Stella is back...

My sewing machine (Stella) has been returned to me. She really needed a service (pulling threads funny and what not) so I put her in last week. It was torture last weekend not being able to sew. I couldn’t even go in there to take up a hem or sew on a button. Saturday I had a wedding so that really killed most of my day. But I had had a red eye at night so I was up to the wee hours of the morning cutting fabric. My medieval is all cut out and ready to be put together. Including the embroidery section, so I really plan to make a start on it this weekend if I get enough time.

I also made some more progress on getting my Victorian ball gown together. I have cut the ruffled petticoat out that will sit as the first layer of my crinoline. I managed to find an image online of an elliptical ruffled petticoat, and I have bad news. Instead of about three large ruffles like on a round one, the elliptical is based on a gored skirt. The front section has no ruffles, but the back has ruffles going all the way up. And we are talking about little ruffles not big ones. I will do this and have the ruffles cut out and ready to go. It will take a while to get it all done, but I am determined. And the way I see it is that once it is done, that will be it and I will not have to make another one (just plain ones for over the top). I also really need to get my crinoline finished – that horrid hand-stitching. So I though that I would make a bit of a list of the things that I need to get done over the next few weeks.

VICTORIAN BALL GOWN
Crinoline – finish
Ruffled petticoat
Plain petticoat – hemming
Skirt
Bodice (have not got the fabric yet – or the trims for that matter).
Shawl
Sash (I have been looking at drawings of dresses at the time and I really like the sash)

MEDIEVAL
Chemise
Dress (trimmed)
Cloak (more trimming)

And then there is the 1940s dress that I started a few weeks ago and the Lolita dresses that I have cut out. Thankfully next weekend is a long one. Saturday is bookfest so I will be going to that and Sunday we are making a trip out to the Fort for History Alive in Victorian. But aside from that I am taking Friday off on flex leave and we have Monday as a public holiday. I may also try to take a few days of holiday soon so that I can get some more work done. At this stage I am thinking some time in June would be good. Maybe towards the end.