PEACOCK DRESS: FINISHED!
After having worked on the dress all day, I can now call it a 100% finished. Yahoo!!
As I flat lined it, and the lining is greyish green while the outer fabric is blue, I had to fold the fabric so the blue was concealed. This was sewn down. In this way I can drape the skirt in different ways (tucking one side up seems to have been common) without the seams being visible. It was boring work as the skirt has lots of gores and seams, but it was worth it in the end.
Both sleeves are now tied to the shoulder straps through hidden metal eyes.
The front skirt is finally sewn to the bodice. Could have been better, but a lot nicer now that the initial look I had in the dress. Went from pleating to gathering in front, and it helped a lot.
One tiny thing I might add is a clipped trimming in the neck opening, like that I have in the skirt hem and the sleeve cuffs. Haven't decided on this yet, but I definitely have enough fabric for it.
Eventually I will also make another pair of sleeves for the dress. Possibly mustard/golden, as mustard and blue seems to have been a popular combination. They will be plainer than the current ones, which are slashed, lined and have small baragonis, as well as having the black ornamental velvet trim. I adore that trim!
I'll try to take some decent pictures tomorrow of me wearing the finished dress.
INSPIRATIONAL SLEEVES: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v31/operafantomet/renaissanceportraits/firenze3/zucchi1565.jpg
SKIRT TUCKED UP: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v31/operafantomet/renaissanceportraits/firenze3/vasari1559.jpg
MUSTARD SLEEVES: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v31/operafantomet/renaissanceportraits/roma/zuccariloretomassilla2.jpg
