The Camicia is Done!

Over the weekend, I finished the camicia.  I sewed bias tape behind the neckline pleating to give it stability, and I hemmed the bottom of the garment.  I still want to add some lace trim at the sleeve openings, but I will wait until I have more time to do that.

Neckline pleating

Bias tape detail

On Saturday, I layed out the fashion fabric for the skirt, and cut out a lining of white cotton.  I sewed each fabric into a tube, pressed the seams open, and placed the lining into the fashion fabric. After pinning the two pieces together, I had to decide how to navigate the front and back points of the bodice. If I attached the skirt using a straight top line, the fabric pattern would be straight on the sides, and then dip down in the front and back at the lowest points of the bodice. I wanted the pattern to remain straight horizontally around the garment. I marked the sides, front, and back of the skirt, which would later correspond to the sides, front and back of the bodice when it came time to attach the two pieces; I folded it at the front and back seams, so the two side seams matched up in the middle. This way, I could trim whatever amount I decided off from the front and back points and make sure it was even on both sides.  I measured the distance between the waist of the bodice and the front and back points of the bodice to determine the height difference, and cut the skirt fabric so that the height difference of the front (4.5") was accounted for at the center front of the skirt fabric, graduating up to the side point. I did the same with the back point, and crossed my fingers that my plan would work. I folded over the top hem by 1/2", and then again by 1". This would give the pleats some body. Using heavy thread, I cartridge pleated the top hem using two rows of stitching, 1/4" apart, and spaced the pleats out 3/4"  I left 10" of the center front unpleated, to make it easier to get in and out of the gown.  I'll have to decide what to do with that once I get the skirt attached.  Maybe something involving a hook and eye or two.

With the skirt finally pleated (I think it took me 3 episodes of Grey's Anatomy), I was ready to attach it to the bodice. I turned the skirt inside out, left the bodice outside in, slipped the bodice upside down through the waistband and matched the side, front and back points I had marked earlier. (I was a little impressed once I figured out how to align the bodice to the skirt, since I'd had a few glasses of wine by that point.) Each cartridge pleat gets two or three stitches to attach it to the bodice, and for stability and support, I am going through the canvas under layer of the bodice.   I'm about a third of the way though the process.

Attaching the skirt to the bodice

When I flip the skirt back, you can see how it will look once it's finished:

Almost done!