Christmas and Ohayocon Prep 11

I still have not worked on my brother's pajamas. I keep forgetting to carry them inside from the car. I think there's also this idea in my head that I have plenty of time to finish them because Christmas is still a few weeks away and they won't take long. I need to get this idea out of my head and finish them, I'd rather have them done than be rushing to finish them at the last minute.

Progress on HQ --

Corset: I took out the zipper and adjusted the fabric. Thankfully, there was plenty of diamond print to work with -- I'd turned under almost an inch on each edge! I basted it yesterday at work and tried it on when I got home. And it fits pretty perfectly now. All that's left to do is actually sew in the zipper properly, take out the basting and trim it with red ribbon.

Bustle: I stitched red ribbon along both layers of the bustle. And pinned the roman shade tape into place on the underside for bustling purposes. The ribbon was a bit tricky, as it is very narrow. I decided to do a stitch right down the middle of the ribbon, and used a long underneath, short on top stitch pattern in red thread. I think it worked out quite well.

Underskirt: I sewed the waistband on and pinned the polyester braid yesterday at work. Last night at home, I finished the hem and tried on the skirt to see where the closure needs to go.

I actually tried on everything I've been working on (albeit with the aid of pins to hold a few things in place). And it looks good. The apron needed some adjustment, so I took out about two and half inches of the seam where the front connects to the side. I'm planning on gathering that seam so that the apron is a better length and lays better.

In my sewing basket today --
Corset: to finish the zipper and trim in red ribbon
Bustle: hook and eyes to fasten to the underskirt and roman shade tape
Apron: gather the side seams and finish them, trim in red ribbon
Underskirt: hook and eyes to close the skirt and to fasten the bustle to

I really want to start on the jacket, but I should finish all the little things first so that is my plan. Once all the little stuff listed above is finished, I can move on to the jacket and then the hat and purse (decided against the pockets) and then once that's finished I can move on to my beau's Joker costume.

I think everything is coming along quite swimmingly, don't you my dearest dear readers?

A bientot!

Miss Leah J Wilde

EDIT - The bustle apron is finished! While at work today: I pleated and finished the side seams with red and white striped bias. I tried the gathering first but it laid funny so I had to take it all apart and start again. I think (hope) that it'll be fine now. Then I sewed two snaps onto the apron back for it to fasten close. I usually use hooks and eyes but felt like trying something new and different this time to see how it works. And last of all, I sewed red ribbon along the hem. Again, I used a short on top, long on bottom stitch, but they're a little closer together than on the bustle because the curve of the apron wouldn't allow for longer spaces between stitches like the straight edges of the bustle did. And that's all from me for today -- I got called in to work my second job this evening so no more sewing for me today.