The bodice is going to be a crossover done with ruching silk chiffon. I experimented with just gathering and pressing the silk chiffon, however it did not look quite "right". I ended up cutting a large bias piece of the silk and hand stitching each row on to the bodice. We didn't want a perfect look - so the rows very from 1/8 to 1/4 inches apart. I let the chiffon "talk to me" about where it wanted to go - for the most part. I had to take over a few times!! This photo is just the start - about twenty-five percent done.
The number of rows you ask- hmmm, I did not count - I promise I will. It looks good- even Kate of little positive critiques said "wow, that looks pretty"! I still need to add the Swarovski crystals. 
They will be randomly scattered over the bodice and the top area of the lace as well.We have decided to use a ribbon to delineate where the silk and lace meet. That will make things very easy at that juncture.
I still have not decided where to go with the sleeves. At the moment there are two options. 1. more ruched chiffon.
2. laceThe sleeves will be little caps that sit on the shoulder point. They won't really hold anything up, but add a bit more coverage for church. Kate thinks she wants them off for the reception. Her choice.
My mother called in a tizzy yesterday. She is worried that the lace will not be sequined in time- come on mom 7000 sequins- a cinch! Kidding.....
The girls and I are going to go over and work on it whenever we have time. I think a lacing bee is called for.
1 comment:
Wow! Absolutely gorgeous! That pleating/hand tacking technique is described in Manipulating Fabric by Colette Wolff; your version is stunning.
Some of my waiststays do come through a hole between the fashion fabric and lining - this one does. I just skip around it when fell stitching lining down. Another way to do it is to do as Susan Khalje describes in Bridal Couture and make buttonholes in the lining near the zip/buttons/whatever closure and pass the waist stay through those. If I were going to do it that way, I wouldn't make machine stitched button holes without reinforcing with organza. Even better, just do a bound buttonhole for it, you'll probably have to make a two custom size button holes anyway and it will be prettier.
Your work on the gown is really amazing, and the beading of the lace is something else! It sounds like such a great thing to have family to help you with it - a lace bee sounds like something I'd like to go to.
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