Safe to say that I have been sewing non-stop since January 2nd. I will eventually get photos posted of costumes from the Jane Austen Ball, as well as the coat I'm working on now for a play that's about to open. I'm getting paid $10 per hour for the thing, and I'm up to $400 in invoicing - it's been that much of a devil. Having said that, now that the lining is tacked in and the front facings are on, it's looking pretty good. This is the first time I've made an overcoat, let alone worked with fur. I found someone's review of the project (Eva Dress 6611 - 1929 Coat) on PatternReview.com, and she had the same sort of challenges I've been experiencing. Fortunately for me, she posted more complete information about how she made and attached the collar, which rather reminds me of a Flintstones version of Elvis (standing fur). The other problem I had was my cutters. They were first year theater students, and I happened to be in the costume shop, working with the designer on another dress, while the kids were cutting, and they were more interested in their conversation than mindful of what they were doing. This coat has a lot of long seams, curved pintucks, matching curves for an intricate effect - it's really precision sewing, and because they weren't cautious, some of the seam allowances were off, and so I had to take portions of the seams apart and abut them by hand in order to have proper spacing between the curved seam, and the echo in the pintuck. The girl also cut the lining wrong, but in this case, it's an error that worked out in my favor, because in the pattern review, the other seamstress mentioned that when cutting the lining as shown on the pattern piece, it's about 1" too narrow to fit with the front facing, so I may actually be able to turn this inside out and close that part up by machine later this morning. This project has been a real challenge, but it's pushed me hard, and I've learned so much. I know the designer wouldn't have given it to me if she didn't think I could handle it, and I've been slllllloooooooowwwww (which is working just fine for my budget), but I'm seeing what I'm capable of doing, and despite my grumbles, the fur really makes the coat look beautiful. Hope to finish by 3:00 in the afternoon, or before it starts raining - whichever comes first. I've just done a last press of the interior seams before I close up the innards, and I don't want to go to all the trouble of pressing it and making it look just so, then have to go and wad it up in a plastic bag to prevent it from being ruined so I can go the three blocks to the company costume shop.
Eva Dress pattern #6611, front (without button or snaps), collar and strap holding collar finally in place. This is so flattering to the face - it just frames the wearer beautifully. Absolutely worth all the work.
