Finally!

[mala_14]

I was finally able to solve my pleat problem. I didn't have any freezer paper on hand, so I decided to try fork pleating. But because the silk organza was so squidgy, I needed a fork with longer tines so I could pleat the whole width of the flounce at once. This doesn't really exist. So I McGyver'd a fork out of 2 size 0 dp knitting needles, a bamboo bbq skewer cut in half, and some painter's tape.

This probably would have worked if the organza wasn't the squidgiest fabric ever made. But it was and my pleats ended up looking wonky. So I took a trip to the grocery store and picked up some freezer paper, which worked a treat. It stabilized the fabric so it couldn't shift around. Eventually I managed to pleat the darned thing and spent last night pinning the top and bottom of every pleat to the skirt, ironing the pleats, and then, finally, sewing the flounce on by hand.

I don't know if it was actually worth all the hassle, but the skirt, now that it's done, really does look mermaid tail-y to me with the flounce as the fins. :)

I also spent today patterning out the front part of the train. The back will just be a length of the fabric with sort of rounded corners. I'm sort of copying this fashion plate, for reference, minus the rather intense butt bow.

It doesn't look so great in the newspaper, but with drapier fabric I'm hoping the folds will be better. Can I get the train done this week? Probably not, but I'm going to try!

Comments

[fancyfrocks.livejournal.com]

This is brilliant! And it looks gorgeous :)

[atherleisure.livejournal.com]

It is looking a bit fishy...

[ashamanja-babu.livejournal.com]

Pretty! I love your improvised pleat fork, even if it didn't end up working for this.

[mala-14.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I'm excited to start working with the silk. :)

[mala-14.livejournal.com]

lol Just so long as it doesn't start to smell fishy.

[mala-14.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I feel like I will have lots of pleating in my future and lots of options as to how to pleat things now.

[quincy134.livejournal.com]

The flounce looks beautiful on there! Worth your effort.

[kaesha-nikovana.livejournal.com]

It looks wonderful! Very mermaid-esque. :) I'm glad the freezer paper did the trick for you.

[mala-14.livejournal.com]

Thanks Gloria! I'm pleased with how it's coming together. Now if it would only come together more quickly... ;p

[mala-14.livejournal.com]

Thank you! And thanks for the awesome suggestion. The freezer paper is my new best friend. :)

[bauhausfrau.livejournal.com]

So pretty and floaty, I really love how the flounce turned out.

[mala-14.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I like it so much now that it's done and I'm not trying to wrangle it into submission anymore. ;)

[nuranar.livejournal.com]

This looks amazing, honestly. I love how you're making your vision come together!

[mala-14.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much! :)

[sadievale.livejournal.com]

Really pretty!

[mala-14.livejournal.com]

Thanks!