The Front

I always get nervous at this point because if I goof,  I have to redo a LOT.

Today I put in the new collar and attached the lining around the collar and vest seams.

I folded under the bottom hem here.  That is another decision I have to make.  What should the bottom hem look like and should I take out the pleats in the back?  The picture of the original dress doesn't show the back.

I am still deciding on just how to do the closing on the front.  In the original it looks like there are tiny covered buttons.  Well, I may have to take a trip to JoAnn's to check out buttons.  The last time I did they did not have a good stock for my needs.  What ever looked like it would work, they didn't have enough in stock.

Ripping out the collars

The honey harvest didn't happen yesterday, but the beading is tacked to the bodice . . .

and I ripped out the double collars . . .

Then I recut a collar, just one and it is out of the velvet.

The Outer Collar

 I barely had time to baste the collars in this morning.  There are two collars, the outer one (velvet) and the inner one satin that matches the "vest".  It doesn't look very good on Dolly because her neck is bigger than the collar so the whole thing is not sitting correctly.

The outer collar is pretty much done but the inner collar is not stitched at its ends.  I may just change the collars to one like the original.  Otherwise I have to put the beaded strip between the vest and collar before final stitching.

So.....What to do.

I am thinking I should do it like the original and just do the full velvet collar.  It would make life easier. And then there is the vest thing. The original has two strips like lapels, sort of, with the beading on them.  I am thinking seriously of doing that also.  It does give a more finished look where the dress and the vest meet.  It will be interesting when I do the bottom front of the bodice. . . it looks fraught with danger.

But actually the sleeves are next.

The sleeves have to be in when the lining is added.  When the lining is added is when the collar issue has to be decided.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves!  Tomorrow is honey harvest!  So if I remember my camera I will let you in on a bit of it!

Boning!

This morning I had a bit of time to put the lining pieces and finish putting the velvet pieces together.  So...I just had to try it on "Dolly" before I left for the morning.

Just a note here:  the bottom hem of the bodice is going to be altered

And then I just had to give myself a bit of the beading on the bodice look:

When I came home this afternoon I had a couple hours to work on the boning casings.

So the casings are done and next is the collar, actually 2 collars (one for the velvet and one for the vest).
Friday is another busy day so . . . . .

Cutting out the bodice sections

Even though I had a meeting across the bay I managed to cut out the bodice, baste on the interfacings...

and sew the sections of the velvet together.

Next, put together the lining sections together.  Thursdays are always busy so I may not get anything done on the project though.




xxxx

Little Things Take Such a Long Time

I spent a lot of time adding the bustle tapes and buttons and loops on the burgundy dress, adding the fasteners to the waist band and tacking down the last of the beading.

The beading is rather heavy and pulls down the skirt a bit.  I am going to put hooks on the bodice to help support it.

The skirt from the side

The bustled back of the skirt.

And now to tackle the bodice!  My calendar has been getting busier and busier and I need to get it done by the first week of December!

I am using the same pattern as the "Bustle Dress" I just finished a few weeks ago.  That will make it easier since I adjusted my pattern pieces.  Hopefully I will have it cut out by tomorrow night.

Hemming

No humming, just hemming.

I spent most of the day pining up the hem and then sewing the hem.  because of the draping and the bustle the hem was not a normal hemming job and it took me a long to pinning it up.  And the sewing took a long time to do also.

The things left on the skirt are:
1. the tapes for the gather the bustle.
2, the hooks for the bustle.
3  the buttonhole and button for the waist.

The Fun is Over????

OK, true confessions... I sure did have a lot of fun the last few weeks but, time to get serious and hit the restart button.  I went up 4 lbs of darn hard weight to get off, so consider the restart button hit!!

On the Burgundy Dress project:  I put the lining with the velvet.  I pinned the front of the skirt on "Dolly" and worked hard to get the drape to work.  I didn't add an interlining and  I may have to go back and do that.  Velvet is fairly heavy and gravity weights it down.  Having the drape from the side to not quite the side (because of the insert) really makes a difference too.

I had planned on using the brocade for the contrasting material but since the velvet color changed I decided on the satin instead.

The insert has been added and the skirt back is now gathered and attached to the skirt front.  Now before going any further I have to add the beading to the insert so I can sew on the waist band.

You know what that means.....I have to finish about 8 inches of beading first.

So that is what I am doing now!

Halloween!

Fabric.com hasn't gotten back to me re: the return of the crushed, literally, velvet.

In the mean time, I can't wait around.  I have only so many days I can work on this project before I need it for Christmas tours.  So.....I headed down to JoAnns Fabric store with my 40% off coupon and bought some NICE velvet.  Actually it looks like what I was expecting from fabric.com.

The original fabric

This is a comparison between the old on the top and new on the bottom:

 I do like the color better from fabric.com but this new velvet doesn't have all the set wrinkles and crushes so the improvement is over 100%.  

Then we went out trick or treating with Ben and Tim:

Another Trip to Pacific Grove!

Can you believe it, two trips to Pacific Grove in two weeks!  Lucky me!

At our motel cabin:

A hop, skip and a jump from the Pacific

 After we arrived, my dear took a nap while I went for a walk down to the ocean.

 And then later we both walked down to the ocean to watch the sun set before going to dinner.

I love the ice plant even if it isn't indigenous to the area.

Then we had to say goodby.

Today!

This morning I sent an email to Fabric.com regarding the condition the velvet came in.  I have been stewing about it.  I did try to steam a bit of it but the velvet is so terribly crushed it didn't do a thing.  Because I am on a time constraint I was thinking that if I make the dress then I could have it dry cleaned to get the crush out so I did cut the skirt pieces out, which are HUGE.  Then I saw that not only the crush was a problem, but there is also a burn/melt thing going on on one side in a few inches from the salvage. It looks like salvage you sometimes see with little holes  on the side, but it isn't on the salvage.  Anyhow, I really need to get new velvet soon so hopefully Fabric.com will take back this fabric.  I am really disappointed by them.  I can't believe they would send such a mess.....and, at the end of the fabric was a big orange sticker "Jackpot".  Well, it wasn't me that got the jackpot!

But, in the meantime.  My dear hubby decided we should go for a short stay in Pacific Grove, which I immediately took him up on.  So the velvet situation is on hold for now.  I have 50% off coupons for Joann's Fabrics so may go there and get my new velvet, at least I can see that I am getting a good product.  I don't mind taking a chance on-line once in a while, but this was for a big project considering I have been beading my little fingers off on the lace!

And since I forgot my camera download cable I can't post all the pretty pics of this beautiful place.  Well, we are off to dinner and if we get home at a decent hour tomorrow I will post them for Thursday!  It was a gorgeous sunset!!!

The Mock Up

I decided to tackle the mock up to the burgandy velvet dress.  It is always handy to have some muslin in the stash!

The front

The folds come too far from the sides for what I have planned so some alterations need to be made.  I am going to take from the center front so I bring the draping folds nearer the center.  This will give me room to add that beaded insert on the front side.

From the side

The back

 The velvet was from the end of the bolt and is pretty crushed.  I am hoping that I can have it dry cleaned and the pile will be in good shape.  I am disappointed in fabric.com for sending velvet in this condition.  I tried steaming some of it and it helped a bit.

The Velvet has Arrived!

First of all!!!!   Happy Birthday to my baby!  Happy Birthday, Jen!  Love you!

Yesterday, the velvet for my next project was delivered!

And I planned to hit Joann's Fabrics for lining fabric....But guess what!  I checked my stash first and Lo and Behold!  I had 7 yds of lining and just the right color!  But, I do need to sit on it (not literally) before starting anything drastic, like cutting into fabric.  I do need to make a mock up of the skirt.  It will be from one of my new Truly Victorian patterns.  But I may have to alter it a bit, taking out some of the fullness on the sides.

And meanwhile I am still beading.  I am at least half way or more.  I dyed more lace than I know I need because I knew I would never be able to match the color exactly again....I just guess-temated the first time with 2 colors.  I will know how much I need beaded when get to the point of putting the lace insert on the skirt.

This is more what the velvet looks like except when the light hits it! So it is sort of more like something in the middle.

Beaded vs Unbeaded

Remember, this is the inspiration for this project!

Candlelight Tours!

The Patterson House at Ardenwood in candlelight mode.  Not haunted but a bit spooky

The Master Bedroom

Henry's Room

Nursery

The dining Room 

The Guest Bedroom

See the ghostly figure in the mirror!

The lady in White

And a good night was had by all!