Bombshell Sessions #4 The Outer Bodice

This was a hell of a days work, actually my job is easier! I have got the outer bodice finished now.

Tunes of these session #4 days: Alabama Shakes, Bombay Bicycle Club, Belle and Sebastian and RATM (when I was v v mad)

Only 5  more videos to watch and I have the whole of the weekend to do a massive chunk of the piece as I am oncall for my job, so no no NO red wine and all this sober Caffy means that I can sew my heart away!

.... nicely!


No puckers now after a massive seam ripping (and swearing and screaming and smoking... let us call them the 3 S's) session. In the tutorial video for placement of accurate bust pieces, Gertie gives a gem of advice... sew the seams together and you will KNOW that they are always in place. Genius. I did thus and was a happy camper.

BTW, I realised that when I was making this final edition of the dress, I had made all my muslins with the left and right bust pieces on the wrong way... Gawd knows how I managed to make them fit and look passable! I think maybe because I had focused on the body of the bodice and as usual, ignored and tried to pretend that my small bust area doesn't exist! So now, I am left with a final dress coming together and everything in the right place... The bust is too big now. ACK! I have according gone through the 3 S's (see above paragraph in the brackets) and then decided to use a thicker cotton batting on each bust piece.

So now, just the two bust pieces to go in and then we are hot to trot with finishing the outer bodice section. Twill tape, smill tape.. I used some ribbon that I had lying around. What a dapper trick, twill tape easing, that's a keeper!

I highly recommend, if you are making this dress or are thinking about making this dress- insert the batting cups with the bodice away from you as this gets a better fit. I thought that I had nicely slotted in the cups on my first attempt, but no... I had cut and basted by this point so I had to make them again. Unpick wicky!

I then used a catch-stitch to secure the cups in from the bottom. Nice visual from Gertie on how to do a catch-stitch, so clear that I realised that I have not quite been doing it right for quite a long time, oh well. Now I know.


Here are two shots of the completed bodice on my NEW DRESSMAKING DUMMY! Yes, I now have one... my lovely in-laws bought me one AND I have a new laptop too from my lovely fiancee... Lucky ginger bird that I am!

I cannot wait to get this dress done, it is growing up into a strapping dress and I am going to be so delighted to sing that 'I made this'.

Bundana 

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