Explanation: I decided I wanted to wear this gown to the SCA’s Crosston Ball, but the dress no longer fit. So I came up with a way to extend the size … a week before the ball!
At 6am, riddled by insomnia, I just bit the bullet, got up, and did some seam-ripping. I removed the trim and hooks-and-eye tapes from the bodice of my 1580s gown that doesn’t fit. Took about an hour (because when I *do* hand-sew, man, I really sew shit down in there hard!). I need to add in 3″ to the center front, and this will be easy to cover with the trim — thank goodness I have more of that same trim! Wouldn’t have contemplated this fix otherwise. Debated putting in a laced placket, which would be better for multiple sizes, but I simply do not have the time to make eyelet holes. The goal is to wear this Saturday at the Crosston Ball (hello, vanity!).
I can machine-sew the hook-and-eye tape to placket strips, machine-sew the strips to the edges of the bodice, and hand-sew trim over everything, plus hand-sew pearls on the matching piece of trim. The collar won’t meet, but I can finally wear the head-on-a-plate ruff with this gown, so the collar won’t show. The front bodice point won’t meet either; not as sure what to do about that. Maybe a rosette of some sort? I do have a fancy girdle for distraction.
Speaking of distraction, yes, this is all taking valuable time away from projects that I actually *need* to work on. But, y’know, vanity. I’ve been telling myself I’d go to the Crosston Ball for the past couple years, then skipping it. If I’m finally going to go, I want to be pretty, dammit.
There’s no chance of getting the Valois gown done in time, besides, dancing in a trained gown is all kinds of stupid. And I don’t want to wear the black doublet / purple skirt to the third SCA event in a row (see: vanity).