Mood: Content
Song: This is Love by Utada / Seasons by Ayumi Hamasaki
Drink: Hot tea (orange pekoe)
Snack: N / A
After a stern look I finally worked on the eyelets. You may be wondering…
Why the hold up?
Answer: I dislike them. A lot.
Why?
Answer: I can never get them even let alone look right. It also takes me a few before they even begin to look decent.
But here they are anyway. (To be clear: the symbol on my nail is the exact representation of my mood when I just so much as think about hand bound eyelets.)
And in action on my bodice during a quick fitting this morning:
I was more than a little worried that all the weight I had gained during the year long sewing hiatus would result in a fitting disaster.
But I’m happy to report that this bodice fits just fine sans the small wrinkling problem in the front due to my tum. Oh well. I’m debating if I should add linen stiffened with padding stitch as an extra lining to smooth it out. But the weight of the skirt might fix that problem. If not, there is a big sash that should mask it most of it!
The bust support is all right. It’s sufficient for my less than well-endowed bust. The girls stayed where they were put and no sink-age to report after about 15 minutes of moving around. The bodice provides a soft yet controlled profile which is very indicative of the closed bodice style of the period. (It’s important to note that the early development stages of the rigid split front bodice that the Italians continue to be famous for begins to trickle in during this time in the mid 20s. Closed front and the risque ‘no bodice’ styles dominate portraiture until the split front takes off as a true phenomenon in the 30s and 40s.)
(Vestiture of Saint Brigid (detail) c. 1524 by Lorenzo Lotto) (detail courtesy of The Realm of Venus)
Side Note: Piecing is period. Still have your doubts? Check out that line on the skirt of the yellow dress. An older dress in prefect condition made longer for a quickly growing young woman using stashed fabric? Things that make you go ‘hmmmm’.
I tried forever to get a decent profile shot. Half decent shots were cropped to include only the good stuff but…boobs. Maybe when the skirt is attached…
Side Note 2: The laces are 5–loop finger braids that were a blast to make. Unfortunately, I forgot to measure them but they’re pretty long, half an arm span’s length give or take an inch.
5-loop finger braid: a great arm work out and an awesome way to shrink that embroidery floss stash. (Don’t try to deny it. We all have one.)
Threaded Sharps 