Another Christmas come and gone. This one weirder than most. I was sad leading up to Christmas, I was sad on Christmas, and now I’m sad it’s over because it’s the only thing I had to look forward to.
At least I have a 4 day weekend coming up this weekend.
Anyway let’s start with Eliza updates because she is done! Just under the wire to be a 2020 costume.
For the sleeve and neckline ruffles, I cut the lace fabric I got at Joann into long rectangles and then cut the shapes out at the outer edge to create the scalloped effect. I gathered them onto some leftover ribbon and then sewed that ribbon onto the lining on the wrong sides.
I got the eyelets set into the back which was a mess. I am reminded why I hate eyelets and don’t use them. Chase had to help me set them in because I just couldn’t seem to hammer them down flat and then even after he did it, I still had several wanting to pop out, so I went back and bound each eyelet in embroidery floss (thankfully had some that matched the dress really closely). Though that just made each eyelet hole even smaller so the only cord I have small enough to pass through is like 2 miles long and it takes forever to lace me up into it.
The one time I’ve had the bodice on. It fit decently well, I was a little irritated that I had some wrinkling right at the stomach. Too late to do anything about it now. I made a modestly panel to go behind the eyelets (the back meets everywhere except where my bra band would sit), and then called the bodice done.
Next was attaching the skirt. The top edge was the selvedge so I didn’t need to finish it – I just pleated it onto the bodice and stitched it to the lining layer.
Of course it doesn’t fit this form very well at all (molded boobs), but I’m really happy with how it looks.
I really love how the dye took to the silk. It’s really pretty.
Well after I finished that, I pinned the hem and left it alone for a day (Christmas day!). Then Saturday I decided I didn’t want the skirt sewn onto the bodice. Having it all 1 piece is easier for storage but I decided for actual wearing, having it 2 pieces would be easier. So I cut the skirt away from the bodice and sewed the pleats down, then sewed some leftover bias tape on the top edge, then put a waistband of the silk over the top of that. Done! Then I put it on my form, trimmed the excess off the hem, pinned up the hem, and spent a good chunk of yesterday hemming the skirt by hand.
I also trimmed the excess off the petticoat and hemmed it too (on the machine). So she’s totally done – I just don’t actually have pics of her yet to be able to update the site but I hope to at least have dressform pics in a couple of days.
I’m also waffling on what to do for shoes. Dunno when I’ll deal with that. I picked out a couple of things I could mod on amazon so I may go that direction.
So let’s talk about CHRISTMAS
Christmas eve was quiet, we didn’t do our usual trek to Jackson for lunch with the whole family. I sewed most of the day and then Chase and I cooked dinner and after dinner, opened presents.
Here’s my presents! I got a ring light! Gotta figure out how to work it.
And Chase is so good at remembering things I say I want, then gets me stuff for Christmas I forgot I ever asked for because I had mentioned it 6 months ago LOL. He got me some packing bags I had been looking at for our disney trip way earlier this year! (before it was canceled obv) And the Star Trek costume book which I’ve really been enjoying. Wonder clips, bath bombs, Friends pins, Wonder Woman blind boxes, Twin Peaks book & Fire Walk With Me, Besame powders I wanted, a lip brush, a sloth, Aragorn, and a wax-warmer for candles (he also got me Disney-scented candles for it but they haven’t arrived yet).
All very exciting!
Christmas day we went to my parents as usual… since we’ve been in their bubble this whole time.
It was a different Christmas though because as of the 18th, my grandma Mama Gin now lives with them.
It was weird. My parents and I have done Christmas morning just-us for my whole life (adding Chase in when we got married of course). Having Mama Gin there was just… weird. Especially since she spent most of the morning complaining about this or that.
This was my fav thing I got! My mom and her siblings made this for my great-grandmother in 1958. How cool is that? I hung it up in my sewing room yesterday.
And my parents also got me 2 more of the poster frames for my disney stairway:
So I finally finished off all the attractions posters I wanted to hang. I still have 2 (Country Bear and Big Thunder) but I don’t just love those and dont think I’m going to hang them. I think I’m going to find something else to fill the space next to Snow White.
After a late lunch/early dinner we ran Ash’s Christmas presents over to her – we normally spend Christmas night with Ash and her family and that wasn’t happening this year but we still wanted to get her her presents. I got to see Piper which is always a bonus.
Then I spent the rest of the weekend finishing up Eliza. I FINALLY went to dump out the dye bin I dyed the Eliza fabric in…
The top layer had frozen LOL
Yesterday we went out to Shelby Farms where Chase was trying to use a new lens to take bird photos but it was too windy. We saw lots of dogs though and had some really good fries from McDonalds so I’ll take it.
So this weekend, I’m going to start dabbling with Padme Liberty Dies again… I may do a mock-up for the upper section. Also want to play with my ring light some more and get it figured out. And I want to clean out our pantry/kitchen closet. Those are my new year’s goals.
See you in 2021.