Finished it in the nick of time, complete with a spur-of-the-moment mask and silk band for the manfriend's hat. He looked so dashing! The bustle pad worked quite nicely. The side view doesn't do it justice. It was poofier earlier.

Spent the evening with my dearest friends. Had a potluck dinner, watched Young Frankenstein, passed out candy/scared little children. Then went trick or treating ourselves! My fangs fell out halfway through trick or treating, but they looked so real!

   

Still need to finish the bottom edge of the bodice. Not sure why I didn't do that first. :-P

It has closures now: double row of buttons with ribbon loops, and hooks and eyes underneath. I also added some ribbon trim and some soft and nice black net at the cuffs and collar (although it's hard to see at the collar in the pics).

The skirt needs more "oomph" but if it gets too big in the back, the peplum won't fit over it (silly modern pattern not accommodating period undergarments...) so I can't wear my bustle. Maybe it just needs another petticoat... It is, of course, a "historically inspired" costume, not historical recreation, so maybe I'll let it go. I don't like collapsing skirts though...

Anyways... terrible self pics. I need someone to take good pics in good lighting so you can see how much better the dress really is!!!

WARNING: I'm not wearing make-up...

     

Just a reminder: this is what the fabric actually looks like. See the skulls, bats, and spiders?? :D

Sorry everyone... I have had no time to take pictures of anything I've been working on! Of course, I just recently started sewing again (I'd been on hiatus since the brown wool dress).

Halloween Dress:

After I found this amazing flocked organza,  I knew I HAD to make some sort of gothic-y Victorian dress out of it! So I bought it :] It's going to be a late Natural Form bustle (1882-ish) because I really don't want to wear a big metal bustle to school. And this is definitely a historically INSPIRED dress. So I'm taking a lot of liberties with materials. It's a Halloween costume, not historical clothing. 

The organza has skulls, spiders, and bats in it if you look closely!

The pattern? BURDA! Who knew! It's the best commercial bustle bodice pattern I've ever seen! Eurpeans know what they're doing... :]

      See the skull??


The Last Dress:

This is my last CW dress until I make my mourning and ball dress for the Athenaeum! My wardrobe is now as big ase the average CW lady's (5 dresses and 1 ball gown) so I'm going to turn to revamping existing dresses and making a ton of undergarments (corded and flannel petticoats anyone?).

I needed a work dress to get dirty in that still looks pretty!

 

... you know you should finish the dress you're almost done with but instead start a new project?

I COULD finish my work dress which only needs a hem and closures. But instead I'll start working on my Halloween dress! Because I found the most awesome fabric in the entire world... :]

*squee!*