O my doG, it's early

...or it feels like it, at any rate. It's a holiday today, so getting my lazy butt up before noon is something of an accomplishment :/

No, I'm dragging myself awake because there are things I want to happen today, and if I sleep in none will get done (updated 1:45 pm):

• cut out dress bodice for fitting
  
• file some paperwork - halfway done - one of the offices wasn't open today
  
• read some more (Collapse of the Third Republic and Dress Accessories - getting edjamakated, y'all!)
  
• laundry
  
• housework (going where no one has dared to go - between the cushions of the sofa. Anyone got a biohazard suit to spare?) - finished and the volume of crumbs was indeed frightening!
  
• figure out some more of the costume competition requirements (documentation?)
  

If I'm lucky I'll get at least one or two of these done today, so wish me luck. Meanwhile I'm slurping down the coffee and waiting for my brain to kick-start

Things to come

To give you some idea of what the Pink Thing will look like, I found this picture at the website of the inimitable Bjarne (be sure and check out his dress diaries as well).

Mine will likely be less lacey and "foofy", due to time constraints and personal taste, but the color is spot on!

grrrr.. (sewing woes)

Well, I DID get the dress bodice done as I'd planned, and D. helped me fit it tonight.

I have concluded I am in WAY over my head! Where the )!_#(* is the "waist" supposed to fall, anyway? The pattern seems to think that my bust resides halfway down my ribcage, but the back is right on my shoulderblades. WTF?? I know that this time period had a very high waist, but why the front-back discrepancy?

For once in my long, stubborn sewing career I'm going to listen to wisdom (namely, D.'s) and leave it the fuck alone for now. This is obviously the best course of action, as in the past when I've kept hammering away at obstinate projects I invariably wind up with torn fabric and thrown sewing items. It is far better not to go there.

The delay stresses me out, as I'm already concerned that I won't finish this dress by April, and with all the delays on the undergarments I feel like I've used up all of my troubleshooting time. The construction looks fairly simple (crosses fingers), if I can just get the fit right.

I've consulted the fine folks on the historic costume email list to see if they can offer any insight on working with this diabolical pattern. I'd heard that it was wonky, but I didn't expect it to be that far off.

Off to diligently waste time and not think about costuming.