Gallery of In Progress Projects

[Lady Kathleen of Olmsted]

The Pelican Portrait gown is coming along..There's some finishi8ng up to be done such as secure some of the Freshwater pearls, sew on the shoulder rolls, make the arm band, belt, and check over hook and eyes where sewn. The Bodice front icloses with hooks and eyes.

[Sorcha]

Is there a more "amazing" word than amazing??

[Lady Isabella]

how about SPECTACULAR!

[Rani Zemirah]

MAGNIFICENT!!!  Ok, maybe I'll just settle for... absolutely lovely... 

[Lady Kett]

Wow....wow....wow....wow....and WOW! That is amazing Lady Kathleen!

[Lady Kathleen of Olmsted]

With humility, thank you.

[Mistress Kathleen]

Your dress is just wonderful... Your talent truly shows

[Tygrkat]

Lady Kathleen, that is positively BREATHTAKING!

[operafantomet]

Brava... brava.... bravissima!

[Kate XXXXXX]

That's coming along beautifully, Lady K!  Looking fab!

[Rani Zemirah]

Faye, I can hardly wait to see you in the Kaylee layer cake!!!  What a huge amount of hand ruffling!!!

[NoBill Lurker]

Faye, I can hardly wait to see you in the Kaylee layer cake!!!  What a huge amount of hand ruffling!!!

Bet she'll be the shiniest gal in the whole verse...hmm going to have to re-watch Firefly again...

[gem]

I've never watched "Firefly," so I have no idea what that dress is about, but I am fascinated by your progress, Faye!  Keep sharing!

And Lady K, what else is there to say, really? I cannot wait to see your friend in her gown!

**
I'm having a little mockup happy dance tonight, because I've finished the bodice fitting for my new curved-front-opening gown!  Y'all will remember how inspired I was by Silverstah's dress progress a few pages/weeks back--to the point I dropped everything else to start this!

Now, this is only the mockup. I'm going to fully cord the bodice on the real thing, so the support will be even better! (forgive any wonkiness; the lacing is a little off because of some changes during the fitting process. And also, I look horrendous b/c it's 1:30 in the morning on Friday and my hair is freakish and there is no makeup!  Ignore that bit.  )



This was a brand-new technique to me, and so far I am completely thrilled with how it's going. This has been the easiest bodice fitting I've ever done. I am sold on this technique!!

Here is what the "curved front opening" part actually looks like:



I did the initial fittings the way Jen Thompson demonstrates for her working class Italian gown.

I now have to go read and re-read Baroness Doune's and the Tudor Costume Page's instructions on bodice construction--'cause it's been a while since I got past the mockup stage to an actual finished bodice! Ha!!

[Rani Zemirah]

Gem, if that's how you look at 1:30am with no makeup and "freakish" hair, then when you get all done up you must stop traffic!!!  You are truly beautiful...  

Love the mock-up, also, and the chemise you're wearing is gorgeous, as well!

[gem]

*Blush!* Aw, thanks, Rani. That's very sweet.

I'm having Indecision at the moment, because I'm wondering if the bodice is too low-cut. It looks like the portraits it's inspired by (like this one), but I was hoping for something with a higher neckline (I kind of always am), so it could be worn more like an early Florentine gown.

I tell myself I have absolutely decided to recut the front of the bodice... until I look at the pictures of it, and then I decide it looks fine, so I shouldn't mess with it!  Aaaaaahhhhh! 

Ugh. I think I'll go finish the Ursula (Much Ado) jacket and let the idea stew a bit.