Well - 2 NEW center back pieces created, and integrated into the top bodice of the gown - I think I'm ready to continue... and now, having convinced the darlin' that she won't be losing anywhere it will matter in the fit of this gown - I can go ahead and FINISH and get on to MY dress! Then...of course, we went shopping yesterday for something for the rehearsal dinner - and the entire town scoured, found NOTHING. Sew...guess who is making yet another dress? Love it - love it. More on that another day.
I'm now an expert lace clipper...last week being spent clipping and shaping the lace at the hem. See below on the left what a straight lace edge 'does' on a curved skirt piece. Sew...the border of the lace was clipped apart from the lace skirt, and hand stitched up into place - just so, so that it just peeks over the edge of the gown skirt. I had to work this - first pinning into place with it hanging from the doorframe, THEN on her body - where, of course, it changed some - over top of the crinoline. Tonight will be the final fitting on that - on her body, and so today I need to pin it again exactly at the hem, and then work it up on the skirt, so I know exactly where to hook the lace skirt to the skirt at the bodice line. THEN, I can clip away the excess netting to the lace below the border. I've been tempted to do that already - but kept resisting the temptation, just in CASE I had it to short somewhere - heaven forbid it would be too short! We do want it to drag in the grass of course...just kidding!
The Bodice is gorgeous too, if I do say so myself... see the picture below that shows the lace edging attached the same around the top of the bodice...
It yet gets straps - which I have done now and attached. I created them out of some of the sides of the lace - without embroidery. Stuck sheer stay tape inside, and then hand stitched on one of the scallop borders. I'm glad she wants straps on this 'old-fashioned' looking dress.What you sticking out below is the inner corset part - which will actually ride between the outer dress and the lining - which I also have in the bodice already too. At the side back seams, the waistline grossgrain ribbon stay exits to fasten tightly around her waist. All this technique is in Susan Khalje's book - Bridal Couture. I understand it is not out of print - but you can probably find it on Amazon.
Neighbor bridal seamstress extraordinaire Tina loaned me her covered button making machine - the "Happy Button Machine" to create the covered buttons for up the back of the invisible zipper. Experimentation proved that the tafetta needed to be underlined with the pink for the buttons as well - so I fused the layers together with Misty Fuse. Worked great. You can see grandson Cole 'helping' with this chore here...
He claims is is one of the mice helping with his Mom's 'Cinderella Princess Dress' ! I'm obviously limiting that 'help', but this was one chore that he could assist. He is excited about it - and since I read him Cinderella - he 'gets' the picture...I think. He, of course, will be the Ring Bearer.
These buttons are the really nice ones with the cloth backing for stitching on - so they lay closer to the fabric. Source for them is: Burgess Manufacturing Corporation. 3600 Windsor Park Drive, Suwanee, GA 30174 770-932-1111.
Though there was a chance my special pearls could be the something old and borrowed, we couldn't find any earrings to match in hue, so yesterday we selected pink-y pearls for a siple one-strand necklace and drop earrings. My girl has definite, specific taste, that's for sure! Hmmmm wonder where she picked that up???????
Though I'm sewing love into every stitch, I'm afraid the tears will start soon - as my girl and my little guy will be moving 3 hours away. I cry just writing that! While I know it is right, ordained, and just life - AND that many grannies would give their right arm to have the little ones that close, it will be far away for me! Also - a number of my close family will not be attending - and that is a very sad thing for Carmen and me that we're trying to deal with. Feelings! Yea - I make own my feelings, but darned, they hurt sometimes! I'm sure this is a common thing of weddings - and perhaps particularly 2nd weddings, but nonetheless - part of our experience.
Heard an appropriate sermon last week on anger management at an appropriate time... 1. Admit your anger. 2. Restrain your response 3. Locate focus of anger 4. Analyze options - releasing distgorted anger to God. 5. Take constructive action. confronting or forgetting. Trying to figure out where in this process I'm even at!
Actually, I'm determining to just pray, pray, pray - and to ask for continued restraint...I think! This week should find the dress pretty well done...I think I hope so anyway...
