[meleliza]

I had been considering bias binding the yoke too. I’ve also considered sandwiching the dress body be teen the layers of yoke, but that might get tricky. Perhaps hand sewing the yoke lining is the best way. After all that, how did you finish the arm hole sleeves? Those I do plan to bias bind.

[beachmom]

I have 2 2+2 short sleeved shirts in the works. I’m planning on trying the button and loop on them instead of the ties!

[Tamara]

Emily, I will include a photo of the yoke lining and how I finished it for you so you can understand (I do prattle on a bit I know). It’s almost done. I was hoping to have had it finished yesterday but where we were for dance lessons this week called for my sitting in the car and chatting with a friend instead of sewing while our children ran all their energy tanks out on the football oval (with the guys who were training).

Meleliza, you know when I think of it now, I should have used “Seams great” to bind the armholes but I didn’t – I just overlocked/serged with a narrow stitch.

I have mother’s help in the morning at school today and then home for 3 hours of sewing before the children get off the bus. During that time I hope to complete the handsewing on the dress and finish off the hat that is to go with it.

I may have to be a little creative with the strap adjusters for this messenger bag. We are currently down to our last place to look locally and if they don’t have what is stated to get then I will either have to sit the bag out for this weekend or get creative!

After the bag, I plan to go on with the three piece boy’s outfit – I think this will be a project for next week.

[Nicole]

I actually like the Play Date construction,its a very clever way of dealing with a tricky sewing situation with out lots of fiddling. I just overlock the dress yoke seam before attaching the yoke.

I have a very pretty bundle of Class Picnic blouses cut and ready to sew. Next up on the cutting table was the shorts-however we have just received an invitation to a masquerade ball and I would love to make the two little girls silk dresses,possibly Family Reunion and Birthday Party dresses?

Son&Heir will get a new Sketchbook shirt(hopefully)from some silver/grey silk. I would rather not hire a DJ&pants and he is growing too fast to warrant making one.

I LOVE sewing with silk!

[Tamara]

Dress is finished. Now on to the hat which I hope to add a frill to so it’ll match the dress.

I probably wouldn’t tuck the yoke lining under if I was doing this dress often but because it is being judged I know how picky this particular judge can be about yoke linings/ bodice linings (she likes them tucked). Next time I will try the pattern instructions on doing the yoke and see if I like that better.

I did like the pattern though. I didn’t find it too fiddly to position the yoke (and I like hand stitching anything down).

So Emily, I posted a photo of the inside just for you to see what I was talking about. It is a method that requires a little bit of patience so if you are rushing, not recommended as it may do your head in. It gives a nice finish though.

Silk is really nice to sew with.

[meleliza]

Remember I mentioned I went to help my aunt with her basement flood? And got my grandmother’s old Kenmore sewing machine in the bargain? And her handmade silk wedding dress? Well, there was a bag full of scraps which included a good sized piece of what I believe to be – wait for it – wool tweed from their trip to Ireland some 30 years ago! Off topic I know, but maybe when I’m done my pencil skirt, there’d will be enough scraps for baby girl to have a Sunday brunch skirt. how awesome is that?

[Emily]

Justsewit – Thanks for posting the pictures! Is the main dress fabric basically sandwiched between the two layers of the yoke? Your dress is beautiful – so nicely finished inside and out!

I’m still working away on the Jump Rope dresses this week. I’ve finished the plackets and the collars, and now I’m sewing in the sleeves. I’m hoping to have them all done by the end of the week. I have two weeks left to sew before we go on vacation for a few weeks, so I’m trying to make some serious headway in Eleanor’s back-to-school wardrobe.

[Sarvi]

I am still working on the same Music Box I have been working on for an age — I seem to only get tiny scraps of time to sew these past few weeks. And I just found another piece of the yoke lining fabric so I can make matching seam bindings — which means unpicking the coordinating ones I’d already put on. Ah well!

I envy you productive folks!

[Tamara]

Emily, Thankyou so much for the compliment. Yes you are right, the yoke part (front bit) is sewn on first and the lining is handstitched after. I made really small stitches and you can’t see them (because judges are picky lol)but I kept the tension even when I did it so that it didn’t pull in any way.

I went searching for bag adjusters again yesterday and still no luck! One lady didn’t even know what I was talking about and she works in the very department they would be in! So the bag is sitting out and I am ordering pretty adjusters online.

I have to make this hat to go with the baby dress and then hopefully I can fit something else in today also.

Gotta love the country show to get you out and about. Although, only half the family may be going if miss 8 forgets to bring homework book home again today. I’m just hoping this won’t happen – I’d really like a family day out.

It’s been a busy week so I understand your frustration Sarvi, little blocks of time though can be valuable in getting a task completed. I’m sure your Music Box dress will be completely adorable once it is finished.

[Emily]

Well, it’s the end of the week and I’ve finished 2 of my 5 jump rope dresses. In my defense, we’ve had company staying with us from out of town, but I’m still frustrated that they aren’t done. Is it terribly selfish of me to shut myself away tomorrow after they leave and finish the other three, leaving my husband to play with Eleanor? (For what it’s worth, part of the reason I’m trying to get everything done NOW is because we’re leaving on vacation soon – to spend a week with my dreadful in-laws.)

Tomorrow, if I have time, I’m cutting out an ice cream dress that I’m planning to hand-smock while we’re on vacation, as well as three Playdate dresses. I’m planning to pleat the yoke of at least one of the playdate dresses, but I’m not sure yet what I’m going to do with the others. I’m waiting for inspiration to strike… suggestions?

[Mama_Knowles]

oh I want to try the hand smocking on teh icecream dress too! I am hoping to try it on the family reuoin dress later this month. I am just now finishing up all the sandbox shorts/pants for school for the boys. (five in all) I am going to start a jumper next and a dress for me. My sewning has been so slow lately, I am feeling so yucky! But my surgry is coming up on the 12th so hopefully I will eb feeling much better soon.

[Sarvi]

Liesl posted a good tip about working in little blocks of time — set yourself up so you’re ready to start the next step when you come back to your work. That way you don’t waste precious time trying to figure out where you left off.

[Tamara]

Emily, I’m bubbling with excitement over the very thought of a smocked playdate dress – you are so speaking my language!!!! I suggest pleating a panel so that the pleats go cross ways (so the smocking looks on it’s side). A simple cable stitch would look really lovely and it would look like it is pinstriped or you could do a double flystitch so it looks like it is going down ways also OR pintuck smocking!! Oh the ideas! Quick, easy and mindless – perfect for when visiting the horrible in-laws. I could always see the yoke of this dress done heirloom style – with lace but this maybe difficult for you visiting elsewhere. Hand embroidery is always good – to keep you sane – I did alot of it when I was working at a horrible place many moons ago. Bullion roses and Brazillian roses would look really lovely going down the sides of a middle row of buttons. I strongly suggest you interface a block of fabric to do this and just mark out the yoke and positions to embroider and do the embroidery before you cut it out – or else it will be stretched and horrible.

I am planning to smock the bodice of the School Photo dress myself. I can see it just with trellis meeting a bead at the cable stitches or done pintuck style or even with Italian smocking just to give it something different and maybe a more sophisticated edge? Dunno. I’m up in the air about it but I have this lovely lavendar/periwinkle coloured silk dupioni just sitting there in my “special” fabrics drawer which I think would be perfect and I have matching batiste for the lining. We’ll see how it pans out.

I have a sick child at home so was thinking of just pleating up my “smocked garment” and getting started on that today.

My two items for the show last weekend won first prize and my doll (the one with the Nicey Jane smocked dress) won the judges choice ribbon – pretty happy but sort of expected it (not to sound too self assured or anything) as they were the only things in their class.

I have two weeks to get all the other things organised to take to Perth on the 21st – not including 3 days for other things.

Sharon smocking may be just the thing to do whilst you are recovering and in pain. You would be able to do little bits at a time that way. Hope your surgery is successful.

[Mama_Knowles]

Big congrats on first place and judges choice!! I knew that the dress would win, it’s so lovely and very well sewn!

[dkbnyc]

i finally started sewing on my Jump rope dress. i have had it cut out since the sew along that someone hosted this spring. I hope it actually fits her when i get it done.