Poe-ness

[jennylafleur]

I almost costumed today! January = Poe's birthday and thanks to a date being settled on and news that darling girliegirl32786 is coming down for the event I am once again ready to embark on Victoriana.


I love the dress I made last year but it needs some tweaking. The shoulders have an annoying habit of not wanting to stay up. I blame my lack of on-the-shoulder-sleeve fitting skills. I spent a chunk of the day researching and pondering all sorts of options - a chemisette to tack the shoulders to, a bertha of some kind to raise the neckline, a tucker with a drawstring to help keep everything in place. I think for now I'm going to try the easy and extremely un-period method of elastic at the shoulder (per Hunnisett). If that doesn't work I'll go for the tucker.


The fun part of this tweak involve the trimming I didn't have time to do last year. RUFFLES. Normally I'm not a huge ruffle girl but when I found the above fashion plate with rows of bias ruffles playing off a striped skirt I fell in love. I'm sure I will want to stick myself in the eye with a fork at some point (ahh the hemming - help me!) but it's going to look so neat when I'm done. I'll also add rows of bias ruffles to the sleeves like the original pattern. Yay!

Comments

[girliegirl32786.livejournal.com]

I'm totally loving the ruffle plans! Especially the two tiers on the fashion plate. And dont worry, if worse comes to worse I will be there to lend a hand with all that hemming! :)

[jennylafleur.livejournal.com]

I really hope I'm not sewing when you arrive but if I am I'm SO taking you up on the offer!

Umm... remind me why you don't live closer?

[girliegirl32786.livejournal.com]

You know, today at work I was looking at pictures of a house built in 1760 in the eastern pan-handle (up near DC) that was for rent. If only I didnt already have a house!

[jennylafleur.livejournal.com]

Don't tease me like that... I'm fragile! :P

[fancyfrocks.livejournal.com]

I *heart* your dress! I'm having serious 1840s urges right now. That sounds like so much fun!

[jennylafleur.livejournal.com]

Oh you know you want one! It must have ruffles though. You are actually good at them. :>

[mlsdesigns.livejournal.com]

it's going to be so pretty with those ruffles :)

[jennylafleur.livejournal.com]

I think so too... worth the pain and agony they will cause I hope! :>

[mlsdesigns.livejournal.com]

stick a good dvd in the machine, and that hemming will go like magic :)

[my-stitching.livejournal.com]

If you don't want to hem it all, pinking is period (if the fabric would work with it, that is).

[jennylafleur.livejournal.com]

Oh I hadn’t thought of that. My fabric frays like heck though... I don't think I dare. Moo.

[my-stitching.livejournal.com]

I don't know what I would have done if I hadn't been able to pink the ruffles on my green silk taffeta ballgown. I forget the exact number but I think it was 80 yards of ruffles!! (not that they are all actually ON the gown yet, but they will be eventually)

[jennylafleur.livejournal.com]

Nice to know I'm not the only crazy one! :P

[marcine.livejournal.com]

Ruffles = much prettiness.
Hemming bias cut cloth = much frustration.

Will be worth it, though. How pretty!!

[jennylafleur.livejournal.com]

Yes indeedy!

[captain-hawkins.livejournal.com]

nice poe-stage stamp. haha. :-)

[jennylafleur.livejournal.com]

*boom-ching* Oh that was bad!

Hey I heard about your Mom - we are praying!!

[suededsilk.livejournal.com]

Go bias ruffles! Can't wait to see what you do with it.