IRCC3 - All hemmed! Hmm...Now I guess I need a bodice...

Moving on with my hem, I ran another row of prick stitch through the all the layers about 1/2" from the edge of the hem on the fashion fabric thereby encasing the original cut edge and reducing the chances that my clipped hem finish will cause the main body of my doppia to fray. (Essentially, it's for seam allowance!)



I then flipped the facing fabric back toward the outer edge and ran a row of running stitch through the inner layers over the original seam securing the skirt and facing together.



Flipping the facing back again I have the look want, a separate tiny band of facing fabric sandwiched into the seam, and also enough stiffening from the build-up of the successive folded layers that I decided I didn't need to add any cording.



I double folded the remaining facing fabric and positioned it so the leading edge of the four thicknesses buts into the edge of the encased hem. Stitched in place, clipped, ironed, Voila!

Fear, I'm facing you!

Well, I finally gathered up my courage and started on the hem of my skirt. First step, rounding out the train



I just folded the fabric in half and cut a freehand curve to round out the corner. This is still too square, but with the seam allowance turned under and the back panel gathered into the waistband I think it will be just right.

Second step, turn under the hemline of the skirt about 3/8" and baste in place. Third and fourth steps, cut 5" wide bias strips of bias hem facing, sew together, turn under about 1 1/2" on long edge, pin in place on skirt hem, wrong sides together and with the hem facing extending past the fashion fabric of the skirt about 1/4".






Fifth step, stitch hem facing in place. I used a running stitched worked thru the hem facing and the turn back of the hem on the fashion fabric. The stitches don't show on the right side of the skirt.






I'm trying out a doppia(padded hem) but I can't find the wool felt I purchased for the purpose so I think I'll make do with the linen facing and a row or two of hemp cord. And a heck or a lot of stitching!

OK, I admit it. I'm afraid of trains.

Not wearing them, or even sewing them, but my brain has been shorting out on the subject of drafting/draping trains on my courtesan gowns for quite some time.

I think it is because I usually make the body of my skirts as a straight tube of three or more widths of fabric. If I add a small train of 5" or so to the back panel of such a skirt it is generally full enough that it can adjust to the slight drape without an awkward pull to the waistline, but the trin looks too small (side to side) and too shallow (front to back). If I were to extend the extra train fabric to two or three panels of the skirt the train would likely appear wide enough but I think the skirt would break with a fold line at the floor rather than gracefully trailing behind.

I haven't had any luck finding descriptions on the Internet about adding a train in my situation, but I think the edvidence of the Elenore of Toledo burial gown has given me the information I needed. It's the triangular sections that connect the straight front and back sections! In hindsight it seems fairly obvious that such a section would be needed to guide a trained gown into a graceful sweep |\ .... but I'm gonna say it anyway, Eureka!

Since I only have 2 1/2 widths of fabric to work with it is especially important that I build in as much room as I can in that back sweep or the whole gown is likely to look ridiculously skimpy. The extant gown shows that part of the back panel was taken away at the sides on the upper half and likely used to fill in the bottom, making the back piece more of a wedge. Since my waist is proportionally unusually small I don't need the fabric at the top of my skirt nearly as much as I do at the hips and below so I too will be sneaking some fabric out of the upper back to add to the lower.

Stitch, stitch , stitch...