Took me about an hour to sew hooks (not eyes) on the sleeve holes (also put one last hook and eye on the bottom of the bodice edge, plus stitched down some sloppy skirting*). Then I tried it on so I could confirm sleeve placement and found that the hooks cut into my shoulders. Doh! I chose hooks because I couldn’t find the ribbon that matched and I don’t really want to trek out to the fabric store today (no other time to do it this week either). *sigh* I could take the very top hook off and hope it doesn’t droop funny. It was only that hook that was uncomfortable.
Everything is taking longer as I get closer to the end. I’m getting slower and burnt out. After the sleeves, I just have the skirt, and the thing is wearable. No farthingale or correct chemise, no hat, but it’ll do. I’m a little sick of it. Must take a break before I trim the crap out of it for the Elizabethan feast. I want it to feel like a totally different gown then, so I don’t have the same ‘omg burnt out.’
*The center-front area is rather sloppy overall. Couldn’t get the points pretty. I need a big flashy brooch to cover it, and a beaded and pearled girdle would be nice too.
Later…
Sleeve detail
Ok, the sleeves took way longer than they should have. All I was doing was putting in the way to attach them. I took all the hooks out and replaced them with some too-narrow ribbon that I hope to replace at a future date. And I sewed in the same type of ribbon on the sleeves themselves. This whole thing took 4 freakin’ hours!
Why do I need to keep proving that I am the World’s Slowest Sewer? I’m not trying here. If there was a contest, I’d have won ages ago. I don’t need the trophy.
Finished a little bit after USC won the Rose Bowl (damn them). Now I don’t want to ever set foot inside my sewing room again. Except I need a skirt for this outfit.
But I have a Cunning Plan. I think I’ll wear the skirt of my Dickens Faire outfit. This is actually borrowing from my own Budget Costuming Tip #83: the same round cartridge-pleated skirt can work for Renaissance and Victorian gowns, just plan your fabric choices carefully. The Dickens skirt is a more maroon velveteen, while the ren bodice is a true burgundy patterned velveteen. It’ll look like separates, not a gown. I held them up together, and the colors are complimentary. Need to try them on together and may need to do some safety pinning since the ren bodice’s waist is a bit high. It’s a reasonable backup plan.
I’ll still aim to try and sew the ren skirt this week after work. But I’m not going to do it tonight. My back, neck, and wrists are killing me, my eyes are goggly, and I’m staring down the prospect of going back to work after a lovely week off. Tonight is not the night for cartridge pleating. I did a heck of a lot more sewing in a concentrated time period than perhaps I ever have, even if I don’t have a lot to show for it.
Earrings
Poor lighting, also the bodice doesn’t fit my dressform because she has bigger boobs and she’s in a Victorian corset. But I tried it on and it fits me. Plus a back view. I like the skirting. That’s one part that nobody helped me with 🙂
Some gaudy earrings I picked up at Target this week. They’re not quite this red. I haven’t put a collar on the bodice yet. If I don’t get to it this week, I’m hoping these blingy earrings will distract from that fact.