Inset for Victoria's Wedding Gown

The inset is ready for Victoria to try on, so we can decide exactly where to cut the neckline, and what shape to make it.  I'm making the inset because the gown is too low; we dress modestly.  I'm using the yard of matching taffeta we ordered at the same time we ordered the gown.  I made the pleats approximately the same width as the pleating at the waist, and offset it a bit to match the offsetting at the waist.

The back is slightly angled.  It will be mostly covered by the veil.

Robin's Bridesmaid's Dress

Robin came and tried on her dress today -- and it fits!  It's fits perfectly.  I'm happy.  Robin's happy.  Victoria's happy.  The zippers for Joanna's and Emma's dresses have arrived, so I'll be able to finish their dresses just as soon as I finish the table runner I'm making as a wedding gift for my great-niece.  (And before I can quilt the table runner, I have to finish quilting the Buoyant Blossoms quilt, which is on the frame and half done.)

Invisible Zipper

I thought I'd better put my first-ever invisible zipper in something other than the satin wedding dresses, so I put it into what will be the top of a bag that will make use of the two flower appliqué blocks I didn't use in the Buoyant Blossoms quilt.  Turned out pretty well, though the seam isn't as tight against the zipper as I would like.

Here are the two blocks I will use on the bag -- pansy and gladiola.

Emma's Candlelighter Dress, Almost Done

Zipper, buttons, and buttonholes still to go.

Maybe instead of worrying about stiffening the sash somehow, we could just let it 'drape gracefully'.

Emma's sash is too long, I think.  I'll have to shorten it a bit.

Rolled Hem

I used my new rolled-hem presser foot for my Bernina Artista 180 for the first time yesterday.  I've had a couple different sizes of rolled-hem feet for my older Bernina 830 Record since I got it, back in 1978, and used them all the time; so I've missed not having one for my newer machine.  Either I switched to the other machine to put in a rolled hem, or I rolled it with my fingers, which was a bit imprecise.  Finally... I got one.  This one is a 4mm rolled hem.  And here's the reason I haven't gotten one until now:  that thing cost $45.95!!!  :-O  But... I wanted the hems on these wedding dresses perfect.  And perfect they are.  Just take a look at this hem, inside and out:

Robin's Bridesmaid's Dress, Almost Done

I still need to put in the zipper, and do covered buttons and buttonholes on the cuffs.  I need to get a covered-button kit...  we need ten buttons, all together.

The skirt is smooth in the front, gathered from sides to back.

Serging Seams, Putting in Sleeves

Here's my method of sewing this dress, the top of which is lined:

I sew front side pieces to front, back side pieces to back, and then the shoulders together, doing satin and lining separately.  I then sew them together at the neck, right sides together, clip, turn, and press.  I considered using interfacing at the neck, decided not to – and it lies very nicely without it.

Next, I sew the armholes of lining and satin together, wrong sides together, leaving sides open, and then put in the gathered sleeve.  I serge the gathered sleeve seam, then make a serged side seam from wrist to waist.  I serge the back seam edges in preparation to putting in the zipper.

I’ll press the gathered sleeve seam toward the dress and tack it at the shoulder, stitching in the ditch.  When the seam goes back toward the dress, the gathered sleeve stands out from the shoulder and drapes better.

Now I’m ready to put on the skirt – and I’ll sew it to lining and satin both at the same time, then press the seam up and tack it by stitching in the ditch through side seams, front side seams, and back side seams.  I could enclose the waist seam between satin and lining, but that’s more likely to cause the top to not lie smoothly, should the lining get pulled tighter than the satin.

My way might not look as pretty on the inside as if all the seams were enclosed, but it generally looks better on the outside.  And the serger makes those seams that do show on the inside look good in any case.

Since I don’t have plum-colored serger thread, I used plum-colored thread only in the loopers and put black serger thread in the needles.  Doesn’t look too bad: