Making the bodice for Phairby's Butterfly dress has been quite the challenge. The sleeves of her purple dress are almost impossible to get over her hands - it's a HUGE struggle - so I enlarged the armholes a bit, and decided to use a stretch fabric for the sleeves this time.
The dress is using three different black fabrics; a plain weave for the bodice itself, a black tricot for the sleeves, and black crinkle cotton for the skirt. Each fabric was chosen for its specific qualities.
Everything needs to be basted before sewing, and in bright daylight, since I can't see the details in 'black' (or any dark fabric) at all by lamp light.
I sewed petals around the neckline, and added a lace ruff, then did some beading. I even figured out how to add a lace ruffle at the wrist without losing the stretch of the sleeve. But I couldn't bead the sleeves. Even my tiniest beads were too big, plus I was wary of impeding the stretch of the tricot, or having thread loops on the inside of the sleeves that could catch her fingers. So I pinned the bodice flat onto a placement, and dotted white paint on with a toothpick.
The dress is using three different black fabrics; a plain weave for the bodice itself, a black tricot for the sleeves, and black crinkle cotton for the skirt. Each fabric was chosen for its specific qualities.
Everything needs to be basted before sewing, and in bright daylight, since I can't see the details in 'black' (or any dark fabric) at all by lamp light.
I sewed petals around the neckline, and added a lace ruff, then did some beading. I even figured out how to add a lace ruffle at the wrist without losing the stretch of the sleeve. But I couldn't bead the sleeves. Even my tiniest beads were too big, plus I was wary of impeding the stretch of the tricot, or having thread loops on the inside of the sleeves that could catch her fingers. So I pinned the bodice flat onto a placement, and dotted white paint on with a toothpick.
After sewing the underarm seams, it was time to try it on....and the new technique was a success! It was so much easier to get her hands through the stretchy sleeves! No struggling at all!
I think she's looking rather elegant!
Now to finish her overskirt, and start on her wings.....
Now to finish her overskirt, and start on her wings.....
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