Friday, January 29, 2010

We're almost there

Is there anything better than a sewing epiphany?

Right now, I'm not feeling like there is. It's reached the stage where it's no longer the Blue Atrocity. It's the blue something "that's not really so bad after all," which is one giant leap forward.

Last night we watched Project Runway and she tried on the dress with the pieces pinned to the bodice. The bodice still fit with the pins in, so that was good. After she left, I put the dress on Evelyn - it's remarkably too small for her, as I think I've said before - and I stared at it for a while.

The slightly dropped waist was beginning to bother me, but not enough that I was going to pick out the invisible zipper and move the waistline up. No, no, no. It's a costume. Repeat after me: it's a costume. Stop obsessing. It just has to last out the run. Which is blessedly short.

I took down the lightweight netting and fiddled with it again. I had one strip left over that I didn't use on the bodice, and I turned it into a waistband so I could put the net under it. Hmm.

Maybe we're on to something here? Dulls the shine, makes it look less bridesmaidy. Okay, keep going.


Tonight while watching the repeat of the President's question-and-answer session on MSNBC - a sad comment on the state of television in this country that politics is almost always more interesting than what's on the networks or cable - I did all the hand-sewing on the bodice.

Once that was done with, I made up an actual waistband. Then I took the 2 yards of netting, folded it in half and cut it, then gathered it and sewed it to the waistband. I sewed up the side seam as invisibly as I could, which was not very since the thread shows right through. Hopefully it's an active role.

Now all I have left to do is try the dress on her one last time so I can mark the hem, trim the netting, if necessary, and tack the waistband / overskirt to the dress.

Here's where it is right now, on the sewing table. Honestly, it's nowhere near as bad as I thought it was.

This project has taken way too much thought. Every time I lay hands on the fabric, I have another idea of how it might be able to work.

It's a good thing I'm at the end of the project, because I'm almost at the end of my supplies. I still have the lining fabric left, because I haven't lined the dress yet. There's 1.5 yards of blue crinoline net, which I'm not sure will get used at this point.

I can't wait to sew something for ME.

8 comments:

redhotpepper said...

Ok, that takes it from cheesy and cheap to stage-worthy. Great job!

There's nothing like taking some junk and making it look great.

Annie

KID, MD said...

I've been watching this come together - I think it turned out way better than they ever could have expected, considering what you had to work with. Nice!!

kbenco said...

Sewing with yucky fabric is truly noble. The dress looks far better than the materials deserve. I hope you have a nice piece of cashmere or silk to work with next, or maybe some Italian shirting cotton. You have earnt it!

Michelle said...

Wow, great work! I've been following your progress and kudos to you for working through the limitations of the fabric and supplies given to you. Fantastic work.

gwensews said...

I am sure you will enjoy sewing something for yourself. That dress is coming togehter nicely, but there's nothing like sewing for one's self, as per Selfish Seamstress!

Little Hunting Creek said...

Good work! It came out great and I bet it will look awesome from where the audience is sitting

Nancy K said...

It could have been a shiny disaster, instead its a well fitting, well made costume. Remember that, it's a costume and it will probably look different on stage anyway. I don't remember how you were finagled into this project but you came through even though you hated the project.

meli88a said...

Hey, check out the bodice on this Tracy Reese dress... you and she are on the same wavelength!

http://www.tracyreese.com/p-29-frock-colleen.aspx