC Radio One

Always Expect the Unexpected

Everything takes longer than I think it will on this dress. Like today - I tried to insert the zipper. Which I thought would only take a little bit of time, because really - it's a zipper! Even the name is fast! Zip, zip! Quickety-boo, as we say around our place, right?


Not so much. First there was the basting of the appropriate layers together. Then removing beads from where the zip will be sewn. (Beads and sewing machine needles do not agree.) Next: making sure the zip was appropriately placed. Then basting the zip on to the dress, making sure that seams and the top of the dress match up. (Nothing makes me crazier than a zipper inserted where the waist seams don't match up. Argh.) Then: sewing the zipper in place with the sewing machine, basting the lining in to place over the zipper tape, and sewing a small strip of fabric over the bodice portion of the zipper tape so it's not super-annoying or scratchy.

All of which would have gone just fine, except that the zipper broke when I was sewing it in by machine. *sigh* So I changed plans and worked on the extra skirt lining instead.

Hours: 4.5
Tasks: prepped for zipper insertion; cut out extra skirt lining, sewed and hemmed it, and attached it to the corset
Entertainment: CBC Radio One