About a month ago when I couldn't think of anything I just HAD to make for Dress U, I made the command decision not to make anything new.  Nothing.  Can you believe it?  I knew I was really only going to be there on Saturday and Sunday morning/afternoon (because of my work schedule), so I wasn't even going to be able to make it to some of the events, so I just said "meh!  I have enough stuff"  I have to say, I think it was one of the best decisions I have ever made.  I feel so calm and excited, and I don't have any of the pre-event stress that usually leads up to something like this! 

The main reason I did it is because I didn't want to take any effort away from the 18th Century Bonnet class I'm teaching, and there has been a lot of prep work for that.  For those of y'all that are taking the class (Hi Gloria and Kat!  A Leia- I saw the roster today, you're on it!  Loren- there is room for you, too!), let me tell you that my class is NOT on Friday afternoon, as it says on the prelim schedule.  I'm actually not arriving till late Friday evening, so my class is on Saturday afternoon, I think.  I don't feel bad about half-assing something that I make, but I certainly don't want to punish my bonnet class with my procrastination!

I am also still excited about enough of my stuff that I don't feel bad about wearing "old" stuff.  I'm going to wear my Regency voile gown on Saturday so I'll be comfortable teaching my class, my still awesome and newly embellished Titanic gown for the dinner, and maybe my green Francaise on Sunday.  I can't decide if that is going to be too much to try and maneuver around in with the hoops and such, but I'll see how I feel about it. 

Mostly I'm just amazingly excited to see everyone, maybe sneak into a few classes, and show some folks how to make awesome bonnets.  And wear my Titanic gown again.  Damn, I love that dress!

I'm currently wearing my new 1912 corset!  It's the most cobbled together, lazy seamstress, made-up thing I have ever created, but it works!  I didn't want to put too much effort into it since I probably won't do anything more than the two Titanic themed things I have coming up, but I'm astounded at how well it turned out considering I started it yesterday.  I'll try to get pics up soon!

For those of y'all who met Bryan this weekend, he is on Blogger at: http://drunktailor.blogspot.com/

He's a WAY better tailor than I am and if you are interested in making boy clothes, it is the place to be!

(At least I hope it is the first annual!  Please!)

Bryan (drunktailor) and I drove up to Philadelphia yesterday to attend the amazingly wonderful Francaise Dinner Party hosted by madamekat and dragoneyes19.  It was AWESOME.  Not only was the company delightful, the food amazing, and the location lovely, but that was just about the most fabulous collection of gorgeous gowns, bling, and feathers I have ever seen.  Ladies, can I tell you how impressed I was?  I will say it again and again:  I am so lucky to know you.  Everyone looked amazing!   My only complaint was that it hurts to eat that much and laugh so hard in stays.  Ouchie!

I was quite pleased with how my dress turned out, given that I did a tremendous amount of finishing work in the car on the way up!  When I wear it again, there are definitely some things I will change, but for being my first francaise and working without a pattern, I think it looks pretty good!  The color looked really pretty in candlelight (though it does look weird in some of the photos) and it is absolutely the most rustle-y dress I've ever made, which is always a benefit!





I took a ton of pictures, but at least 75% of them are blurry and/or dark.  Boo.  Here are a few of my favorites:













I've added the rest to a google album right here.  Hopefully you can all see it.  If not, let me know and I'll put them somewhere else!

I was hoping I would get a chance to put up more pictures before the Francaise Party tomorrow, but it isn't done yet!  All I have left to do are to attach the sleeve flounces, hem the gown itself, and trim the stomacher.  Hopefully I can get that all done in before we leave at 11 AM and maybe do the stomacher in the car.  

I was seriously slowed down by grinding indecision when it came to my trimming.  I pinned, unpinned, and repinned the trim on the skirt three different times tonight, and I'm still not happy with it, but it will have to do! 

I promise to take many pictures!

Robings: HOW THE F*** DO THEY WORK?

(I am frustrated...)

(However I am also having fun doing the sparkly and pretty bits of the gown!  It's just these stupid construction things that are bothering me!)

Despite my lack of posting, I have been sewing away on my sack back!   I was sorta willy-nilly with the construction, combining Katherine's wonderful tutorial for draping a sack with some of the gowns in Patterns of Fashion.  Then I filled in the blanks.  There are a few fitting issues that I'm not thrilled about- I have some wrinkling under the arms that I can't seem to resolve and the pleats only fall perfectly when they are arranged- but I'm actually pretty thrilled with it!  It doesn't have sleeves, trimming or a stomacher yet, but I've still got 6 days for that!  

My hoops- small, but still a devil of a thing to try and maneuver around in!


Petticoat- unhemmed and untrimmed!


And the gown itself!

Question:  With a petticoat that goes over pocket hoops, do you do side slits like a traditional petti or does the slit go in the back?  It feels weird to cut into the side pleats, but I can see problems arising with a back slit.

Also:  Pockets hoops=world's greatest cat toy!

OOooofffhhh...Sack Backs are hard!  I am having a devil of a time making this thing work- and the looming deadline isn't helping.

So far the back pleats are done and look pretty good, but I'm having issues with making it work over skirt supports.  I just don't really get how the pleats go together. 

fiddle...fiddle...fiddle...