Saturday, September 27, 2008

Sleeping Beauty Gown Coming Together

Starting to look purty. The frontispiece is piped and set in with the side fronts. Picture above shows one lower sleeve cape together and basted at the top. The other side shows the velvet sleeve cape lining with bias piping basted on ready for the fashion fabric.

Get over it. You must always baste velvet if you don't want to drive yourself to an early happy hour. Piping is a real boon when sewing a pile or nap fabric to a smooth surface fashion cloth. The basted on piping wont let the smooth fabric walk or travel because both smooth surfaces are together rather than velvet to smooth. The basting keeps your piping in place. After you've sewn your two pieces together, the piping helps you turn a super crisp edge.



Here's the sleeve cape with the gold soutache braid hand stitched in place. Why by hand? No sewing lines show on your exposed lining. The bodice is stitched to the backs at shoulders and one one side. As this is a lace up gown and a piece used for theatre, I'm adding a side seam zipper for ease of getting it on and off. Even though there's no quick changes, lacing a bazillion holes is not a quick closure and you need help with it.

Today I finish the bodice back darts and put the sleeve cap and lower sleeve together to ready them for the lower sleeve capes. The lining is together and ready for boning.

10 comments:

annette emms said...

Wow Dina! I'm exhausted just reading that!You are so skilled, I can't wait to see the finished article. . .xx

Anonymous said...

teriffic!! absolute teriffic!!

Unknown said...

Miss Annette,

Just wait until they see what's in store with YOU!

It's definitely a project! I've also taken on one additional character.

Have never learned to say 'no'.

Blessings,
D

Unknown said...

Samate,

Thanks so much, Little Beauty! I see that you're always busy, too!

D

Vikki North said...

It sure is looking purdy! Really gorgeous. Very Cinderella in stylings. What fabric will the skirt portion be?
vikki

Unknown said...

Thanks Vikki,

The skirt will be the same sapphire duchesse with a center skirt forepart of the sky blue velvet.

I've almost finished trimming the second lower sleeve cape and hope to get enough done on the bodice to start the skirt, which is THE easiest part!

Hope your own sewing adventures are going well.

D

Anonymous said...

Wow, I have no idea how you do that Dina. All I know is it looks beautiful! It's already flowing!

I hadn't opened my eyes to fashion work before, but I like the flow in everything you do. It feels like I'm looking at ethereal waterfalls. Really serene and beautiful, and calms my senses.

~Michael

Unknown said...

Michael,

Honey. We all have our gifts. I can't change sparkplugs any more.

D

Anonymous said...

Dina! This is so beautiful!! S. is going to look fabulous - I can't imagine she'll ever want to take it off. :D

It's Kim here, BTW. ;)

Unknown said...

Kim!

Hey Little Flower! You'll be beauteous too when I'm finished with yours!

BTHs
Dina