Day 10 Update!

Sorry for going quiet the past couple of days.  I have been working on the embroidery, see?

The collar is done (yay!) and I've starting working on one of the cuffs.  Hopefully, this cuff will go quickly and I can start on the other cuff tomorrow.  We'll see.  I'd like to have all the embroidery done before 5pm EST or so Saturday.   Sunday, I can put together the chemise.  I've done handsewn smocks before and it's actually not that bad - just a lot of straight lines to sew up.   So, movie marathon have Church!!!!

You might notice that I have traced the pattern on to both cuffs to go over.   I took a picture of how I do that thinking it's probably something and least a few people might be curious about.  I don't use tracing paper. 

Instead, I printed out the pattern from this page done by Aelia Apollonia from the West Kingdom (SCA). I edited it using photoshop to get straight lines and to change up the size so it would be easier to trace.

After printing out the pattern, I place the linen fabric over the piece and center the fabric. I then taped the paper and the linen down together to give me a slightly more stable working surface, but also to pull the fabric tightly over the paper pattern. In the picture above, you can tell the left of center rose is only halfway traced.  The black lines on the left of that rose are actually the pattern showing through the fabric.  (I'm sure there a ton of political jokes in here somewhere).

To trace, I used a simple light blue colored pencil. Once I'm done tracing, I start sewing!

Close up of the cuff I'm currently working on.

And to show I'm not just working on a high neck smock and a Regency gown that is finally out of the bad corner (pictures tomorrow), took a picture of the skirt I decided to wear today...after I made it this morning. My old, very worn, but fit perfectly jeans deserved a new life. The pink shiny fabric isn't really that shiny - it's a left over piece of sari I used last year for my Titanic Ghost costume at Dress U. The piece was roughly 2+ yards - enough to do something with. I made it into a tube, cut out a piece of muslin for an attached slip, made a tube of that, cut the legs off the jeans and gathered the tube of fabrics. Attach the gathered tube to the bottom of the jeans and you have a new skirt! It takes all of 15 minutes and makes for a fabulous summer skirt - plus giving those very worn jeans a new life.