Transition from v0.5 to 1.0!

I forgot to take pictures of the final fitted mockup, but I’ll suit up tonight and take a couple for posterity. Let’s just say that I live in Hotlanta and staying in a corset was broiling my insides. Trying not to think about wearing it at Dragon*Con.

I sewed up the new darts, being an expert at this point at darts. The new ones between bust and shoulder are nearly perfect and I am so much happier with the fit. The original bust-waist-hip darts ended up a tad smaller than I wanted, but A.) that’s OK because I had to guess a little on them and try to flow the new width back into the same vertical points and B.) I’ve lost some weight between now and when I started, so a “perfect” fit will never be achieved, but I’ve gotten damned close.

On to 1.0! The copper fabric is beautiful, but it curls and shreds like a bitch. This realization may have been the point at which I made the decision that if a well-made, on-sale formal gown were to dangle itself tantalizingly in front of my face, that I would indeed buy it to save myself from having to do this a third time. Ann Taylor had a sale. The gods were listening! I picked up a nice cocktail length medium sky blue dress with beautiful details for about $100, which is probably how much I would have paid for materials for a third polonaise. So I am concentrating on headwear and warm clothes for the November wedding now. Whew!

For this problem, I have the solution. Eventually. I’m not cutting out the pieces with the pinking shears because I think it would add to the complexity of the sewing, and I am definitely in keep-it-simple mode. I think it’ll be a good seam finish though.

Again, my trusty team of pattern weights are on parade.

No, as a matter of fact, there isn’t anything left in the cupboards. Thank you for asking.

See? I know how to mark darts now! The fabric really is pretty.

The saving grace for the fabric will be the interlining that gets sewn to each piece before I sew them together. I’m just going to use some tightly woven cotton, or that bedsheet I saved but who knows where. A lot of sewing with bedsheets is going on at the Truly Victorian forums. I love reading the posts there.

So, I expect there’ll be a lot more cutting tonight with the cotton interlining, and hopefully some flatlining (Sewing the copper to the cotton. Not having heart attacks. Knock on wood.). I swear two thirds of sewing is cutting and ironing. They should really tell you that when you first start.