F I N I S H E D !

i made the dress!!!!!!!!
(i still have to make the belt and flower...but come on, the dress is made)

i actually ended up getting up early and making it in the morning before making all the food for Tallulah's party.  i must have read that last step i was stuck on twenty times.  i just could not understand what to so.  and there all all these terms for every piece....left front yoke, right back yoke, left back yoke lining, etc.  and to make matters worse, at this point the dress was partially together...so you have to be very careful about how you're placing everything and where you are sewing, because you don't want to twist the dress and have to do it again.  so, after much reading and walking away and coming back and reading again...something clicked and it made sense.  once i finished that step, the rest came into place easily, i could visually see how it all went together, without having to just blindly trust that i was comprehending the pattern.  i did have to use the seam ripper and take that seam apart the first time because i  left too big of a space at the buttons.  i loathe seam ripping and doing something over when sewing, usually.  but that time wasn't so bad.  i think i was just so happy that i figured it out.

in the end, it is too big.  which i have to say is a bit disappointing since i measured everything and cut the pattern pieces accordingly, even adjusting to different measurements making different sizes on the same pattern piece.  and now, i lay in bed at night and try to think about taking it in, and i get overwhelmed.  since it is lined, and if i want it to still look all finished inside, i can't just fold it, pin it and sew a new seam.  that would look messy.  but i also would love for it to fit better.  well, regardless of fit, i did wear it to Tallulah's party!  i used a ribbon as a belt, and it was ok.  it was pretty chilly that night at the park, so i mostly had a jacket on over top of the dress.  but it felt good to wear something i made, i was so proud of it.

here is a picture of the dress, and I'll get some better ones too.  and one of me wearing it at the party.  i am standing with my friend, janeen.  ok, so i didn't get the pictures of just the dress downloaded, my computer has been too slow.  grrr.  so...maybe tomorrow.  and maybe some good shots of the details.
bye bye for now...
melissa