Remember Madame Ornata’s gorgeous silk brocade pet en l’aire? No? Oh…that would be because I was a bad blogger and forgot to post about it for almost a year.
Eeek.
Sorry!
To make up for that, I’ll give you a little update on the sewing progress, and in just a few days I’ll do a whole post with the finished pet and petticoat and the most gorgeous, drool-worthy stomacher ever.
So, sewing updates!
When I last posted, Madame O and I had draped the pet, using a lovely cotton voile for the draping so that it could then be used as the lining. We’d also cut out the glorious silk brocade she picked.
After the draping, Madame O decided that the voile lining was too white, so she tea-dyed it:
Dyed cream on the left, original white on the right
It looks much better with the silk brocade too:
Mmmm...pretty striped silk!
Madame Ornata then disappeared with all her fabric, and a few days later she casually mentioned that she had ‘gotten a tiny bit of work done’, and would I check it?
Yeah, tiny bit! This is what she had done:
Completely pleated and sewn back
And this:
Completely pleated and sewn side pleats
And this:
Well...OK. the front doesn't look that exciting at this point
And to get to this point in a pet (or robe a la francaise) don’t forget that you have to sew a complete bodice under-structure, with lacing all the way up the back.
Now, some people cheat and use metal eyelets for the lacing holes, because they are never seen. I don’t do that because I’m a historical stickler. Madame O doesn’t do that because she is a manic handsewer.
These are her amazing, beautiful handsewn eyelet holes:
Those are never, ever going to rip out!
Look at how many lacing holes there are!
So many! So amazing!
So yeah, sometimes progress isn’t that exciting. But wait until you see the photoshoot of this made up. Wowee is it something!
Ooh! That is looking rather special – adore that fabric! I cannot wait for this reveal!!
Well done Madam O – those eyelets look beautiful!!
Aw thanks 🙂
These were very good practice for umpteen eyelets in the green stays which were going to actually be seen. Eyelets now though – totally over them argh! I must have handsewn about 200 by now.
I’m going to remind you of that the next time you start sewing eyelets!
Oh chortle please do
Wow….I did eyelets one time……not nearly so perfect!
She does eyelets on everything! Even Victorian! She’s amazing!
I’m a crazy virgo 😉
Very pretty! I love the fabric.
Ohhhh! It must be so much fun to make such a pretty thing!
It was and is even more fun to wear it! Squeeeee!!!!