I Lied About Orange

In my previous post, I gave a small spoiler for what my next project would consist of, and I believe I posted something about 'lace and the color orange'. To clarify upon this, I had the opportunity to discover some vintage material (as pictured) that is elaborately printed with colorful medallions. It is something that Minnie purchased a long time ago, and has been shelved ever since, waiting for a moment of inspiration. I instantly elected to turn this fantastic stuff into a garment. At first glance the pattern seemed to be very orange, however upon a second, closer, look it proved to actually be a very bright red. Minnie described it to me as 'tomato red', when she corrected me, although I think it looks a bit more like the color of newly ripe cherries.

The material is a standard weight cotton and in quite good condition despite it's age. Minnie and I elected to use it as a prototype piece for the simple gown design I have adopted (in favor of the more elaborate corset and under-dress) for my wedding to Sir Reginald. This gown will feature a 7-panneled pattern to provide a flared silhouette with a full skirt, lace upper portion, and a gathered bust, as shown in the sketch to the right. It can be worn with a simple under-bust corset if so desired, or possibly gathered up and layered with an underskirt to create different finished looks. The material would look stunning with either gold or red accents, however for our lining and accent fabrics, Minnie and I have elected the red.
Our first real hurdle, as with any project was the construction of the pattern, and that occupied the first working session this past Easter. I have lately been in love with designs involving lots of lace and decided to modify the basic concept of a strapless dress to include a the lace upper portion with a line of tiny pearl buttons up the back, meeting the point where the dress itself would employ a zipper. This upper portion, as well as the lace ruffle that peeks out from the skirt-hem will be done in a red point d'esprit lace mesh, and trimmed with a slim band of red lace with a delicate floral design. The 7-paneled constitution of the pattern will allow the dress to maintain a slim, fitted, line through the midriff (perfect for wearing with an under-bust) and seamlessly transition into a much fuller skirt.

 Minnie and I met again yesterday and were able to finally begin the task of cutting and sewing the resulting panels together. The dress is fully lined, and we chose a soft red material for this purpose. During the several hours we spent yesterday in her underground workroom, we have been able to sew and press the panels composing the front and back of both dress and lining, and set the zipper. Because the lace upper portion must be attached between the outer and the lining material to create a finished edge both inside and out, I have not yet been able to attach the lining to the outer shell or to sew up the side seams without first addressing that part of the pattern. We did however begin gathering the bust of the dress, and mounting it to both a lightweight foam core material and to an inner and outer lining. The extra weight of the foam should allow for the finished dress to be worn with out the need for any additional undergarment, and should provide stability and shape to that part of the dress.
With any luck, one more good workday should produce a finished product, or at the very least a garment in need of only minor adjustments and handwork. There is much left to do, but this first portion has gone so smoothly that I can only trust in our abilities. As this pattern is a prototype, I would appreciate some feedback on what more could be done with it. What else would you, dear reader, be interested in seeing me create?
As always, my most sincere thanks,
~Djinni