Sep 15 2007
I have bought pearls tonight. Lots and lots of pearls - 14,100 in fact. Give or take a few.

Why did I buy pearls? Well I got a 25% off a total purchase coupon from Michael's and I really liked the color/luster of these. I'm not sure how many I will need so I just bought everything (in three sizes) in the particular color I liked. They weren't all the same finish, annoyingly enough.

The project they are destined for is my '08 Gala dress. I'm making a gown based on the purple gown above from Kyoto out of the $5 silk I got in LA. I should probably call this the Pearl Dress, but really I think of it as the Queen Dress since Sally Queen spotted the fabric for me. I'm still working on the design pattern for the bottom embellishment but I'm thinking something neo-classical.

The embellishment will be done worked in pearls (inspired by the Queen Charlotte gown & the Regency court gown) and those tiny gold and silver sequins I love so much. I'd love to do glass pearls of course but I think that will be cost prohibitive. Also too heavy for the silk. I may accent with some glass, sprinkled here and there but other than that plastic will have to do.

So what do you think? Crazy I know but I haven't done a pearl/beaded something in too long. Now I just have to hide it when B comes home for the holidays or she will do all the fun stuff for me. She is welcome to make me a new matching diadem of course. *wink*

Oct 1
I didn't feel like working on the wedding dress last night so I finished my quartz necklace. I still didn't feel like working on the dress so I turned my attention to my upcoming Queen Dress, or as Bridget calls it the Non-Gala Dress.

I figured I'd take advantage of B being here to consult and brought out the designs for the embellishment I'd been considering. In the end we decided I was silly to try and make this so hard and that I should just use the pattern from the court train. It's about the right date, it's already done in pearls and it's lovely. I feel like I'm cheating somehow, not coming up with an more original design but B told me to just suck it up and go with the flow. So I am. :>

I started testing with the pearls and sequins I bought and it's coming along... pics later.

Oct 1

Here is the test on the Queen embellishment. So far it's working I think. I'm mostly playing with how I want to use the different sizes of pearls dnd what should be sequins and what pearls. The tambour frame is going to make this project so much easier - yay!

I'm not liking how bright the gold sequins are but I'm wondering if that is because of the shiny rather yellow test fabric I'm using. The silk is much more subdued. Umm...

Oct 4

The final pics of the test embellishment on the Queen. I'm really pleased as punch with this - so pretty! I'm still a little hesitant on the sequin leaves but Bridget assures me it's elegant sparkle not Vegas glitz. It's hard to tell but I think the correct fabric (top of picture) will help tone it down a bit. It's much more subtle on the silk.

I'm going to put the lace below the pattern, like in the pic, as the base of a bottom border. I am so itching to use my LA lace! I'm not entirely sure what I’m going to do there but I'm thinking a ziz-zag of some sort. Or I may just sprinkle pearls and sequins over the area. I don't want to waste my lace though so I'll do my testing on the actual thing.

So next step is to wash the silk and see if I like it stiff or soft. The pattern is all traced out from my new S&S pattern so I need to cut out a toile and go from there. I'm going to make up the dress and then embellish. I can't wait! :>

Mar 10 2008

I've decided that I need Mom's help with the Redingote and since she wasn’t available last night I turned my attention to the non-gala or Pearl dress. Remember that project? Although not top of my list deadline-wise, this project has been nagging me. I don't have a handwork project at the moment and this would have come in handy all the times I've been sick this year. Oh well.

I decided to try using a slightly different pattern for this project, the Drawstring dress from Sense & Sensibility (part of the Elegant Lady's Closet pattern). My sister made this up with great success in the fall and I've been itching to give it a try. With some modifications of course. You know me, I can't leave any pattern alone.

So I started off with the lining as my toile. Not too many changes so-far. Some trimming off the waistline (I like my empire waists high) and the back neckline. I'm changing the seam allowances to 1/2" and the shoulders needed to be taken in a bit. I added to the fullness in front by 13", which I think I'll decrease to 10".

I'm going to cut a full toile as I want to play around with changing the way the front is constructed and need to see how the full skirt in front thing looks on me.

Mar 12
I didn't get too much done yesterday. Mom has a sinus infection so most of my day was filled with doctor's offices, grocery stores and other errands. After which I my headache and I needed a nap (darn sickness & spring). But I did sew a bit.

Mar 29
The Making of A Drawstring Dress - the Jenny-Rose Way
I decided to take step by step pics of this dress, since it is so simple and pics are much easier than thinking up discriptions of what I'm doing. I'm not going to point out where I'm differing from the pattern, if you have it you'll know and if not you probally don't care anyway...

#1. Cut everything out. This turns out to be quite a practical style with little fabric wastage. The side seam of the skirt is angled slightly from the edge of the bodice side seam to the hem.

#2. Sew together center front of the bodice lining. I could have just put this on the fold but decided I wanted a seam here. It gives a tidy and sturdy opening for the top drawstring later on.

#3. Finish the bottom edge of the bodice lining. I just zig-zaged it.

#4. Trace drawstring lines onto right side of lining. My lines are 5/8" & 7/8" from the bottom.

#5. Sew together bodice front & back of lining at the shoulder. Press seams open. Repeat with fashion fabric.

#6.Right sides together, pin lining to fashion fabric at neckline. Stitch.

#7. Press seams toward lining.

#8. With bodice right side out, understitch lining keeping the stitches as close to the seam as possible. Clip curves as needed. Press neckline.

#9. Pin neckline as well as sides and bottom of lining.

#10. With a scant 1/4" seam allowance, stitch casing at neckline. Following markings stitch drawstring casing lines at waist. Baste sides and armhole.

#11. With wrong sides together baste together bodice back lining and fashion fabric. (I used a temporary basting spray.)

#12. Pin, stitch and press side back to back.

#13. Finish top edge of back skirt (with a zig-zag stitch). Run gathering stiches (I like to use three).

#14. Gather skirt back to fit back bodice. Pin, stitch, press.

#15. Sew the front and back at side seam. On front side place pieces of twill tape at the waist. These will become waist-stays. Stitch leaving an opening for the waist drawstring per the pattern instructions. Press seams towards back.

#16. Using a bodkin string cording through the neck & waist drawstring casings. For the waist casing once you get to the end, bring the bodkin through the fabric just behind the opening in the stitching. Then bring cording thru the opening.

#17. Create the back loops. Using a bodkin, thread small length of cord through stitching at back waist. Once the loop is the desired size pin in front with a straight pin and tie in knots in the back. Stitch down knots. (I made two loops, although I may add a couple more.)

#18. Have Mom pin front of hem to correct length (not pictured). Turn dress inside out and place on dress form. Roughly cut train to desired shape, matching corrected hem markings at sides. I usually draw in washable pencil the rough shape step back and look, then cut, trimming down until I get a shape that lays nicely.

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Hem time, my favorite part - NOT! I hate hems. Because I hate hems I'm a big fan of narrow hems, they are faster as I can do them on the machine and without as much fussing to make them fit right. The wider them hem the more fussing.
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#19. Lay out back skirt folded at center back and trim where necessary to ensure shaping of the train is even.

#20. Press hem in front, following the pins (not pictured). Determine how wide you want hem to be, multiply by two and mark measurement from the pressed edge. Trim.

#21. Starting in the center front, fold bottom edge to the pressed crease.

#22. Fold again and press with iron. (I sometimes find it easier to fold edge to the ironed crease, press with iron then fold again and press again.)

#23. Pin as necessary. Work on sections until hem is completly pinned.

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I should probally mention that after working on this for a little while I decided the hem I'd marked was too wide and cut it down more. I needed it narrower to deal with the shaping on the train. I hate hems...
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Mar 31
Back to the Dress Diary! I don't see the need to continue the step-by-step diary now that I'm in the embroidery stage...

Yesterday (after church and then helping a friend pack for a move) sadievale came over for some sewing help. We *almost* got her waistcoat completely finished before she left. Would have too if my machine hadn’t been acting up and she had wanted pretty insides (it's been a while since I bag-lined a garment, that was interesting!). In between the sewing lessons, I hemmed the skirt of the Pearl dress by hand. Even doing a messy running stitch it took f-o-r-e-v-e-r. This is why I generally do hems by machine.

Today I worked on the Pearl some more... I'm so bad. First I must show off my new toy though! *strokes lovingly* A good friend just gave me this gorgeous lightbox - how cool is that?! Talk about perfect timing too, just as I was transferring the design on this project. I have the best friends ever, I really do!

So I spent a little while transferring the design, trying not to be too perfectionist about it. I only made two major re-draw mistakes. This ladies and gentlemen, is why I always use washable pencil! :>

Once the design was penciled on I just had to get started on the embellishment. So. Much. Fun. It's going to take forever but it's going to look awesome. I almost got one motif finished, not too bad for 4.5 hours of work.

I'm still trying to decide the most efficient way to do this so that slowed me up a bit. I'll be skipping the pre-string sequin idea and applying them all by hand instead. Honestly it's about the same amount of time and it looks tidier. After some experimenting I'm going to use my Tambour hoop for the heavy sequin work but do the pearls and scattered sequins without the aid of the hoop. It's looking like less hassle that way.

It's hard to tell from one (almost finished) motif but I think I may add more sequins (compared to my original test piece). In low lighting the pearls are almost invisible, making part of my design well, invisible. And really can one have too much sparkle on a ball gown... I think not!

Apr 10

I worked on it a tiny bit while I was in Baltimore last weekend, so I have half a sequin motif more done than pictured here.

I'm doing the bulk of the sequins first (since I need the tambour hoop/frame for them) then will go back and do the pearls & scattered sequins as phase two. I love how it's progressing quickly around the hem this way... it's easier to imagine the finished results. *evil laugh*

May 19
Still sequining... if only real life wouldn't get in the way. Just keep swiming, just keep swiming...

May 27
While searching for something unrelated I stumbled across another picture of the original court train my Pearl Dress motif is from:
http://www.centraalmuseum.nl/page.ocl?mode=&version=&pageid=250

Interesting... The motif looks so large – I’m used to my scaled down version now.

I think I've also discovered why these court trains became a separate piece, besides an excuse to use a luxurious velvet or a splendid watered taffeta as in this case. As full as the back of my gown is, the train still looks a little chintzy. I don't know that I could have gathered up my fabric at the waist much more let alone doubled itto get a nice full train like the purple one.

Ummm... perhaps I should add an embroidered velvet train to my frock one day. Because I’m not putting in enough hours on it as is of course. *rolls eyes

June 5

The pearl dress is progressing... but slowly. I still have 4 more motifs that need sequins but I was getting incredibly bored with them so I decided to switch to the pearls for a little while. It's looking good and the weight at the hem is just what I wanted but it's taking FOREVER! I'm having to string the pearls on 3-4 at a time then couch each one down to get everything to look nice. It is very sturdy but yeah, forever.

I've been hampered in my progress by my wrists acting up as well. It's a repetitive motion thing, thanks to the heavy combination of computer work and hand sewing that is my life. They've given me twinges over the years but it's never lasted this long or been quite this uncomfortable. It started bothering me right after the Coaching Day sewing madness so I stopped sewing and working on the Pearl for a good 2 weeks but it didn't seem to help. I can't stop being on the computer as it's part of my job (although I've given up computer games and expect to see me responding less on LJ) and I have CC to sew for.

*sigh* So I'm no on a regimen of anti-inflammatorys and icing my wrists twice a day. I have a lovely pair of little wrist braces I'm wearing most of the day now and I'm limiting my handwork time (icing before and after). I'm not willing to give up on the Pearl yet, it's the one piece I really wanted to wear at CC but I may simply run out of "wrist time".

I never realized just how much your wrists are used though and how much they affect your everyday life. Everything from driving, to shopping, to sleeping and eating. I never realized before how versatile and cool the wrist is. I also never realized how much I used my left wrist/hand even though I'm right handed. It's my left that is the most uncomfortable interestingly enough.

I am just way too young to be falling apart like this! *moo*

June 29

Dispite it being a long, tiring week for both of us, sadievale came over last night for a sewing night. It ended up being a lovely time. We were both doing handwork (me working on the Pearl, S sewing the back pleats of her en fourreau English gown) so we stretched out on my twin bed sardine style, her on one side me on the other, toes every where. We made mugs of F&M Earl Gray tea, listened to S&S soundtrack and spent what turned out to be a relaxing and productive evening together. Costuming buddies are the best.We spent part of the time doing some math:

• I have 18 motifs on the hem of my Pearl Dress
• Each motif has approx 500 pearls (in four sizes)
• The hem when finished will have approx 9,000 pearls
• It takes approx 5 hours to pearl a motif, so I apply about 100 pearls per hour
• I have 15 motifs left so I have 75 hours left of work to finish
• If I complete one motif every other day I will finish the Tuesday before I leave for CC08

Ambitous, not at all! After all I don't have a life or other costumes to sew or wrist issues or anything! I also have 3 more motifs to sequin and sleeves to mock up and create for the gown.

I'm going to have to start making some hard decisions about what I am and am not going to attempt to create for CC. I would be pretty bitterly disappointed if I don't wear my Pearl gown. It's the one thing I really wanted to wear this year, the rest was optional in my mind but this outfit was set. So I guess I'll need to scale back my other plans rather than give up on the Pearl. But what to give up? That is the hard part.

So little time does not even begin to discribe my sewing life right now!

July 1
So yes, officially sickly, along with the rest of my family. Hopefully it's just a short lived thing 'cause I have things to do!

I did nothing all day yesterday but nap, watch movies with Mom and work on my Pearl. We watched the old BBC Emma, the old BBC Persuasion, Amazing Grace and The sons of Katie Elder so it was pretty much a Regency day. One more motif done - yay! The train is really starting to drape nicely from the weight of the pearls. Yummy...

July 2

I'm feeling better, yay! It turned out to be annoying 48 hour thing. I did get 3 motifs done in 4 days though, so that was good. This pic does not do my frock justice...

I had to skip the motif in the very center of the train as I found I had messed up the tracing some how. The flower was off and since it's the center back I'm being anal about it. I think it will work out though as I think moving the center flower a little higher (in addition to correcting my mistake) will actually look better. I think the hardest part of this outfit was tracing on the design, it really was (and continues to be) fiddly.