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!

IRCC3 - Sottana skirt is assembled!

I finally finished all the stiching and my skirt pieces are together. As you can see, I still need to figure out the shape of the train (and possibly piece in some more triangles to soften the curve, but I am happy to say that I like the look, there will still be enough at the waitline for gathering, and I think there is enough sweep at the bottom that I won't feel like I am wearing a column dress even though I only used 2 1/2 lengths of fabric. (OK> Techcnically it is 3 lengths and 2 1/2 breadths. I hope I didn't confuse you. :) )


The view from inside - You can see all the pieces, front panel, two triangles from the 1/4 width piece, one triangle which was removed from the back panel and flipped, back panel




A close up of the inside seams




The view from outside - Once again you can see all the pieces




A close up of the outside seams

IRCC3 - Skirt front is assembled

Now I'm working on the back. :)

IRCC3, Layer 2 - Pattern Matching: your mileage may vary

Because the 1/4 width pieces I am using for the triangular shaping in my skirts were actually longer than a skirt panel I am able to play about a bit with the positioning of the pattern on the piece which will be upside down. I tried various things:

Alternate side
even at the top * slightly raised * nearly even at the bottom


And the original side, nearly even at the bottom


While I found the various combinations of wiggly lines interesting, I decided that this version, which continues the rhythm of focal spots horizontally across the breadth of the skirt, is most appealing to me.



And did you notice how nicely the patterns match on the triangles I already attached?

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...

Testing...

Last year after I bought the stunningly beautiful blue silk which I have been afraid to cut I bought a printed linen in a similar pattern to make an under gown and test out a cutting diagram before cutting into the silk. The linen was still patiently waiting in my stash, untouched, but I have finally begun putting it to it's intended use!



The cut:

My fabric was cut evenly at the top of the pattern repeat at one end and a bit raggedly and off the repeat at the other. My skirt length varies from 42" in front to 45" in back and the pattern repeat of my fabric happens to fit exactly into 45" sections so-working from the good end- I cut one full width of fabric, 45" long for the front panel. since I want a train on this dress I used the somewhat raggedy end of the dress length for the back of the skirt. I picked a pattern transition point about 15" up from the edge and measured my 45" skirt length from there. I will eventually curve the button edge of this panel to form the train.

I am using the burial dress of Elanore of Toledo as my starting point for the patterning of the skirt but fabric constraints prevent my skirt from being quite so lavish. After I cut both the front and back panels I had about one and a half skirt lengths of fabric left. I decided to split this piece lengthwise into three sections, 1/4, 1/2, 1/4, so that I would have the full center of the panel to use when making my bodice and as much length as possible for making the sleeves. The 1/4 width panes are being split into triangles and inserted between the front and back panels to create a greater sweep of the skirt at the hemline and help the train to drape gracefully.

Now I just have to sew while keeping my fingers crossed that it works!

As to the sewing itself, I'm finally trying the period method of hemming each piece and then whip stitching them together. I think I like it. :)