Dear sewing friends!
I am very happy, despite all the fiddly difficulty in making this dress work, to have finally done it! 馃専鉂わ笍馃敟
Started by daring to cut the straps, which had always been way too long and wrongly constructed in the factory... I wasn't certain, when cutting them, where they'd sit better, but needed to start somewhere.
I spent some time 'draping' and feeling into how the straps should sit - sewed them in a new position, adjusted the bodice, then sewed them into a third position - which finally worked.
Then I undid and restructured some side seams, which I'd created not so successfully years ago... this dress has been sitting in my tea-chest for at least 5 yrs.
Got this right in the end, so that it sits well across my chest and under the arms.
Then, details like the edges and buttons - covered the old button with scraps, the sewed a new hoop for it to close better:
It felt super-wonderful to put the dress on and it fit so well! Phew! It's a bit of a strain without a mannequin to drape on, but with intelligent use of pins and measuring, it can be done - I guess it just takes practise.
Merry dressmaking, lovely souls!
Clare.