Plan B

Reversible bodice, chemise and skirt completed March 2005, mostly in one week's time:


Costume supplies for my gold-striped bodice (cut and waiting to be sewn) did not arrive as planned, so on impulse (i.e., sifting through the "value flatfolds" at JoAnn's), I whipped up Plan B. As it turns out, I used this "back-up" bodice to work out construction issues I didn't know I was going to encounter! Chief among them: how NOT to turn a bodice inside-out AFTER sewing in the boning... I also experimented with edge-stitching around the entire thing and like the way it holds the edges nice and flat.

The impulse-generating fabric was a home dec 100% yarn-dyed cotton in olive with a grid pattern woven in, a perfect match for my new olive skirt. The reverse is a sturdy green twill (60/40, I think; it was the day before St. Patrick's and I was in the mood). Total cost of both cuts was ~$5.00 (can't beat that with a stick!). Both fabrics were fun to work with and took my rough handling in stride!

The skirt and chemise I made to while away the time waiting for bodice supplies that never arrived. After cutting Scott's shirt out of tissue linen--which I had also stashed for over a year--I had exactly enough left over to cut a chemise, using Dawn's chemise pattern (and liberal application of my serger!). In the future I need to add a couple more inches to the sleeve length; unlike the shirt, the top of the sleeve is drawn up onto the shoulder into the neckline, so that took some of the fullness away from the wrist. Incidentally, tissue linen's wonderful stuff; part-cotton, part-linen, light, cool and comfy. Wore it all day and felt cooler than in most of my t-shirts!

The rust skirt (layered on top) was inspired by the light olive skirt I had just purchased from Dawn (her patterns really are the least-fussy and most effective way to put things together). And the ribbon design came from my quilter classmate Nina, who's good with combinations like that.