Shifty Business Part 2--Piecing and Stitching

Homer the Cat of Enormous Bulk ultimately decided that it was more comfortable to sleep on the sofa without me prodding him than to remain on the sewing machine with me nudging his flanks. So I got to start sewing. The first seams were attaching the side gores (the triangle-bits that were cut from the top of the shift). You can see in the photo below how the top of the shift angles in, and the triangles pinned to the bottom, ready to be sewn on.



And what, you may ask, is the dinner plate doing on the table? Excellent question--thanks for posing it. The plate is there as a guide to cut the neckline. I traced the half the plate, then cut slightly wider and flatter than the semi-circle it created. Expedient, no?


After the gores were in place, I pieced the sleeve gussets. The gussets are squares of fabric that keep the arm holes roomy. After they were attached to the sleeves, I attached the sleeves to the body.


And this is where I made Ye Oldeste Error in Ye Booke. While concentrating on piecing the gussets precisely (and on a vital scene of Them, streaming on Netflix), I managed to join the sleeve to the body wrong-side out. D'oh!



You can kinda see the rough edges of the sleeve poking out the bottom. Will have to fix that, won't I? The gusset shows nicely on this photo as the triangle-shape between the body and the sleeve.


And another gusset shot.


And here's the fully assembled shift, having fallen in a swoon onto my guest bed. I still need to do all the finishing work, so final stage still to come!


And onto something completely different--I've ordered this lovely silk charmeuse. But for what...? Any guesses? Will share soon!