I can see the finish line!!!

Hello, my fellow costumers and Disney fans and other folks interested in this blog for their own purposes!! It has been a productive few days, let me tell you.  Since last Thursday I have successfully:

-- Completed the main body of the bustier, with trim

-- Finished one of two puffed sleeves with pink ribbon stripes (and tested it for size)

-- Added a false back for the "undershirt" in the back, complete with lace and buttons

-- Finished (but not attached) the modesty panel for the front and center

-- Started working on the 2nd half of the embroidery transfers

Bustier 2.0 turned out beautifully.  I learned even more about applying trim evenly, and it fits nice and feels nice and looks nice.  The next thing I did was cut out the sleeve and sew pink ribbons on, and I confess when I held the sleeve up to the bodice for the first time I might have squeaked a little in excitement.  It's really starting to look like a recognizeable costume!!

But don't take my word for it: See for yourself...

Saturday: The bustier body was complete, and I tacked on the ungathered sleeve just for a first look at the two together (that would be the moment where I squeaked).

Last night: Gathered the sleeve and did a fit test, just to make sure it would look right and that I didn't have to alter my homemade pattern any.  It's just sewn on with a machine baste, and I have since removed it, because there are a few more things I need to do with the main bustier that require me to get into the inner lining (once I attach the sleeves I'm cut off).  Also, I still need to get some fabric for the lower part of the sleeves.  They should be pale pink.  Still, I'm quite pleased with the results.

Last night: finished the "undershirt" with buttons.  It's just a couple of lined squares with lace on one edge and held together by the buttons, then hand-stitched to the inner layer of the bustier.  Quite easy, really, and I couldn't be more tickled by those buttons.  For those of you who don't obsess over Rapunzel's costume, the only time you really see this part in the movie is at the end when (SPOILER ALERT -- just sayin') her hair is short and she's hugging Flynn, so we get a nice view of the back of her dress not blocked by her hair.

This morning: Made the center modesty panel, complete with lace and the two most beautiful points I have ever made in my life with lined fabric.  Did I mention that seam-clipping is my very best friend on the whole wide world of inanimate (or in this case, procedural) friendships?  I just pinned it to the dress form in the picture above.  I still need to get it attached to the bustier, which I plan to do with a seam on one side and snaps on the other, so that I can get in and out of it.

And that's it for now!  I plan on making some more detailed posts about the processes for the sleeves, false panels, and embroidery, but for now I'm running late picking up a friend at the airport, so those updates will have to wait until later.

In the meantime, what do we have left to go?

-- Attaching the center modesty panel

-- Adding the eyelets and lacing to the bustier (I am expecting those supplies in the mail tomorrow)

-- Finishing the sleeves

-- Finishing the embroidery

-- Making the petticoat (and trim)

-- Adding the center panel to the skirt (once the embroidery is complete)

-- Hemming the skirt and joining it to the petticoat

I'm hoping to have the bustier completely totally absolutely finished by the end of the week.  And then it's embroider like a maniac until the deadline.  The good news is, finishing off the skirt is child's play once it's finished.  I could definitely get all that done in one dedicated evening.

But it's looking SO GREAT! I'm as happy as can be.