Details, details, details...

The lining went pretty smoothly and I really like the girly shine :)

There are lots of little details that I didn't really plan for... like lining, trim at the hem, waistband and zipper. I know it sounds absolutely ridiculous to "overlook" these important and vital details, but I've never done this sort of thing.  The little details that now seem obvious I sometimes overlooked, well at least initially.  Then when I hold up the skirt and realize... hmmm... it's sort-of transparent OR hmmm... how will I get this on without some sort of closure i.e. zipper?!  So the adventures begin...

Then came to deciding how and what to add for the hem.  I didn't really like the idea of using regular binding on such a pretty material.  I decided on a taffeta (yup, taffeta again) ribbon.  Probably not the easiest thing to work with but a really romantic and lovely finish.  I was happy with the choice, but I think a real seamstress could have made it look better.  I also discovered how important the needles you sew with are.  For silk and taffeta buy the smallest you can so you don't ruin your fabric with lots of tiny holes.

Here's the lining, trim and taffeta train.  I really like the contrast and femininity... so far.

Did I mention that I had overlooked a waistband?!  Ugh!  Hmmm... I had no idea where to start and certainly no idea how.  I decided to use the top edge of the patterns for the skirt and do it in two pieces, the front and the back.  I actually ended up with four pieces to make a tube structure and then attached it to the waist.  Thank God that after more guess work the skirt still fits!  

Oh, then after the waistband was in I realized that there was this awful fabric edge that was going to rub on my skin.  Soooo... more details... added basting too!

AND a zipper.  It was supposed to be an invisible zipper, but I had already sewn the lining to the taffeta so that wasn't going to happen.  Oh well, this pink taffeta skirt is only the base of the many meters of fabric that will be covering it... and what turned out not to be a very attractive zipper.  I'm too embarrassed to post the picture of the finished zipper :(

Sorry for the bad camera setting and Horrible color!




I don't know if you noticed or not, but I can't use pins on the taffeta.  I have to tentatively bast all the seams together using the tiniest of needles and fine thread.  I chose black thread so that it's easy to find and remove after I've sewn the seams.