Dream Dress- Sleeves, lining, and boning

Not an interesting title, I admit, but that is what I have now completed on the Dream Dress.
It has been quite some time since the last major self drafted gown, as in many years, so I have been having to remember certain things I used to know. I mean, sewing play dresses for a 4 year old rarely involves boning.

India had envisioned cap sleeves that were elegantly ruched but would sit gently just below the shoulder. I had to make sure they were tight enough to not reveal too much "bosom" when they drooped, but loose enough to allow for dancing.

And then when working with boning, it is important to remember that, since it is coiled, it has a direction. If the boning is inserted in the wrong direction in the casing, the bodice will curve away from the body, rather than toward it. In addition, when curving down the ribs toward the waist, you want the curve toward the body as well. India wanted the curve of the back to stand away from the body at the lowered neckline so I had to insert the boning to curve properly there.

So, without further ado....pictures of last nights work:

I wanted to show the inside of the front with the interfacing before I lined it.


Boning casing being sewn into the lining seams

Full lining of bodice with boning casing

Lining showing casings and direction of boning

raw piece of boning showing curve

sleeve piece and ruche piece

I should have taken in intermediate photo here. To ruche the sleeve piece, I gathered the top and bottom of the large piece, and pinned it to the smaller under sleeve piece. Oh, and I used interfacing on the smaller piece as well. Once the top and bottom of the ruche piece were gathered, I pinned them to the smaller piece, and then made loose finger pleates on the sides. Then I just pushed the fabric around and tacked in places to make the loose fluffy areas.


Ok, sad confession, here is where I got on a roll and forgot to take pictures!
I fitted the bodice on India and then pinned the sleeves to fit her. Then stitched them the fronts of the sleeves to the bodice, leaving the backs free. Then I sewed the lining to the bodice, leaving gaps to add in the backs of the sleeves once it was trimmed, pressed and turned.

This shows the lining, with the boning casings and the direction of the boning. At the bustline, the boning is curving toward the body. At the side seam, it curves to the waist, and at the back it curves away at the top.

back view of lined bodice laying flat

lined bodice with sleeves on dress form

detail of lined back where sleeve joins.

back view of lined, bodice with sleeves and boning.

Next up: I need to make the panel to go behind the lacing, which will also attach to the skirt. Then of course, I need to make the skirt and attach it to the top. These things require less engineering than the bodice. I am hoping to get a lot done today. My vocal team schedule just changed so I do have rehearsal tonight. I will be sewing after rehearsal late anyway. And we all know that I never get to bed before 2:00AM anyway, so I will post more photos tomorrow.

If you have any questions, please post them. I am loving this process and want to share it. Thank you all for the positive comments. I appreciate them so much!

Sivje