My Dress ~ Completed!

At last, ladies! Mom and I finished making my dress several weeks ago--March 19th, to be exact. Sorry for not getting these pictures on here sooner. I'm so thrilled with it! It is super comfortable and very pretty, I must say. I always wanted a colonial-style dress but never dreamed I'd actually own one! We had to take the bodice in a little. Next time we'll know to make a smaller size. (Click photos to see enlarged images.)

A Sneak-Peek

Mom (mostly) and I got the bodice completely sewn together today. We pinned the other pieces (the drapes etc.) on the dress to get an idea. This is what it's going to look like once we finish!

I feel like a princess! (happy giggle)

More Sewing!

I know you ladies have been anxiously awaiting an update on my dress. I'm very excited! So, let me show you what we've accomplished of late...

The inset is finished and just waiting to be sewn into the bodice....

And the bodice, minus the sleeves, is sewn together...all except for the zipper. That comes in later. I'm wondering where we'll be able to find a place that carries zippers for clothing. We've seen zippers for like Bible cases, etc., in sewing stores, but that's it. Anyway, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

And now we've attached a sleeve! Right now it's basted on. We still need to sew it properly. Mom had me try it on at this point just to see how it would look. (squeal) It's so pretty!

The lace has a rose print, almost identical to the roses on the material. It's actually old lace that my mom had packed away, but it's in perfectly good shape. I just love the way the lace on the sleeve drapes so softly. We're still planning to sew a little bow (same sea-foam green as the ribbon on the inset) or a rosette on the outer edge of the sleeve, just above where the lace start, along the ribbon edge.

I was pleased that the sleeve was slightly puffy at the shoulder. The pattern didn't make it look like it had any gathering whatsoever, so I was pleasantly surprised about that. And that's the progress we've made so far! Now for that other sleeve....

Sewing Again!

We're sewing again!!!!!!!

The tension on our machine was messed up, and the manual for the sewing machine up and vanished into thin air (how does that happen?), so...we had to stop for a while. Mom recently went hunting online and found and downloaded a pdf copy of the manual on the Internet. Praise God!!! Why pay $10 when you can get it for a Baptist price--free?! (chuckle)

On Friday Mom got the sewing machine working properly. Yay! Then we both worked on the darts on my dress. They were such a PAIN! I do not like darts!!! They have to be just so or the dress falls weird.

Mom and I worked on my dress again this afternoon. I'm very pleased with the progress we made! We got the darts ironed, and then I got the shoulder and side pieces sewed together. It's actually starting to look like something now!

Then we started working on the middle piece (the inset) that joins both the side pieces together. Mom and I were looking through a bag full of ribbon when Mom pulled out a beautiful sea-foam green ribbon. I wouldn't have picked it out, but once I saw it with the material I really thought it looked nice. It blends nicely with the green leaves on the cloth and looks pretty without jumping out at you...being really obvious.

I pinned it temporarily just to get an idea... I like the way it has a peasant/colonial look while still looking pretty and elegant.

Then I worked on sewing some bright-colored thread in the places on the inset where we would need to attach the ribbon later on. For some reason transferring the pattern markings didn't work too well and we found that hot pink thread was more visible.

And Mom and I lightly tied the thread onto the cloth. Sewing certainly requires a lot of attention to little details. I guess that's why it's mainly women who sew. (chuckle)

Then I sewed the two inset pieces together at the top...

And Mom did this neat thing so that the top (neckline) would have a nice finished off edge. And we were done for the day! It was time to clear the kitchen table and work on dinner. The two side pieces of the bodice and the inset are finished. Next we have to work on tacking the ribbon on and then sewing the three pieces together into one complete top...and then come the sleeves...and then the skirt...

Y I can't wait!!!!! =)

I'll keep you posted!

I Started My Sewing!

I’ve always liked colonial-style clothing. Mom found this dress pattern online several months ago and we ordered it. Mom and I are planning to make C, the style of the blue dress. I LOVE it!

The Maynards sent us some packages a few months ago, and Mrs. Chris included this beautiful material. I liked it so much that when she asked for a list of things to bring us when they visited our family in October, I asked for more of this material to make my dress. The sweet ladies of Truth Baptist Church sent me 6 yards!!! Isn’t it pretty?

Several weeks ago, before we got busy with Christmas and all, Mom and I sewed the bodice of my dress on some other extra material we had. Mom said she did the same thing when she made her wedding dress just to be sure the neckline would be modest, etc. After putting the bodice together, we decided it would be a perfect fit, and we didn’t need to adjust the pattern. That was a relief!

Now that the holidays are over we can get back to work…this time on the real dress!!! Yesterday afternoon/evening Mom and I got everything pinned and cut out. I felt much more confident after having a little practice cutting on the other material. I really enjoyed it. Mom, who knows me better than anybody, probably because we are so much alike, has always told me that I would love sewing. I wasn’t sure about it at first, but now I really do think I’m going to enjoy sewing. Mom is a great teacher! I’m glad she knows what she’s doing. It’s amazing to think that these oddly-shaped pieces of cloth are going to make such a pretty dress.

I’m SO excited to finally be getting started! I’ll keep you posted as we make more progress!