Regency Franken-patterning (Part 2)

 You know those projects that no matter how you plan come together perfectly and just seem to work out? Yeah, me neither. 

At this point I'm nearly ready to throw this into the corner and let it think about it's issues but I just have to win. So, another week of battling. 

I pretty much had to rip apart this lady to get a better fit. As well as throwing away my "historical practices" ideology I had for the first week. I seam ripped the skirt from the bodice including the gathering stitches, which was slightly painful since all of that work took forever. At this point my fabric was having some massive unraveling issues so I just threw in the towel and surged my problem edges, which unfortunately were most of them, except for the interior back seam which I'd already hand felled down. I hand stitched the majority of the side seam, leaving plenty of room for the closures which haven't even been addressed. 

After a couple fits and much cursing, I chose to gather the front with an enclosed elastic casing on the front bodice for lack of any option I could come up with, and then match up with a halfway cartridge pleat in the back skirt. I can't be the only seamstress in history who just throws up their hands and says "whatever gets the job done". 

I took a break after the elastic mess and felled down the appliques for the back panels. They, at least, are gorgeous thanks to the ever wonderful Mary Not Martha etsy shop. I've been buying from her for over 11 years now, and everything has been so perfect, and these are no exception to that rule. 

So currently, I'm nearly done painstakingly hand stitching this oddly reinforced cartridge pleat with the back bodice. I'm trying to keep the bodice seam even but cover the upper gathering threads with even back stitch and it feels like I won't be done for years. 

I also ripped out all the neck facing and gathering line I previously had in, and cut down to the position I placed last week, smoothing out edges with my french curve and a chalk pencil on one side and the just folding it in half and copying it over.  

Because I may as well just do everything multiple time for this project right?? Ah well, such is the life of pattern drafting I suppose. Until next week, back to the sewing room friends.