Everybody’s Talking Sewing

Of all the possible problems I might have working on a Christening Dress after all these years, I never even thought of the one that’s driving me stark raving bonkers.

When I was making those dresses before I didn’t wear glasses and I always used a #12 Quilters Between to do the handwork. Now if I even want to read anything, I wear glasses - a decently strong prescription. Last night I sat curled up on the futon with a bright light right next to me trying to hand sew the binding on the bottom of the sleeves.

Picture this: you’re sitting straight up, knees to chest, elbows flat to your side, and hands at about chin level… maybe a bit higher. That’s how I was sewing last night.

Tone-on-tone ivory fabric and thread; I simply could not see. I did manage to use a size #10 Quilters Between - after I finally got it threaded.. you don’t want to know. Well, humbling is suppose to be good for you every so often.

Okay then, this first picture is of the three bodice pieces doing their Frisbee imitations - stiff as a board. The decorative stitching is in place and the shape is only a rough cut.

I threw all three pieces into a bowl with warm water and let them soak for about 1o minutes time; each bodice piece is two layers thick. While the pieces soak, I had to lock the cats out of the room - it was way too much temptation to play in the water.

Then one quick rinse in clean water, and blotting the excess water out on a towel. When the pieces were barely damp, I used a dry iron to finish the process and gently press out any wrinkles.

After tracing the exact pattern shape on all the pieces, they were cut to size. The shoulder and side seams were simply 1/2″ seams since the entire top would be lined. I put together the lining - same as the decorative outside, less the decorative stitching, and very carefully sewed it into place using a 1/4″ seam allowance. The entire neck area is understitched. Did I mention I can’t see well on this fabric? Nose to the machine needle and cat watching intently from 10 inches away.

The sleeves have decorative stitching lines that are used to create a deep pleat - it’s gorgeous. They open slightly in the bodice and with movement. The underseam is French seamed since this seam won’t be hidden.

The last picture for this round is below, and it shows the completed bodice. Finished sleeves, decorative stitching on the bodice, connecting band with embroidered pattern for a nice bodice-to-skirt transition. Next we tackle the skirt!

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I spent a nice hunt on Saturday in the sewing room (how did I ever collect this much stuff?) hoping my brain hadn’t gone on hiatus a few years ago deciding to toss the old Christening dress pattern sizing templates. I found them - including all the bodice and sleeve variations! You have no idea how relieved I was…

That meant Sunday was devoted to ‘tracking down fabric’. It took awhile, but I found some very nice ivory cotton batiste and voile. By the distance everyone was giving me, I have a feeling I was doing a lot of ‘talking’ while crawling around pulling bolts of fabric and comparing.

A girls gotta do what a girls gotta do!

I pulled out all the cotton laces - they’re white, and will be tea dyed - the silk ribbons, white also and on the same list for tea dyeing, silk thread, wash out marker, Fray Check®, both fabrics, silk pins, clear elastic and snaps, double pin tuck and wing machine needles, and generic Tylenol.

The big question now was: what do I want to do? I have absolutely no idea. Well let’s try a pleated bodice. We already know it’s a boy (at least the first one is), so I’m going to try to not drown everyone in ruffles, and pleats are a nice alternative.

I cut a strip about 10″ wide and pulled out the pleater board. The only trouble I ever have with very thin fabric is keeping the pleated strip straight. After filling the board I steamed those pleats into place, used 3 pieces of clear tape to hold them together and gently rolled them out of the board. It looks good! On to the sewing machine to run a line of straight stitches down each side and removing the temporary tape.

I laid the pleated fabric down and lightly traced the bodice front on to the piece. 15 minutes later I was convinced that wasn’t the way to go. AARRRRGGGGHHHH.

Time for a different approach. How about…. hmmm okay, yeah I think I’ll try that instead. Simple slightly decorative stitching using silk thread - vertically - combined with lace and / or entredeaux.

To do that though, I have to prepare the fabric. I take two layers about three inches bigger then I need, and place them on a sheet of wax paper. Then I grab one of the best sewing inventions in the world: Perfect Sew™ from Palmer/Pletsch. This is a slightly thick liquid that’s poured onto your fabric and allowed to dry completely.

After it’s dry, you can peel that piece of fabric off and use it like a Frisbee! You will experience absolutely no distortion when sewing on fine fabric. When I finish added any decorative stitching, I’m going to simply wash the stiffener away. I’ve been using Perfect Sew since it came out in the early 90’s. I love this stuff.

Now I wait!

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