If I don’t finish this frickin’ midriff soon, I’m gonna scrap the whole thing. No, not really. But seriously, this is super frustrating. Here’s why: 

My attempt is to make the midriff more functional, for it to flap open rather than for it to just be decorative.  This way the dress will be easier to pull on and off.  Somehow, some(how?) the first midriff was too small for the dress.  Weirdness.  So I cut a new one, two of each of the front pieces (luckily, the back piece was fine), and basted them together.  (I’m doubling the midriff since it’s being made from a flimsy muslin.)  I redid the point on the one piece and it looks good.  But I realize now, that I need a bigger second piece in order for it to flap.  Duh!

See - the part on the right needs to fit the entire length of the flap now, and not just meet the pointed part…

Also, for some reason now I’m not getting seams and triangles to line up.  Ugh!  (If you sew from patterns, you know what I’m talking about.  If you don’t, don’t worry about it.)

Oh well.  In other news, I’ve readjusted the flaps of the bodice to give the collar a more open, less constrictive look.  I think it’s prettier.  See?

P.S.  Sorry I’m not so eloquent when I write about technical stuff.  So hard to explain! 

Stay tuned for more updates!

Unfortunately tonight’s progress wasn’t that visual.  Meaning that that little strip of white that I’m holding up in the pic is sort of disappointing to behold, right?  Believe it or not it was kind of a lot of work.  That’s going to be the midriff.  I’d love to keep working but, alas! there are other tasks calling my name tonight.  Like taking care of my horribly overgrown and polish-chipped nails!  (I can’t stand long nails…)

It’s been a week and a half since I’ve done any work on Project Replica.  And I am ashamed.  In my defense, I’ve been very busy otherwise.  Plus, it had been even longer since I had added anything new to my LonesomeBrown shop, even though I have a stack of clothes that have been laundered and photographed and are ready to list.  So, after finishing my Anita Shreve novel (omg, The Last Time They Met was soooo good!) in my yard (while being attacked by bugs who thought my eyelid was tasty), I spent this evening adding a few more things to my etsy shop in hopes that customers will be drawn in, items will be sold, and I’ll get rid of some of the clutter in my house!  (Long sentence, I know.)  Anyway, rest assured I *will* work on the rockabilly striped dress this weekend even if I have to chain myself to the sewing machine.  My goal is to do little bits at a time.  Slow and steady wins the race.  But I have just under 4 weeks to meet my deadline.  Yikes! C’mon guys - start rooting for me!