Progress report on The Frokk!

Trish Brown wrote:

snip
Finally, I'd be glad of any pretty ideas for attaching a short veil to DD's
scone. I have loads of pearl beads, both in strands and loose. I have satin
ribbon, organza ribbon and tulle. I have a cocktail hat form (thought I could
cover it in white satin and then apply my pearl beads in rows... or not...?) I
have Not Much Time Left!
snip


Trish,
Glad to hear the posh frock is going well.
I don't know if this idea would be along the lines you would like or
not. I got the idea for a veil when making a caterpillar house. (Bear
with me here.) I grabbed some boning out of my notions stash, twisted
it into a circle and tacked some netting to it. As I got it finished, I
thought it might make a cute dress up veil for the girls. Alas, the
caterpillars needed it ASAP. The boning was already encased in a nice
fabric tube so it was easy to turn that into a circle of appropriate
size and stitch on the netting. I'm thinking a circle set to DD's head
size, covered with some nice ribbon, embellished with some of the
pearls, and tack on the tulle on to make a nice veil. Maybe a comb or
two to help it stay on or some bobby pins. I haven't tried the veil
idea out on the girls. I need to clean up the caterpillar frass first.
They get picky that way. ;-)

Marilyn in Minnesota

By the way, the caterpillar confinement worked well. We successfully
raised four caterpillars to Monarch butterflies. Chompy, Sheila and
Chris stayed within my caterpillar net. Cutey-Pie found a space left
open as we checked on the chrysalis and went walkabout. Yesterday
Cutey-Pie emerged from her chrysalis in an, as yet, unknown spot in the
kitchen. All were released to, hopefully, make more butterflies for the
world. Yes, my daughters name everything, even caterpillars.

I'll take this a bit at a time as I have lots to answer!

Trish Brown wrote:

Whew! I've just gotten up from a torrid session with The Bodice. It's basically
together (haven't sewn in the side seams yet) and has basically worked.

Good!

Where I got creative was in my idea of stitching a row of white pearl beads
right at the hem edge of the sleeves. I'll stitch some into the sweetheart
neckline too. I couldn't buy beaded piping in the size bead I wanted (about 3mm)
so purchased about ten metres of ordinary white pearl beads (ie on a strand) and
have stitched those onto the hem edge by hand. They look pretty good!

Sounds great. Pix please!

Only thing is, the fabric is so very synthetic that I can't press a sharp edge
onto the sleeve hem! I'm too afraid to jack up the temperature of the iron
(could melt beads, which are attached now) and too afraid to use a damp pressing
cloth for fear of leaving a nasty watermark smakk in the middle of the bodice. I
tried top-stitching next to the beads, but the fabric 'walked' along beneath the
zipper foot and left diagonal creases. Had to unpick. Bugger it! (Oz term of
endearment...)

Baste in place and use a walking foot. Perfect for this sort of stuff,
as well as quilting, velvet, keeping patterns matched...

Anyway, it looks basically OK. Next, I'll stitch the beading into the neckline
and then add the skirt. Again, I'm having a bit of trouble pressing the seams
flat. I gave up and overlocked (serged) the two edges together and pressed them
toward the back - they weren't going to press open for no man (nor woman
neither!)

I do that too! Works a treat!

Here are the things about which I'm wondering at the moment:

*Is* it possible to press Very Synthetic Fabric into a sharp edge?

Yes. I use a teflon pressing cloth or some of that Magic Carpet from
Lakeland Limited for lining baking dishes. Works a treat! DO test
first on scraps!

How will I incorporate my beaded trim into the seams (eg. on the sleeve hems,
where they're supposed to disappear into the underarm seam)? Do I stitch over
them and have two little beads sticking out into the seam allowance? Do I try to
splice the beads together somehow? Do I just cut them flush and offer up a
fervent prayer that they won't look gormless?

Trim close and glue together with fray check or super glue!

How will I hem this creature? It's a very heavy, very dull, delustred stretch
satin. It's more forgiving than I thought, so pinholes aren't too much of a
problem (although they do show if I'm too rough with the pins). I got some
narrow lace and thought to apply that to the hem and then catch it (ie the lace)
to the garment by hand. Does that sound OK?

Serge the edge, turn up a very narrow hem, and baste in place. Stitch
using the walking foot.

Should I consider hemming tape or is that an Utter Apostasy and grounds for
expulsion from rcts?

Nah... Just not necessary.

What are the pitfalls of invisible zippers? I have one but am thinking 'Nah!
It's far too complicated! Better the zipper you know!' Should I use the
invisible one or be a chicken and use the normal old dress zipper?

There are none. Pop over to my disastrous bridesmaid dresses and see
what they can look like with care. I don't even bother with the special
foot. If you want detailed instructions, I can send a copy of a leaflet
I have ready scanned.

If my pearl beads are incorporated into the sleeve edges, the waist seam and the
neckline, ought I to add any further embellishements to the frokk (eg. beaded
motif at the base of the neckline or on the bodice, parallel to the neck edge)?

No. Just my not very humble opinion, of course, but I'd leave it at
that myself...

Finally, I'd be glad of any pretty ideas for attaching a short veil to DD's
scone. I have loads of pearl beads, both in strands and loose. I have satin
ribbon, organza ribbon and tulle. I have a cocktail hat form (thought I could
cover it in white satin and then apply my pearl beads in rows... or not...?) I
have Not Much Time Left!

Keep it simple. Cover the thing with some of the fabric and wind a few
strands of peals round it. You COULD edge the veil with pearls, but
that might be A Bit Much!

Anyway, tomorrow, I'm going out bushwalking so that will give me a good day away
from The Frokk. I feel I need this as I'm in the throes of getting the vapours
over it. It's silly! I've done lots harder dressmaking things in my life, but I
don't think I've ever done anything that Matters as much as this posh frokk
does. This is why I need moral support from rcts. See?

As always, thanks to everyone for listening! :-D
--
Trish {|:-}
Newcastle, NSW, Australia


Hope this helps! Happy walking.
--
Kate XXXXXX
Lady Catherine, Wardrobe Mistress of the Chocolate Buttons
http://www.diceyhome.free-online.co.uk
Click on Kate's Pages and explore!

"Kate Dicey" wrote in message
...

I'll take this a bit at a time as I have lots to answer!

Trish Brown wrote:

Whew! I've just gotten up from a torrid session with The Bodice. It's
basically
together (haven't sewn in the side seams yet) and has basically worked.

Good!

Where I got creative was in my idea of stitching a row of white pearl
beads
right at the hem edge of the sleeves. I'll stitch some into the
sweetheart
neckline too. I couldn't buy beaded piping in the size bead I wanted
(about 3mm)
so purchased about ten metres of ordinary white pearl beads (ie on a
strand) and
have stitched those onto the hem edge by hand. They look pretty good!

Sounds great. Pix please!

Only thing is, the fabric is so very synthetic that I can't press a
sharp edge
onto the sleeve hem! I'm too afraid to jack up the temperature of the
iron
(could melt beads, which are attached now) and too afraid to use a damp
pressing
cloth for fear of leaving a nasty watermark smakk in the middle of the
bodice. I
tried top-stitching next to the beads, but the fabric 'walked' along
beneath the
zipper foot and left diagonal creases. Had to unpick. Bugger it! (Oz
term of
endearment...)

Baste in place and use a walking foot. Perfect for this sort of stuff,
as well as quilting, velvet, keeping patterns matched...

Anyway, it looks basically OK. Next, I'll stitch the beading into the
neckline
and then add the skirt. Again, I'm having a bit of trouble pressing the
seams
flat. I gave up and overlocked (serged) the two edges together and
pressed them
toward the back - they weren't going to press open for no man (nor woman
neither!)

I do that too! Works a treat!

Here are the things about which I'm wondering at the moment:

*Is* it possible to press Very Synthetic Fabric into a sharp edge?

Yes. I use a teflon pressing cloth or some of that Magic Carpet from
Lakeland Limited for lining baking dishes. Works a treat! DO test
first on scraps!

How will I incorporate my beaded trim into the seams (eg. on the sleeve
hems,
where they're supposed to disappear into the underarm seam)? Do I stitch
over
them and have two little beads sticking out into the seam allowance? Do
I try to
splice the beads together somehow? Do I just cut them flush and offer up
a
fervent prayer that they won't look gormless?

Trim close and glue together with fray check or super glue!

How will I hem this creature? It's a very heavy, very dull, delustred
stretch
satin. It's more forgiving than I thought, so pinholes aren't too much
of a
problem (although they do show if I'm too rough with the pins). I got
some
narrow lace and thought to apply that to the hem and then catch it (ie
the lace)
to the garment by hand. Does that sound OK?

Serge the edge, turn up a very narrow hem, and baste in place. Stitch
using the walking foot.

Should I consider hemming tape or is that an Utter Apostasy and grounds
for
expulsion from rcts?

Nah... Just not necessary.

What are the pitfalls of invisible zippers? I have one but am thinking
'Nah!
It's far too complicated! Better the zipper you know!' Should I use the
invisible one or be a chicken and use the normal old dress zipper?

There are none. Pop over to my disastrous bridesmaid dresses and see
what they can look like with care. I don't even bother with the special
foot. If you want detailed instructions, I can send a copy of a leaflet
I have ready scanned.

If my pearl beads are incorporated into the sleeve edges, the waist seam
and the
neckline, ought I to add any further embellishements to the frokk (eg.
beaded
motif at the base of the neckline or on the bodice, parallel to the neck
edge)?

No. Just my not very humble opinion, of course, but I'd leave it at
that myself...

Finally, I'd be glad of any pretty ideas for attaching a short veil to
DD's
scone. I have loads of pearl beads, both in strands and loose. I have
satin
ribbon, organza ribbon and tulle. I have a cocktail hat form (thought I
could
cover it in white satin and then apply my pearl beads in rows... or
not...?) I
have Not Much Time Left!

Keep it simple. Cover the thing with some of the fabric and wind a few
strands of peals round it. You COULD edge the veil with pearls, but
that might be A Bit Much!

Anyway, tomorrow, I'm going out bushwalking so that will give me a good
day away
from The Frokk. I feel I need this as I'm in the throes of getting the
vapours
over it. It's silly! I've done lots harder dressmaking things in my
life, but I
don't think I've ever done anything that Matters as much as this posh
frokk
does. This is why I need moral support from rcts. See?

As always, thanks to everyone for listening! :-D
--
Trish {|:-}
Newcastle, NSW, Australia


Hope this helps! Happy walking.
--
Kate XXXXXX
Lady Catherine, Wardrobe Mistress of the Chocolate Buttons
http://www.diceyhome.free-online.co.uk
Click on Kate's Pages and explore!


I can't argue with a thing that Kate has said with the exception of the
pearls on the veil. IF you have time after everything else is done (a big
if) adding pearls to the bottom edge of the blusher (the veil that goes over
the face, I don't mean to patronize, it's just that US, Oz and English terms
are not always interchangeable) would be lovely and add some weight to keep
it from flying around while she's walking.

When I got married, a long time ago, we attached the veil to my hat using
two long pearl headed pins. That way during the reception, I could continue
to wear the hat without tripping over the veil. I had a chapel length veil
in the back and the blusher went to about my bustline.

Best of Luck,
Laura