Gathering Thoughts.

After the excitement of a new fabric purchase (and a few days spent showing and describing it to anyone who'd listen), the time came at the weekend to assign it a purpose! It is currently taking a similar shape to the vintage floral of my previous project. Having made several additions and adjustments to that New Look pattern to indulge a few personal whims and fancies (eg adding pleats in the back of the skirt), it seemed a shame to consign it back to the pattern box until 'next time'. So, in a bit of a variation on a theme, here it is again !

             

This time, as well as cutting the front bodice piece on the fold, I changed the neckline a little so it is more rounded and less 'V'. I may or may not include the covered buttons this time, but they were such fun last time we'll see ! I also added a contrast fabric for the yokes at the shoulders as well this time, courtesy of some leftover navy stretch velvet bought last Winter, also from my friendly, local The Sewing Shop.

The back of the skirt is where things got exciting. With the extra panel inserted into my pattern the first time round, instead of two inverted box pleats, I decided to try some gathers or smaller pleats this time. Handmade gathers can be a bit of an organic and fiddly art I find - certainly not the exact science they can be when undertaken in industry. In this attempt, mine looked pretty gathered and pinned in place, but once under

the machine, the effect was not as neat and 'defined' as I had hoped.

Whilst still creating a feature of interest at the back, I decided to unpick them in favour of a further twenty minutes spent creating some mini pleats. These achieved the neater, more 'structured' gathering I had in mind. I also moved these to the centre of the back skirt panel, rather than two lots on each side as previously. So...a compare and contrast! .....both pretty variations on a theme and an effective flourish to what would otherwise have been a straight A line skirt at the back. (One day I am just going to indulge my secret hankering for a full-on Victorian bustle! Watch this space!) In the mean time, a more subdued take on things :

          

I must have used nearly all of my pins securing the tucks in place in a paranoid vision of them breaking free of their constraints. I felt happier when I had them all tucked, pinned and had shown them the iron! - (I should say, given them the press of their life!) The result is a pretty profile at the back that adds a bit of extra interest.

                  

Onwards with the sleeves, zip and binding - and in time for Autumn wear!