compromises

Since there is pretty limited time remaining to make this outfit wearable, I decided to make some compromises. It’s going to be really hot this weekend, so I decided not to worry about fixing the sleeves. They need to have all of the ribbon trim replaced with linen guards, and I’m not very happy with the fit on them anyway. So then, they’re off the list. That’s ok, though, since I replaced that handwork with something else! I decided to edge my existing partlet with black (and not-so-incidentally, monofilament to stand up better). I finished it last night, but all I have is this partway done picture. There is now also black edging (and monofilament) down the front edge as well, which makes a nice contrast and also causes the front to curve out nicely.

 


I had originally thought that I’d just thread the monofilament through the existing ruffle to give it more body, but that proved to be nearly impossible, which is when I decided to whipstitch black embroidery floss over it. It turned my basically flat box pleats into something closer to a ruff. I say “closer” because if I’d wanted a figure 8 ruff, I should have used a 5-1 pleating ratio instead of 3-1…there’s not enough fabric to force it into figure 8’s without distortion. The other thing that I did to get the ruffles to behave was to run a line of linen thread through the ruffle about halfway down, sort of like doing cartridge pleating after the fact. Without it, the stiff top edge could contort into a bunch of different configurations, but with it, there’s really only one choice.

I did a little playing with a really classy brooch I got from Goodwill. Here it is before in all of its rhinestone-bedecked glory:

 


And here it is after I pried out the rhinestones and glued in adventurine beads and glass pearls. Sorry the picture quality on the tacky before is so much better.

 

While I had all the layers on to mark the hems, I had the dress engineer snap a shot showing the amount of “boo-tay” generated by the padded pleats in the underskirt. I’m wearing a farthingale, a simple gathered petticoat, the stiffer gored grey petticoat, and the knife-pleated dress. I just can’t warm to the whole bumroll concept, as I’m sure I’d end up with it badly positioned, but I think this looks pretty full.

 


So indeed, it looks like the hems really will be done at the last minute. How….shocking…. The dress engineer graciously crawled around on the floor with scissors. His opportunities for poking me were pretty limited by the farthingale (yay armor), so it was a much faster operation than usual. I just need to add hems to the petticoat and dress and then I think I’ll be all set! I wish I had a tall hat to go over the caul, but there’s just not time. I also have assorted plans to couch and/or bead the guards on the dress, but that was never in the plan for this time around.