Gather round

This feels like the middle chapter in a trilogy. Where plot lines start to get complicated and you're not sure how you feel about your protagonist. Luke loses his arm in Empire Strikes Back. The Fellowship fractures to fight the final battle for Middle Earth. You've come far enough along that there's no turning back.

This stage in the pattern feels like my middle chapter. All the fun character introductions are over and it's time to get serious. It's time to work on gathers and zippers.

Gathers are not my favorite. They break down the clean lines and symmetry of a seam and present a bulky, difficult to execute technique. It took me another full day just to complete the gathers and attach the upper half of the skirt to the bodice. Only a few setbacks and redos and I was able to complete this step. There's less exciting narrative to share on this part, so I'll let the photos do the talking.

Attaching outermost skirt to bodice (right sides together, bodice upside down).

And volia, a dress emerges. Albeit a bit see-through.


Dress lining and two layers of tulle added. I goofed a bit on the seam which is where you see the puckering. Will fix that tomorrow. The most important sewing advice I can share is don't sew when you're tired or frustrated. This is the fastest road to an abandoned project. And I've already got a whole closet full!