i decided to go with the underskirt idea to add the bottom ruffles. i made a net underskirt with just enough volume to allow movement and gathered it to a waistband, which i finished with a hook and sewn eye.
the skirt is raised in the front so that it is easier to walk without stepping on it, and flares to a slight train in the back
next step will be to finish the top…
i started on the skirt for the dress. the first layer of skirt ruffle is done, and that is the end of my “art quilted” fabric. i’m happy with how it is coming out so far. i made the ruffle to be flat in front and increasing in fullness to the back. i’m thinking now i may make the rest of the ruffles as a separate skirt so that the dress can be worn long or short. as long as i keep the top part narrow and soft, it shouldn’t wreck the lines of the over skirt.
here is a side view
and a back view
it is just pinned in place at the back as i still haven’t decided on the closure and also need to add the top ruffle.
i finally got a chance to sew the bodice together from my “art quilted” silk. i have to find time to work on this or the challenge will be over before i’m done. so today i put it together and tried it on ember for final fittings. it’s hard to see in the photo, but the bust is a little big, and needs to be pulled in. the tiniest change in cutting out the pieces shows up when sewing this small, as does changes in the fabric. it will look better after a good press, but i want to fix the bust first. i also need to be careful not to stretch out the top edge which has nothing to hold it in place yet.
here is the bust line fixed. the underarm seam looks a bit high, but that should be right once the lining is attached. the extra height is just my seam allowance. my “quilting” lines are showing up nicely on the bodice now. i don’t know if its the angle or the light that makes the difference, but i’m very pleased with the result.
i also have to somehow fix her posing. she was pretty “kicky” today, i’m almost sorry i switched her from a cutie bust to a small bust. her old body posed better, but wouldn’t really suit an evening gown, she just looked too young to me. however she is going to be hard to pose in the requisite “glamour” shot if i don’t figure something out.
the challenge is now officially started, so today we started sewing. ember is going to be the model for this challenge, since she will be representing meldilorn manor at a charity ball at the end of the month. chloe usually dresses in a casual style, but for this event she needs a very formal dress.
the first fitting shows lots of changes are needed to the original draft.
the second fit looks much better but still needs some adjustment. also the top is not working out as we had hoped in this stiff fabric so a reworking of the design is called for. the black shows where the pattern will be split.
a miscalculation in cutting off the side back will be an easy fix. the fit is good. those little wrinkles should disappear when the seams are clipped.
we had to make a small adjustment at the top to snug it up but overall it looks good. chloe now wants a shorter dress from the pattern as well, but she’ll have to wait till the formal one is finished 🙂
4. dolls without faces
once again my realpuki’s steal the show…
i had every intention of getting noni, amberglas and crystalorn to help me bake tonight. i thought i could probably get my challenge photo while they were busy mixing. imagine my surprise when we all came into the kitchen to find smidge and beezie already busy at work. needless to say i took a couple quick photos of my helpful little sprites, and told the girls they could be in the picture tomorrow…
fast forward several hours. i was still disappointed with my challenge pictures from earlier, but all that was about to change. enter a mischievous little sprite named smidge. smidge was playing in the kitchen and somehow got up onto my knickknack shelf. peeking out through a lazer sculpture a friend brought back from a mexican vacation, she was grinning engagingly and then i saw it. 
lovely reflections serendipitously staring back at me…
i grabbed my camera and began to shoot.
my little sweetheart saved the day! 🙂
we’re all sick with colds here. so not much time to blog. but this was a rather cute picture of digory sleeping with his favorite blanket
kids are still sick, so i have to resort to an older picture instead of taking new ones.
i love the effect of light coming in a window.
early as i got up this morning, someone else was up first. i came downstairs to see noni sitting on my sewing machine. do you have pink ones made yet? she queried. i NEEDS pink!
i want to make the girls new pajamas for christmas. i found a really cute red knit with white snowflakes on it to make them with. but first i have to get a pattern that fits.
noni volunteered to be my model for the little girls on the condition that i make her a pair of pink ones, since that is her “favoritist” color.
i made the first trial from a lovely soft blue cotton velour. unfortunately it was just to bulky for the wee ones.
noni said they were way too hot, and not PINK!
next i tried a lightweight knit. the fabric is from a jersey sheet i got cheap to use as test fabric. the pattern is printed crooked so it really doesn’t work for anything else. i realized after i sewed them up that i did the bottoms on the “wrong” side and the top on the “right”. oh well they are just to test for fit anyway.
i think the legs need to be a smidge longer. when i made them snugger in the crotch it cut a bit too much off the leg length.
noni says they are much more comfortable but still NOT PINK!
then she noticed the elastic hanging down the back.
look she said
i gots a tail!