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!