Changing Tracks

So the current sewing project is not cosplay. =o It's more along the lines of fashion, if on the formal side.

This is my Temple dress- or it will be when it is finished. See, I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (aka Mormons) and will soon be entering the Temple. When inside the Temple we wear white clothing, and the apparel of the women is long sleeved and long skirted. But we are still able to wear clothing that suits our individual tastes and personalities, and I was determined from the get go to make what I would wear. I thought that I would be using a cotton, or a polyester satin, or wearing something I had purchased until I found what I wanted- but those ideas were dispelled a few weeks ago.

I was out running errands one afternoon when I ducked into Hobby Lobby for a moment. I had not had any intentions of stopping there, but decided to dash in and check a price. While there I found this gorgeous brocade on clearance for $7/yd! I was stoked, and quickly purchased four yards.

I had already decided on using Simplicity pattern #9891. I knew what I wanted the dress to look like, then went searching for a pattern that fit the bill. I did not want the flouncy sleeves though, and chose instead to add on the pointed sleeves from Butterick #4571.

The contrasted collar is made of white satin I had leftover from Sarah- hoarding all those scraps comes in handy. The construction of the collar was taken care of first, then I zipped up the rest of the dress. Princess seams are so quick and easy!

Once the collar and dress were past the initial construction phase they... sat on the dress form for several days. How's that for anti-climactic? It was not without reason though. Brocade frays worse than just about anything else and there was not point in making a dress if it frayed to pieces the first time I wore it! It clearly needed to be serged and this disastrous process stopped in it's tracks. I do not own a serger (I'm saving my pennies) so waited patiently until I went home for Christmas so I could use my mother's.

I serged the dress, the collar, the sleeves and the pockets while I was at my parents, and now can continue with the project. Remaining work to do: attach the collar and sleeves, install an invisible zipper, add frogs and trim, And hem the dress. Not too much at all!

I'm considering focusing on a couple of historic and fashion projects next. I would like to make Quorra, but I will not have EL wire for a while yet, so there's only so much I can do. I do need to make my Starfleet uniform dress before we go to the Renaissance Faire in February or March, so that's pretty high on the list.

Other costumes with potential for being made soon:

• Amalthea, for whom I already have fabric, but no wig. I'm trying not to spend money right now, so if I make her I still will not wear her for a while.
• Rapunzel, who does not require I wig, since I'm insistent on being her with short brown hair. I'm supposed to be on a fabric fast right now though. Going to the fabric store to buy my trim and frogs is going to try my will amply. I really should not be going to price materials for a new dress, I'd just end up giving in.