Chugging along...

Good morning, friends.  No niceties today; there's work to be done.

Yesterday I applied bias trim to the neckline and front of my lace redingote.  I cut my own 1" wide bias tape from black polished cotton (this is the famous bolt I found in the street in October 2009 which inspired me to make Cathy's LBD, launching a remarkable modeling career and strange partnership).  I stitched the pieces together and applied it like a Hong Kong finish, which makes it a little thinner (3 layers of fabric instead of the 4 layers you'd have using double fold bias tape) and easier to apply.



The stitching isn't perfect but it's fine.  I may buy a few yards of black lace trim -- I envision something scalloped -- and stitch that to the edge; we'll see.  Gilding the lily? 

I trimmed the back darts and attached the bodice to skirt with the same bias tape.  It's not officially stay tape (all these different tapes make my eyes cross), but this nylon lace is not going to stretch and I wouldn't care if it did.  It looks fragile but it's quite sturdy.



I traced a slip pattern using the Seventies Vogue pattern I showed you yesterday.  This was trickier than I thought it would be. We'll see how it looks sewn up.



This will be a six-paneled slip.  The front piece (far right) and back piece (far left) are cut on the fold.  The slip will be green taffeta.  Or is it blue?  Michael calls it turquoise.

 
Hey, I forgot to show you the patterns I bought on Sunday at the flea market, all from 1949-50 and uncut:

For the afternoon tea/pool party at the Van Johnsons...



Ladies Library Auxiliary luncheon (won't Helen be jealous)...



Rotary dinner dance...  (This one's a 38" and will have to be graded down -- or Cathy will have to inflate.)



These weren't $1 patterns, sadly, but rather three for $20, which is still a pretty good deal compared to most things on Etsy.

We're out of time, sadly, but tune in tomorrow for more lace and taffeta glamour.

Happy Wednesday, everybody!

UPDATE AND QUESTION @ 11:20 am:

OK, I've cut all my taffeta.  I'm not sure if I'm lining this or not.  Here's the deal: The taffeta frays. I need to finish the seam allowances.  Even unfinished seam allowances will show through the front if I press (I tested), so I'm going to have to press (carefully) each side with something between the seam allowance and the fabric itself, or move the allowances to the side.

Question: If this were going to be lined I'd leave the seam allowances as-is (and if it is lined it will only be the bodice) but if I don't and just use a facing up top, I have to finish all the seam allowances.

I'd serge, but with all those curves I'm afraid I'll cut off too much fabric in my attempt to keep the stitching on the edge.  So I'm overcasting -- before I start sewing.  I have much more control overcasting, and I'm doing it all the way around each fabric piece.

Does that sound right?   Thanks, guys!