Ping@Kate

Hello Major Tom, ah, I mean, hi Kate,

I know that your brain is currently being eaten by gigantic Spiders from Mars, but perhaps you could send me a little preview on how to deal with the sleeves of the jacket. The hem of the gown is a lot of work but just something to keep my fingers busy, but the jacket looks like a tricky bit of work, so... Yes, I know you've got so much to do, and I'm really sorry to bother you again, but our wedding is in 9 days and I'd hate to mess things up because I'm too nervous. Just give me a first step, then I'll be contented. Tomorrow and the day after will be sewing days in Lüdo (short for Lütgendortmund, my parents' suburb).

Thanks for your patience.

U.

Reply to
Ursula Schrader
Loading thread data ...

No, I *should* have got this to you ages ago.

Firstly, remember that you basted interfacing to the sleeve ends? Well, trim that back to the seam line and then work a herringbone stitch along that seamline, catching the interfacing to the inside layer only of the brocade. Turn and press the seam allowances over it. Baste them in place, mitering the pointy corners as sharply as possible. You may need to trim the seam allowance back at the corners.

Work a herringbone stitch along the edge, catching the fraying edges of the seam allowance.

So, you have the interfacing herringboned to the fabric, along the seam line, and the fabric seam allowance caught to the interfacing. We can tackle the lining once this is done.

How's the hem going? Did it drop a lot?

Reply to
Kate XXXXXX

Ah yes! When I lay awake last night, my mind reeling with all kinds of thoughts and projects, I came to the conclusion that the herringbone technique might be the solution, although I would have needed many tries to get it right without your detailed instructions. Thanks, gonna print this and take it with me.

Uh, haven't tried it yet; I'll tell you tonight. Gotta go, get ready, take care of DD, get stuff into car (including new steam iron [must remember to get distilled water!]) and a million of other things.

Take care, don't sew too much lycra, and don't drink anything without having one drink for me, too. ;->

U.

Reply to
Ursula Schrader

I forgot to ask: Should I herringbone the other end of the interfacing to the fabric, too?

U.

Reply to
Ursula Schrader

Not strictly necessarry, but nice if you have the time. :)

Reply to
Kate XXXXXX

Uh-oh, should I have done that much earlier, basting it and then let it hang? Too late, I'm afraid. Today I only managed to get the lining pinned and basted for sewing. Bad day, got off late, loads of stuff to do at home, so I arrived there at 11:30 a.m. , almost bedtime for DD. Mom and I tried to get it done before lunch but we didn't succeed too well. However, we used her old skirt marker, without the chalk though, but it worked OK. There were a couple of hitches to overcome, like profuse sweating on my side and the fabric, to name a few. That lining fabric pins like water; getting out of the dress let a shower of pins rain on the table. Not good, no fun. However, it seems that we got that right.

We looked for my tailor's chalk, but it seems to have disappeared. Did you pack it perchance? You did if you find yourself suddenly the owner of two brandnew pieces white and blue in a box. If you did, welcome, I'll just better get new stuff then; if not, I'll have to go hunting again for the stuff. Tomorrow is pick-up day for Edgar's stuff, so I'll be in town and could grab some more. I'll have to get some make-up, too, because I'd hate to look totally flushed all day. I try to get away from here asap, and then we'll mark the dress and the jacket sleeves. If the marking business on the dress doesn't go too well, I can try some work on the jacket for a change. My paln is to work all weekend on the thing so that I can take everything out for getting it pressed on Monday. We'll see if that works. Keep your fingers crossed for me, and if you're to busy with sewing spider dresses, croos your toes, might work equally well. ;-)

U.

Reply to
Ursula Schrader

No, no need to baste the hem and then hang it as you'd only have to do it again once it had hung out! Once is enough... :)

And try little gold safety pins in the lining. A few pin holes won't show once you have it hemmer up! :D

No, I failed to steal that! ;P Has the little fairy/demon had it away to draw with?

Second spider dress largely together, after some REAL hassles today! See post on frock nightmare...

Reply to
Kate XXXXXX

Failed to finish the lining hem yesterday...

Nothing wrong now that there's two layers of fabric, but is hand-sews like hell. :-( Need to work out the right stitch. I'll try herringbone today...

I never said a word of stealing! ;-) And I'm pretty sure that I wasn't the owner of two or three cases of Schmetz machine needles before you visited. ;-)) But no, the little fairydemon didn't take it, at least not to draw with. They'll show up one day, either here in Hagen, in Lüdo or in Kent. Never mind, I got new ones, and a new skirt marker. We'll use that today.

I spent the best part of yesterday in town, ordering the wedding cake ('You want it when? But the boss is not here today![my personal moment of heart attack] Of course we can do it. Somebody will come round to take your orders.' And it'll be three stories of yummy buttercream in various tastes.), shopping for notions, make-up [Clinique, and a very nice lady to help me, despite my wuite hirsute appearance, chin-wise, so I left about

150.00 with them], and other tiny things that don't come to your mind in the first place but would be sorely missed if not present on wedding day. I think I've got everything, apart from a spare reel of silk thread...

Oh, and please remember to insert the curtain weights when you send Christine's dress. I'll leave the slit in the lining open to the last moment. When I got back from town, I went to tackle the jacket sleeves. Re-basted, trimmed inlay, and herringboned one inlay already. Easier than I thought, the brocade sews so nicely and doesn't fray too much. The lining will be basted/pressed to proper length and then slipstitched to the brocade?

Anyway, gotta go, sew a lot today...

U.

Reply to
Ursula Schrader

Yes.

I've hunted about for small enough oblong curtain weights here and can't get them. I'll fling a bit of shower curtain weight in and you can cut it to length. It'll be a separate package as I failed to put the pattern in with the frock!

Busysewing... Buzzzzzzzz....snip...buzzzzzzzzz!

Reply to
Kate XXXXXX

Ah, see, I'm learning quickly. However, I've made two decisions today. No.

1: I'll give the dress out for hemming, too. I asked the lady who'll do the pressing and she said no problem, they had a hemming machine. So I'll just get mom to mark the hemline with chalk tomorrow and put in a basting thread to mark it and of it'll go on Monday. No. 2: I thought that I better herringbone the other end of the inlay, too. One day the whole thing may have to go to the drycleaner's and then woe if the inlay rumples up. I did that today and it looks very nice. Since I won't give the jacket away for steaming, I still might have time to herringbone the inlay around the neckline, too. And I cut the fabric for the little bag. As you so rightly stated in your sagas, Timtex rules! We'll see how that'll go.

Ah yes, perhaps you remember the olden days: After washing up, there's always one teaspoon left in the sink after the water is drained. ;-) As long as it's here before Friday... ;-))

U.

Reply to
Ursula Schrader

What a good idea! Since you don't have quite the space and the fabric IS very slipery and difficult, this is a very good move. As is heringboning as much of the interfacing as you can. The brocade is beautifully bahaved, whereas the satin, though excellent stuff, is, after all, satin!

Barring an earthquake that adds a million miles to the distance between us... ;)

Reply to
Kate XXXXXX

InspirePoint website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.