Chemise progress

I want to have more pictures to accompany my posts, particularly when I'm working on a project or talking about something that would benefit from a visual reference. It would make the blog a lot more interesting to read and to look at. It would be easy enough; I have a pretty decent point-and-shoot digital camera, plus there's always the not-totally-terrible camera built into my iPhone. So I think I will document the progress of my endeavors will pictures of things like the dishes I cooked and the costumes I put together. So, in the spirit of this, here is a picture of my progress on my chemise.

Kind of ugly, isn't it? Well, it's my first try, and I'm hoping once I finish up the edges it will be less so. At the moment, one half of the bodice is put together, and the sleeves are attached to that half. You can see the unnecessary seam up the middle that I would not have had to put in if I'd doubled up the fabric when I cut it out. The sleeves have the same problem; I folded the left side over onto itself to show what it's roughly going to look like when it's totally sewn up, and I left the right side unfolded to show the unnecessary seam. At least on the sleeves a seam up the side is not that noticeable and probably won't change the overall appearence of them all that much. But since I had a little extra fabric, I cut out the second half of the bodice in the proper way so that at least one side of it will look the way it's supposed to. And to save me on sewing. If I'd cut things out properly the first time, I'd have sewn everything that needed sewing already. ;-)

The next steps will be attaching that second bodice half, and then finishing up the sleeves. You may have noticed that this is extremely short for a chemise, and that is intentional. Partially to save on fabric if this thing turns out to be a total mess, and partially because I was thinking of wearing it to the Wrathskeller as part of a slutty tavern wench look if it doesn't turn out to be a total mess. After everything is attached, then i will be trying to put elastic in at the neckline, cuffs, and hem. I am kind of dreading that part, as it will require care to put in some meticulously straight seams. I will just have to pin very, very carefully and draw a guideline, I guess. More pictures to come once those steps are taken.