Well, there’s certainly something to be said for creating your pattern as you go along… IT’S TIME CONSUMING! If I had followed any other pattern I’m sure I would have been done by now, but N-O-O-O-O… I had to come up with my own Colonial dress…and I’m having to make it up as I go along. When I showed you the dress bodice last night, I was fairly certain from looking at my pictures, that the bodice was going to be too short… AND IT WAS… :o(
I had to figure out some way to extend it and still keep it Colonial looking. I decided a couple of tucked bands at the waist pointing toward the center would work… and it did. It gave me that extra 1/2″ or so that I needed.
Sewing the very delicate vintage lace onto the peplum was quite time consuming. It didn’t want to gather up evenly so I practically had to pin each and every gather in place. The fact that the lace was so delicate made it even slower going than normal. But I finally got it done.
The sleeves were set in and then taken out and set in again. UGH! I had gotten some gathers in them and Colonial dresses didn’t have gathers in their sleeve caps.
The bottom of the skirt isn’t attached yet, but I put the fabric underneath so you can get an idea of what it will look like. Slowly but surely this dress is coming along, but not nearly as fast as I needed it to.
I hope this is enough to keep you interested in seeing the final outcome of Felicity’s dress…
Just a reminder… Ten Ping’s Christmas Dress, “Charming in Hot Pink” ends this evening on Ebay… You can see it HERE.
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
Perfect solution, Jeanne. And, it adds interest to the waistline. I once (or twice) cut a skirt too short and had to add, liked it better too. I never would have known that colonial dresses didn’t have gathers in the sleeves, interesting fact. Hope it’s smooth sailing from here. It is looking beautiful and beautiful on Felicity.
HI Cindy,
I debated before I cut out the dress if the bodice was long enough and I thought it was… oops! guess not!
Well, I have the skirt bottom on and a few other things done, but so far my day hasn’t been my own…
I still have this evening…
Thanks Cindy,
Blessings, Jeanne
I feel so smart — I thought the waist looked a little short. I agree with Cindy — it worked out to your advantage. The tucks are perfect. They’ll look nice on other dresses as well. The lace is beautifully delicate, and you said the fabric was fine — this is a dress that will be lovely for Christmas and just as nice for a spring event — maybe May Day. Wouldn’t it be pretty with the multicolored ribbons then, and holly or some kind of greenery and berries now — mistletoe? The green is also perfect with her eyes.
Speaking of eyes, I have my first appointment with the cataract doctor. And speaking of doctors, how is your foot?
Hi Marilyn,
Yes, you were the smart one…noticing my short bodice… I’m just glad there was a solution to fixing it. I do like the tucked front very much…it doesn’t show up terribly well in my pictures but more so in person.
The lace is very fine and the fabric is too… it’s pretty delicate to be a linen fabric. It’s not quite as soft as a lawn fabric, but almost…
The green is perfect with her eyes… I do agree with you on that. I knew it the moment I held it up to her…
I hope your appointment for cataracts went well…
My foot is still there…, still sore, still making me limp and still a bit of a bother… I won’t be running any races anytime soon. :o( But I’m managing…
Thanks Marilyn,
Blessings, Jeanne
Felicity’s dress is coming along quite nicely. Green really is her color. I’m not sure why PC made her Christmas gown in blue, but I do like it as well and it came with the lot when I won my NIB girl.
I like the extra bands of lace you added to the sleeves, really makes it extra dressy.
So glad you’re adding a Civil War christmas dress to the lineup as I read the other post.
Will you do that one last after Lily? I wrote down the order when you first posted it and now there will be the long stretch of the PC/AG girls which I like to see best. 🙂
You are certainly a sewing “machine” as of late.
I’m getting ready to start on the Christmas cookies, each year my mom and I have to make all the German ones my grandmother did. Or as many as possible.
Thank you Laura,
I appreciate your comments about Felicity’s dress and hope to get it finished sooner than later. My life is starting to get really busy and I’m pulled in a few different directions… It’s too bad Christmas is so close…
I think I’m going to skip to Kirsten next…I ALWAYS have to make her a Christmas dress and then the Civil War dress… usually my favorites…
I’ll think about Christmas after those 2 are done… I guess…..
Have fun with your baking… eat one for me!
Blessings, Jeanne
Very pretty, Jeanne! Yes, I know, people don’t know how time consuming sewing or crafts can be! It takes one to know one, for sure! I love the look that the lace gives the fabric, and like Marilyn says, it can also be a very pretty spring dress, depending on what you put with it.
Oh my, I am SO into getting my Christmas decorations out and up! My one tree in the living room takes FOREVER to finish, and it is not a big tree at all! Just all the delicate glass ornaments and glass icicles that give it sparkle. I do have my dolls dressed for the weeks before Christmas, just not the big day itself, which is when they wear their Christmas outfits. Do you want pictures of the dolls in dresses that we have NOT made? I have plenty of those, just nothing I have made.
Well, back to getting those glass icicles on the tree—then the family room tree! So much to do, so little time!!
Thank you Linda,
I love this lace and had just enough to use for the bottom of her peplum… and there is one little seam in there that I hope isn’t too noticeable… It would make a nice Spring dress, wouldn’t it?
We’re trying to figure out what to do for Christmas… Reuben is still too much of a puppy to set up a tree with ornaments…he’d think they were chew toys, I’m sure! So. we’ll see…
Yes you may share your dolls in their dresses. If you have any info on them share that with me too so I can give credit…
I do have a little glass Christmas tree that my mom bought me and it’s set up in our dining room. That may be it for me this year… I hope you get it all done…
Blessings, Jeanne
Very Pretty, Jeanne. When you have a piece of vintage lace like that do you keep it for a long time waiting for a dress that is ‘worthy’ of it? Or do you have a source where you can buy more? Inquiring minds like to know. lol
HI Jevne,
Sometimes I do keep my very special laces for a while until the right dress comes along that calls out for it. This was some lace that Anita sent to me a few months ago. Whenever I make a period dress from the Colonial or Civil War era, I particularly like to make the lace as authentic as possible… not polyester if I can help it. This lace was perfect for Felicity’s dress and there was just enough for where I wanted to put it.
I watch on Ebay and my sister watches out in PA for me at some auctions she goes to. I always keep my eyes open if we go to yard sales and thrift shops… just in case.. you know! Blessings, Jeanne
Very nice save on the waistband. Like the look.
Don’t know how you can get all this sewing done at this time of year. With all of the holiday obligations, decorating, etc. Keep up the good work!
Hi Joy,
Well, I was doing pretty good until I hurt my foot and that really set me back some… I’m still not where I need to be or where I WANT to be, but I can’t help that.
I have to help at the Food Pantry for a big day on the 13th…a staff Christmas party on the 16th, MY big Married Couple’s Christmas party that I’m totally in charge of, and then my family’s Christmas… I’m feeling a little bit pressured…but I always seem to make it…
We’ll see…
Thanks Joy,
Blessings, Jeanne
Jeanne, whatever work you put into this dress will be well worth the finished product. Everything about it is lovely. The fabric, vintage lace & trims and peplum style are wonderful.
Here’s to hoping I win the bid on this one!!
Thanks for your kind words Jeannie. I appreciate them very much and so glad you like the dress. I hope to see you at the “finish line” too!
Blessings, Jeanne
I know what you mean..I’m just finished with my swap dresses…and love the way they turned out but they took forever!
There is just one thing that comes to mind when I see that dress….Gone With The Wind!
Doesn’t the print remind you of the dresses she made from her Curtains?? Or maybe it was the play clothes Julie Andrews made the children in Sound of Music? Either way it is a pretty print and looks awesome with the lace…can’t wait to see the skirt and of course….the accessories!
Hi Kathie…it was the curtains in The Sound of Music…you are right…it’s almost an exact match!
Glad you got hour dresses done. It’s good thing I didn’t enter the Swap!
Thanks so much. Kathie!
Blessings, Jeanne
I knew I remembered that fabric! Was thinking I had a dress, but now definitely the play clothes from the Sound of Music!
HI Joy,
I just googled the Sound of Music curtain clothes and they are very close to Felicity’s dress… who would have thought???
Thanks, Jeanne