The dress - petticoat fininshed!

After the fitting this weekend I have a few things to tweak. I decided to tackle the petticoat first. Here it is - all finished and ready for the wedding!!

I was right about that waistband. It was too bulky. It was also too big, despite the fact that I cut it a size smaller than the rest on the petticoat. This pattern was terrible! I replaced the knit with a 1 inch wide grosgrain ribbon waistband that I just topstitched on. I added a little decorative stitch down the middle, both for fun and to add some stability.For the closure, I used a hook and eye sewn to the inside. Functional and streamlined.Even though it is just the petticoat, I am excited to have a little piece of this project all finished!

The dress - petticoat

I finished the petticoat (sort of), just in time for the fitting later today. I haven't yet topstitched the waist seam or attached the back closure, since I'm not sure I'm happy with the waistline. But I'll get to that!

I have to say that this is definitely NOT my favorite pattern right now. It is not very well drafted. The notches didn't match up (or weren't even there) in a few spots. The skirt panels weren't all the same length. Worse than that, the pattern directions were terrible. The petticoat is essentially three layers. The top layer is taffeta. It is lined with lining material onto which tiers of net are sewn. The waistband is a knit (I used rib knit), which I like, in theory. Here's where it starts to get wonky. The pattern calls for a centered zip at center back. Most wedding gowns fastens at center back, generally with a zipper. Two layers of zipper seems like a bad plan. I elected to leave the back open (who's going to see it?) and put a hook and eye (or button and loop) at the waistline where the skirt portion joins the knit waistband.Here is that. The other thing that killed me about this pattern was the method of assembling the net tiers. Let me begin by saying that net is not the easiest fabric to work with. It slips and catches on things - totally not fun. Add to this the complexity of gathering yards and yards of this nasty stuff. Again not fun. The pattern instructed you to gather the sections beginning at the top and working down. I so know better, but I don't know what was wrong with me; I did it their way. Aaaargh! Have you ever tried to gather 9 yards of annoying, slippery fabric that keeps catching on itself onto a 4 yard layer that is already gathered?!? Don't do it!!!At least it gives the skirt the proper pouf.I am a little worried about the bulkiness of the knit waistband, though. The skirt portion fit on my dress form without the petticoat, but it misses meeting by a little more than 2 inches. I'm glad we have a fitting today, so that I can see what needs to happen with this.

The dress - Petticoat supplies

I have to say that Hancock's is really coming through for me in regards to coordinating their sales with my needs in regards to making this dress! Vogue patterns and McCall's patterns were on sale this weekend, as were notions and the net that I need for the petticoat. On Thursday a new sale begins and all of the special occasion fabrics (satin, taffeta and organza!) are all 30% off. Sweet! So, I picked up the net and the McCall's petticoat pattern while they were still on sale.

I'll head back this weekend for everything else. When I got the pattern home, of course, I pulled it out to see what I was getting myself into. That envelope is really fat. There are a LOT of pattern pieces and 8 PAGES of instructions!!! I was so relieved to see that the petticoat instructions started on page 7! This looks like a very simple design, although there is a lot of gathering. The waistband is a knit, and I have a length of white rib knit in my stash that should be perfect, and comfy. I can't decide if I want to start cutting out what I have, or wait until Thursday and do it all together. I do have a wee red pirate coat that needs finishing, so I may take a break from the bridal mania and finish Lily's coat.