Sourcing

I thought I should put a note here to let you know that all of my fabrics are having to be resourced. I have been working on this since the end of May. Many of my sources that I previously used are either not restocking the fabrics I need or the fabrics I need are backordered until the end of the summer at the earliest. I have scouted out a few fabric stores in London and am hoping I will find what I need over there! Please let me know if you have any other suggestions. I have gone through my usual list of fabric stores in NYC, San Fransisco, Connecticut, Washington State, NC, and online.

I got my spiral steel boning yesterday, and I am in process of finishing both muslins. I am hoping both will be done before I leave for Britain on Sunday. Unfortunately when I did my timeline, I was not expecting to have to resource all my materials. However, I did find out that knitting needles and needlepoint supplies can go through TSA security at the airport if they are to finish a current project. I have printed this out and plan on stitching away in coach!

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/assistant/editorial_1252.shtm

Duchess Gown Muslin- Option A with Jacket Muslin #2

Duchess Gown Muslin- Option A

Photos of the Option A Gown with the Jacket muslin #1. I wanted to see how they looked together and make sure the lines of the gown and jacket complemented each other.



Photos of the Muslin after the Corselette was sewn in. I am waiting on my spiral steel boning to come in to attach the skirt lining. I did try plastic boning to substitute but it was so curled that I could not fit it on the dressform. I think this is because it was old plastic boning. Regardless, when I tried to put it on the dressform, the plastic boning would spin around so it was curving the wrong direction. I decided to fit it without the boning and wait for the spiral steel boning to arrive.







After I did the pattern for the body of the gown, I made the muslin to check the fit. I created the pattern off of my Strapless Foundation Block that fits my form. I wanted to check the fit before I made the pattern for the corselette. After fitting it, I adjusted the pattern slightly (there was of unnecessary ease at top of the side seam).

Jacket Muslin #2 Continued . . .

Photo of Jacket on my display form:


Photos of the Jacket on my dressform with Sleeve Option C attached. I wanted to finish 1 sleeve and check it on the form and on a person before I cut the second sleeve to make sure fit and fullness were correct.





After I looked at it on the form, I felt that there wasn't enough fullness in the sleeve still, so I made another pattern (sleeve opt. d) with more fullness added and a bit more cap height. I must admit that it is amazing to me how much more fullness there has to be on the sheerer fabric for the fullness to be seen.



Here are photos of Jacket Muslin #2 after the second sleeve using Sleeve Option D pattern was sewn into jacket. Left sleeve is Option D, Right Sleeve is Option C.




I still think it needs more fullness. Right now I am working on the Duchess Gown pattern.

Jacket Muslin #2

I know this is not made of "muslin", but I couldn't decide to call it a "muslin" or "toile". Because of the nature of the fabrics, I needed to use the actual fabrics for the preliminary samples to correctly adjust the pattern. This sample is made of Alençon lace and silk net. I have constructed it using hand sewn french seams. All seams except armhole seams have been topstitched down to create a flat, smooth jacket interior.

*** I apologize for the photo taking quality. I was by myself so I was trying the garment on and photographing it at the same time.

Jacket Pattern and Muslin

Notes: I did 3 different options for the sleeve with varying amounts of fullness and sleeve cap height. I pull threads on grain and replace them with a neon pink thread so I can make sure that everything is hanging correctly when fitting. The muslin jacket has 2 different sleeve options on it. I have taken photos of the jacket on a display form and on a friend. My friend was a bit smaller framed than my display form. I have made alterations to the pattern to fit a couple fit issues. I am working on a sample made with actual fabric (lace and silk net).

Reverse Appliqué with Edging Options

Materials: Chantilly reversed into double-faced satin. Stamens: silver smooth purl #4, 3mm Swarovski white pearl, 4mm Swarovski clear round crystal. Petal Edging Options in clockwise order: (a) 5mm Swarovski white pearls with silver lined (cheaper) glass seed bead, (b) 3mm Swarovski white pearls with silver lined (cheaper) glass seed bead, (c) 5mm and 3mm Swarovski white pearls with silver lined (cheaper) glass seed bead, (d) 3mm Swarovski white pearls and 3mm Swarovski clear bicone crystals with silver lined (cheaper) glass seed bead, (e) 3mm Swarovski white pearls and 4mm Swarovski clear round crystals with silver lined (cheaper) glass seed bead

Padded Orange Blossoms on Silk Velvet

Flower A (biggest): silver smooth purl #4 (7 strands), silver bright check #4 (4-5 strands), silver lined Japanese drop glass bead, 5mm Swarovski white pearl
Flower B (medium): silver smooth purl #4, silver bright check #4, silver lined (cheaper) glass seed bead—all the trimmed pieces from other samples
Flower C (small): silver bright check #4, silver lined (cheaper) glass seed bead, silver lined Japanese drop glass bead, 4mm Swarovski clear round crystal