Sunday, February 11, 2007

Moy Gown Update


If I have done this properly you should be able to see a photo of Sam and I at 12th Night back in January. I am wearing my Moy Gown. At that stage it was pinned together in front, unhemmed and the bias strips around the neck and front opening were pressed but not stitched down. [And my hair looks rubbish, but you can't have everything]

In the last few weeks I have stitched down the bias strips, marked up where the buttons will go on the front and sewn the first of 8 buttons in place. I have also stitched down the excess fabric behind the tip of one of the gores by way of reinforcing. I will do the other 3 eventually also.

What’s left: sew on 7 buttons; construct and sew on 8 button loops; stitch down the reinforcing on 3 gores; hem.

I then need to figure out what will go under the dress. In this photo I am wearing an old cheesecloth chemise I made for festival years ago. When I decided to wear the Moy to 12th night I didn’t have enough time to make a new chemise so I re-cut the neckline of the cheesecloth to suit this gown (the neckline had been quite high before). I was quite pleased with my ingenuity, but as a long term solution it’s just not quite right. Some of the literature suggests that an Irish Leinte (also known as a saffron shirt) is appropriate, but I printed out a few more articles last week to read which might have different views. I will keep you posted.