Alterations In Progress -- Adrianna Papell Dress (Part 2), More Sewing Chit Chat and {needle & thREAD}

Oh ya'll.  I don't even need to tell you how silly it was of me to attempt a photographic blog journal-ish sort of thing to document altering my thrifty find, do I?

The "before" picture of the dress I've been working on.

After posting Part 1, I began working again...at night...under the light of Suits (we're on the second season) and a single lamp.  Bad photographic things happened.

They hurt the eyes, don't they?  I'll spare you further pain!  Suffice to say, I did finish the dress and the rest of the alterations included:

* Separating the lining all along the bottom of the bodice (something I hadn't originally planned to do).

* Reattaching the back straps.

* Taking in the bodice at the side seams (top to bottom).

Daytime sewing.   (Also our messy floor and proof of  the existence my fourth child :o)

I could have sewn straight through the bottom band of black and called it good, but I decided to keep the nice finish.

* Fixing the change in width between the front and back of the bodice at the side seam.

* And copious finishing work, trimming, and thread cutting.

I promise, promise, promise! to dedicate an entire post to the final product soon.  But for now a sneak peek?

Very glad to check that project off of my list!  Every time I sew, and most especially when I do alterations, I am reminded that seamstresses are sorely underpaid.   Sewing is never as frustration-free as it "should" be.  Oh, I always think my newest project will be easy.  I envision a flower-strewn path along which I'll travel from point A to point B with grace.  Never happens!  Maybe someday I'll be able to sew "as the crow flies," but for now I'll continue along my squirrelly routes.  I do enjoy a lot of hard-earned victory dances!

So anyway, my next to-do is to sew a different tie and hanky for this 18 month suit.  Is it not the most adorable thing you've ever laid eyes on?  I'm hoping to save a few bucks and refashion a men's tie.

If you recall, I also need to figure out a dress for myself for next month, but I returned the crazy gray chiffon fabric.

I couldn't wrap my head around the perfect design for my preggo self and that fabric needed the perfect design!  Instead, if I can find a suitable lining (I've come up empty so far), I'm considering a shimmery light gray chiffon:

This Butterick pattern caught my eye -- maybe the pink, sans the middle band (to make it maternity friendly).  I'm thinking understated elegance and also a way to hide my legs.  Perhaps a high-low configuration of some sort for the skirt?  Who knows what will happen once I get a pair of scissors in hand :o).

  

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As far as reading goes, there is a lot of this going on at my house:

What does the chicken say??????

And a little bit of preparatory reading.

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That's all for this week.  I'm linking up with needle & thREAD today.  Head on over and see what everyone is up to!