Miss Terwillegar has a fetching new coiffure and here models the bodice as we fine-tune the fit.
It is worth spending time on this phase. If the slip fits perfectly, I can use it as a pattern for the gown itself. The pleats on the skirt have been completed, so I pin it to the bodice.
Then this morning I decided to face up to the dreaded hand-bound buttonholes. I'm not sure why I dread these, exactly. I love making them, and I like the way they look, even when they are kind of quirky. They make me think how women of the Regency period actually had to work on their clothing. I guess it's the thought of screwing them up that intimidates, but even when they are not perfect (which they never are), they always look era-appropriate.
The buttons are mother of pearl, and the thread is real buttonhole twist! I have it (and a few other gems) from my grandmother's sewing basket. It is something called "artsyl" which I would guess is a fake silk of some kind - rayon? dacron? probably dating from the 1950s. Lovely old 1/2 size wooden spool.
