Another weekend

That I am going to call "productive". It was still Ridiculously Cold (warmest was about -25C) so I said "nope!" and stayed home again.

• Thought I had solved the fit of the Costume Close Up stays (I didn't)
  
• Found the wool remnant I wanted to use for the outer layer
  
• Marked a bunch of the holes and weak spots in said wool
  
• Pulled out a box of "in progress" items (at least 6 years old)
  
• Actually solved the fit of the stays (they were fine)
  
• Sorted the 6+-year-old "in progress" items
  
• Actually made progress on one of them! It's at the "just needs closures" stage and how the hell do I put eyelets through 4 layers of linen (which I now think is a blend as it got real shiny under the iron) without doing them by hand?
  
• Cut out the wool and linen layers of the stays, and basted them all together
  
• Cleaned out my sewing desk drawers (side note: does anyone out there want a bunch of vintage rick-rack and bias tape?)
  
• Sewed the bodice of my red Regency gown together
  
• Finished up a small sample of reverse applique
  

For the gown, I am SO STUCK on design that this has been on my list for OVER THREE YEARS. I was thinking about it already before going to CoCo in 2017 and had decided to wait so that I could buy fabric in LA. I can't remember if I posted aboit it already so here it is (again, maybe)

I am "recreating" Caroline Bingley's red gown from P&P 2005. I'm not dead-set on a fully accurate movie reproduction. The gown is:

• the most beautiful shade of red <3
  
• Floor-length
  
• closed-back/front opening
  
• true wrap-front (the opening goes all the way down)
  
• has a small it of closure around hip-level so it doesn't gap open
  
• pins or otherwise closes under the right bust
  
• long sleeves that are rather close-fitting and come down over the hand but do not slouch there
  
• more columnar - not transitional; the front skirt is flat and narrow, with the fullness in the back
  
• soft-looking (but I'm making it out of taffeta cuz that's what I have and so that's what I'm gonna use!)
  

I cut the bodice lining and fashion pieces for the back and side/fronts ages ago, mistakenly using gilded linen (oops). I got immediately stuck on how to pattern the front bodice, and the skirts. It sat forever, definitely didn't get worked on during my break, and then yesterday, when I was optioning out my projects, I had even gone so far as to get the pocket hoops out to do a petticoat when I remembered the red dress. And then ktlovely said "red" when I asked for opinions. Ok fiiiiine lol.

Got everything ironed, and the stitched it all together. I'm doing it by hand because I want to (silk is soooooo nice to work with). I'm following some of my goals by being more cautious about the process. I didn't baste the side back edges before stitching, but i DID baste the shoulder straps before same.

Still stuck on the bodice... I THINK if I cut a wrap bodice from a pattern I have (with some mods), and cut the skirts from Laughing Moon 126 but with the front piece cut double with one side straight instead of angled, I can get a true wrap dress.

But... do I want a true wrap dress? Would a wrap-bodice and apron skirt be better? Would my skirt plan actually work or will the straight edge pull out of shape since one side is angled? Do I need a mock-up of my plan before cutting it in my good fabric?

I haven't even started to think about sleeves yet. D: