Truly Victorian News Center

Now that Halloween is over, I have had a few minutes to get back to this project.  When I left off, I thought I had 4 widths of embroidered ruffles completes, and was working on the 5th.    But alas, I had only just finished 3 widths and was working on the 4th.  I may be sewing this embroidery for months at this rate.  I will never scoff at a  simple hem again.  But to continue the story...

I want to do my ruffles rather scant, because the fabric is so stiff, so I am planning on needing 4 widths of ruffle to fit onto 3 widths of skirt.  I was trying to figure out exactly how much I need to get done for each ruffle:  too little, and I would fall short, too much and I would waste lot of time and thread.  But, as I slaved for a couple days to get more embroidery done, the answer was suddenly handed to me.  I had finished almost exactly the 4th width, when I come back to the machine to find it had eaten up the fabric in a huge jam.  In trying to extract it from the machine, the section I was working on was ruined beyond repair.  I figure, no worries, I will continue a few more sections on the opposite ruffle to be sure to have enough.  If needed I can piece the first ruffle.  I come back a few minutes later, and the machine had done it again, bunching up the fabric.  But this time not so bad, and I was able to rescue it and continue.  Only half way through, I realize the alignment had be thrown off, and this meant  the end of the second ruffle strip too.  To have ruined both strips in exactly the same place, after almost 6 yards can only mean divine intervention.  I took it as a sign that I needed to end the strips and the 4 widths would be enough.

I am planning to use my automatic ruffler to make the ruffles, so that should be nice and quick when I get there.  But with very little wriggle room on the length of the strips, I really need to find the correct settings to make a 4:3 ruffle.  I spent an hour trying to hone in on a gather setting, but I just can't get it to behave consistently.  So I decide to use the pleat every 6 stitches setting instead.  In a few minutes, I find the setting that makes a 40" length of fabric into a 30" long pleated strip.  Very cool!  I think this will be perfect, just the right amount of fullness I want.  Here is a my test strip.   And I set the ruffles aside for now.

I think the bodice is going to look fabulous.  The organdy is a pain to work with, being so stiff and all.  It is a very independent fabric.  But under tension, the layers flatten out and it should look very nice.  I may need to make a saxophone top petticoat for under the skirt, too.  With plaids I only ever match the horizontal lines, and leave the vertical lines to chance.  I don't like my plaids to matched up.  The changes in the lines is what gives a bodice shape and depth.  If you perfectly match the entire outfit, then it starts to look flat, like wallpaper with a head on it.   That's my opinion anyway.  For this bodice, I just lined up the waistline with the wide stripe, and let the rest fall where it may.   An hour later, I have my basic bodice mostly sewn together.

Of course, I am guessing at the fit and will need to try it on pretty soon.  I cut a size I, front and back, with the back length shortened to a size H.  And the front of the armhole cut to a size G.  And the darts made 1/4" wider each side.  If I remember correctly, this is what I did with the summer sheer, and it fit perfectly.  Hopefully, I did remember correctly and  this one will too.  If not, I have plenty of fabric to start over.

Next up:   boning, and piping facings.  Then I just need sleeves and neckline trim and grommets.  I almost done already!!