Sleeves

[mandie_rw]

I don't think I mentioned I mocked up and cut out the sleeves for this dress on Friday? Either way, yeah, I mocked up and cut out the sleeves for this dress on Friday.

I used the coat sleeve from the Laughing Moon wrapper pattern; the length and the fit of the armscye were almost perfect, but I did take out at least 4" from the width! I know coat sleeves fit loosely, but I have scrawny chicken arms, so they looked completely ridiculous.

Today I sewed the sleeves together and tacked down the seam allowances:


I may or may not pipe the shoulder seams with bias plaid. It all depends on how well my green ribbon matches when it gets here. If it matches like I hope it will, the trim will be either on top or, or right next to, the shoulder seam, so a bias piping would look off. If the green ribbon doesn't match, I'll bias pipe the shoulder and wrist, and perhaps put a line of bias plaid on the skirt too. Either way, the bodice has to wait for the ribbon to get here.

So I've gone back to the skirt for now...dealing with the facing at the moment. Fun times. Of course, I haven't ordered the twill tape for the hem yet either (it should really be wool braid, but I can get cotton twill tape so much cheaper I'm going to use that instead), so I can only get so far on that.

Comments

[reine-de-coudre.livejournal.com]

I know it's more expensive, but wool tape will hold up MUCH better than cotton, and better protect the hem of your nice silk. And the piping should be narrow enough that a tiny bit of bias won't be distracting. Piping in this period seems to be less of a decorative element and one of reinforcement. You can just barely make out the piping on this dress: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/73465037646067604/

[mandie-rw.livejournal.com]

Alright, between you and Robin I suppose I've been talked into piping...piping doesn't like me and I don't like it, but I guess I can soldier through a couple of seams, haha. Do you think I could cheat on the wool tape and use strips of medium-weight woolen fabric? Because that I've got in the stash, but I didn't think of it til just now.

[reine-de-coudre.livejournal.com]

Your best bet for now might be just to do the facing and wait until you can get wool tape to add it later.

[mandie-rw.livejournal.com]

Ahh, the infamous 'later'! Good idea. ;)

[sewloud.livejournal.com]

oh the things you'll do to get out of piping ;-)

[mandie-rw.livejournal.com]

Damn straight I will!