Piping + Lining + A Zipper

Since I'm leaving at the end of the week and the dress isn't finished, I planned a highly productive sewing day in the studio yesterday only first I went for a long walk. The sun was absolutely gorgeous and has been absent so often lately that I didn't want to risk waiting until the afternoon.  I'll go again this morning.

Apparently walking is working for me. Howard says my butt is getting noticeably tighter which is - LOL - a nice incentive although I'm just enjoying the time which hasn't happened in a long while. The area I'm walking in now is familiar as we've lived along this route in two other homes. It feels somehow safer and more interesting. Weird in a good way.

After my walk - for the rest of the day - I sewed - first velvet piping around the neckline which is  something I've never done before so I emailed Carolyn to get advice on piping + lining + a zipper as she's the queen of piping. At first, she panicked over the thought of lace and piping and show through but...

... it was only a problem in one location and it wasn't the piping that was the issue. The top layer of the dress is a dense mottled denim blue lace. The lining is black. The piping was dark blue. At one point along the neckline, there was a spot of white on the seam allowance showing through an area of dark on the top layer. I used a...

... black felt pen to color the seam allowance and now it's far less noticeable. Felt pens can resolve a lot of issues with fabric patterns that doesn't meet quite right along a seam line or show through as in this instance. I have a selection of pen colors. Paint would do the same thing but is harder to work with.

The neckline is ever so slightly off at the V point. Less than 1/4" but... it's bothering me however... I'm not allowing myself to do anything because worrying the lace could cause even bigger problems. Some time in the magic closet and some bling will make it less noticeable.

The back neck on the other hand needed work. It was wibbling, wobbling, and gaping at the top of the zipper most likely because the seam allowance wasn't quite 5/8". The back of the dress was beautiful except for this one issue. I like to...

... resolve things as they come up rather than come back to them later because that way I'm not left with a lot of issues to deal with. When the garment is done, it's done. With the gap, the piping looked similar side to side. Without it, it meets across the top but the left side is pulled in more. It's not something I'm going to worry about right now. I don't have time. I can wear it like this and will look at how to fix it a bit later. I think it's more trimming and pressing but I'd need to take the hook and eye back off so... later.

The pattern - Vogue 8743 - is sleeveless and I wanted sleeves so I used the one drafted for my Mother of the Grad dress last June. I was thrilled that it fit into the opening perfectly since the cap shape and height was fabulous in that dress. Just to be sure, I ran across the street...

... and asked Helena - the lady who lives there - to take a look. That wasn't a random choice. She's an amazing but retired seamstress. I used have a new outfit sewn every year on my birthday and this lady is one of the two women I'd hire. Her skills and quality are fabulous. She checked the back of the sleeve cap, measured how much to raise the hemline, discussed the neckline and piping and told me to leave it alone, and made a suggestion for the sleeve hem. It was fabulous to have someone to ask in person. Any neighbours who saw me trotting across the street in a full length, partially finished, dress must have wondered - LOL.

For the sleeve hem, I turned up an inch and hand stitched it in place. The edges are raw however the knit lace doesn't run nor ravel. I tried serging the edge and it was too thick. I tried stitching 1/4" away and it tended to gather. Raw worked best and it's not like the dress will see a lot of action. I originally bought the fabric to put in stash for a potential mother of the groom dress and since no one but my friend is going to see it and the only other place I might wear it is the Christmas party and that - unfortunately - tends to be under-dressed, it may go back in the closet to wait until such an event occurs and I can see if it's appropriate according to the currently unknown bride. Time will tell.

For now, blogging, bathing, a walk, and then sewing the hem. I need to take 2 1/2" off the lace and turn the edge twice and four inches off the lining and serge the edge. That should make the lace about 1" longer than the lining and prevent any show through of unevenness.

Talk soon - Myrna

Grateful - Carolyn and Helena and sewing advice/friends