Still pleating the skirt

Hand pleating 250 inches of velvet takes a while.  I finished the edges of the side back openings and I'm pretty pleased with my finish work for once.  The stitches are nice and small and mostly invisible.  I decided against the separate waistband under the bodice after staring at the portrait some more.  It appears that the skirt is attached to the outside of the bodice,  There is definitely some volume between the bodice and the skirt.  The tip of the partlet rests in the sort of valley formed by the ridge of the skirt.  Have a look and see if you see the same thing I'm seeing.

I've turned over the top of the skirt as you would in cartridge pleating, but I'm currently doing knife pleats that I'm basting into place.  We'll see how it works or if I'll be ripping them out and trying something else.  I THINK it looks right so far.

Veil is complete

Since you've already seen the trim close up, there's not much to say about the veil other than I made some big black tassels for the corners and added it to a big rectangular veil.  Took forever for such an easy project.  That's the hazards of making your own edgings I suppose.   It just sucks up the time. I'm happy with it though.  The edging weights the veil nicely and the tassels are fun.

The blurry baby at the bottom of the picture is my youngest daughter Elora putting in an appearance.  I guess she felt left out since her twin brother had dropped in a few weeks ago.  That, and the fact that she is a new walker and just needs to be EVERYWHERE these days.

I cut out the panels for the skirt yesterday and seamed them together, so today's project is pleating them to the bodice.  Since the bodice is complete as it is, I'm trying to decide if I want to put the skirt onto a separate waistband or not.  I had considered keeping them as two different pieces for flexibility reasons, but after fussing with trying to keep the petticoat and bodice without gaps at the wedding last weekend, I'm certain I just want a dress.  It did nix the train idea, however.  If the skirt is permanently attached the train is probably not the most functional option.  My husband also pointed out the fact that the kids are bound to stand on it and create problems.  The velvet skirt has a hem measurement of  250 inches as is so its rather heavy to start with.  Should be plenty full.
I want to do some more work on the balzo soon and have bodice laces to braid-- I've already set up the braid on my marudai, just need to do it.  I've been playing around with cooking with roses for the last day or so and its had me distracted.  The house smells wonderful though.  I do need to buckle down and sew since I've got my sister in law's wedding this weekend so not much will get done over Saturday and Sunday.  The contest deadline is creeping up, and my own personal deadline of having most things done by Baron's War on July 22nd is closing in.  Ack!

Finished the necklace

Can I be highfalutin and call it a caracanet?  It turned out so much better than I had hoped.  Its made of some clasps, bead frames and other bits and pieces I got on clearance and it somehow came together to be something I'm super proud of.   Not the necklace in the portrait, but I think its got some similarities.  Its got sparkle and filigree and the drop pearl.  Which, by the way, was the hardest part.  I cannibalized an earring I got in a bag of junk jewelry for the drop.  I still need to find two more for the earrings.  So far I haven't had any luck.  The center bit is a gold plated bead frame with a glass bead and two little gold seedbeads that were spacer beads on some other beads I'd bought.  The heart shaped leaves are clasps, so the necklace can open in 5 different spots.  I might have to epoxy them closed so that doesn't happen when I don't want it to, but they seem to be secure.  Just to make things difficult the clasp I'm actually using as a clasp in the back center broke when I was trying it on.  Thank goodness for wire and plumber's epoxy and the fact that its going to be hidden under the partlet or my hair.  I love plumber's epoxy.  I used it to hold the pins on my quicky Viking brooches made from a couple of large pendants.  You just knead it fora minute or two, squish it into where you want it and sculpt it to shape and then let it dry.  Voila!  A bond that just plain doesn't separate.  The brooches have heavy strings of beads hanging from them and got quite a workout since I wore my Viking dress while nursing twins and they were opened and closed a lot.  No fear at all the clasp will break again.

The veil is done and I'm very pleased with how it turned out.  Need to get a picture and I'll post it tomorrow.  I'm not working at all hard today, can't get motivated, but the pleating for the skirt is coming along.

Terrible pictures as usual

I had hoped having someone else take the picture would mean we got a decent one.  No such luck.  Its proof I made some stuff though!

As a first attempt on the doublet with hook and eyes sewn in at the last minute and the lining not in place I'm actually really pleased.  The next one is going to be really nice I think.  Everyone who saw it had loads of complements on the shirt and its the one piece of the ensemble that I don't feel needs any tweaks or fixes.  Its a really nice shirt.   Gandhi loves the Venetians and they fit really well.  He told me he was pleasantly surprised, assuming they wouldn't be comfortable but he wants another pair so there's a seal of approval right there.  He liked the cape as well, but June might not be the time to really test it out.  It hung nicely and made another layer.  I joked with him if I made him a hat he'd have his own 4 layer challenge outfit.

My outfit at the wedding wasn't quite as successful.  It was pretty and I've certainly worked hard on all the pieces, but it was much less complete.  I was really happy with the fit of the bodice, but something strange happened and a couple of pieces of the boning moved around and escaped the interlining so I had to pull it apart and fix that this morning.  I also had to fix the camisia.  I had "gather smocked" the neckline and backstitched across the gathering strings, but sections in the sleeves broke and it loosened a lot.  I am in the process of fixing that.  The plan had always been to attach a band and add more lace to the top and hem so this just confirmed that I need to further secure it.  The petticoat was really comfortable, even in the heat.  I wore the apron since I didn't have the overskirt done and it was a fun piece.  I'm glad I made it and think it will add a lot of versatility to the finished dress.

I finished the veil and the necklace and am sending in my update to Bella so there'll be some fun stuff to talk about tomorrow.  Going to get back in the swing of things and get back to being better at the daily babbling.

Wearable

Going to get a picture later today when my husband gets home in the midst of packing to go to our friend's wedding.  I got us each something wearable.  Not complete by any means but wearable,  Its not a reenactment thing so even an attempt at "Ren" will be appreciated.  I'm wearing my camisia, the bodice, my petticoat and apron.  Not sure if I'll go bareheaded or wear my blackwork coif.  I got him a doublet, venetians, shirt, and cape done  The sleeves didn't get done and the doublet needs more trim and what is on it now if really shiny gold, but its reasonable and he's excited about it.  I think wearing things will be motivational for getting more done quickly.  I really want to get the sleeves started.

Now to finish laundry and make the card for the wedding.  We bought the couple a longbow off their registry and I'm making them a pair of bycocket (Robin Hood) hats as their card since the bow hasn't shipped yet.

Really, there will be pictures soon

I got the pleating/gathering done on the camisia neckline done this afternoon and cut my husband's Venetians.  I'm locking myself in my sewing room tonight to try to get things done for this weekend.  My sanity might not survive, but I'm getting loads done.

Ack! Can't find the camera.

Nothing is safe here with both babies now walking, climbing, and pulling things off every available surface.  I can't find the camera, so there are no pictures.  And there are things to take pictures of!  My fears about the bodice have been set to rest.  It fits PERFECTLY!  So perfectly that I might take the next one in a bit so I can lace it a bit looser and lose a pound or two and then tighten it up.

Didn't get around to the skirt yet, but I worked on the camisia.  It needs one more side panel attached and the second sleeve and then its all constructed.  Lots of handwork left with the gathering, but its starting to look good.

There might actually be something wearable by this weekend.  I've been bemoaning the plainness of my portrait dress up to now, but it very well may save me.

Can't happy dance yet since I have a doublet, a pair of trousers and a skirt to make by Saturday, but things are coming together.  There are clothes happening rather than just bits and pieces.