And there was much handsewing.

I sewed for hours yesterday, and it was pretty awesome. (And I listened to my classic rock radio station, which was playing songs by the #1 listener-voted band in the history of Ever all day...and it was, naturally, the Beatles, so that was pretty awesome too.)

I hemmed the skirt of the polonaise, pleated the skirt and pinned it to the bodice, and had much fun impaling my fingers on the many pins while sewing the skirt to the bodice. The pleats aren't e-zackly even, but oh well. The lining and the outer block-print fabric weren't playing fair, so I decided to let them win...and I think it looks decent anyway. I also cut and sewed the pocket slits in the skirt (unlike my blue anglaise, where it totally escaped my consciousness that if I was wearing a pocket, I ought to put pocket slits in the gown as well as the petticoat. Typically, I realized this when I wore it for the first time). And I started ripping strips of the block-print cotton and ironing lengths of them to use as trim...and then it was time for dinner.

No pics, because I'm lazy. But I think you get the idea.