My GAWD I'm a SEAMSTRESS....

Hi Stephen,

I don't know how the hell this happened, but in less than 2 months, I have taken a beginner sewing class, then started sewing pillowcases (20 of them), and now I have graduated to CORSETS.  Seriously.  I don't know what the HECK happened, but apparently I am a very fast learner.  I have surprised myself.  I have never TOUCHED a sewing machine---unless you count 7th grade Home Economics class, where I sewed a crooked DOG pillow.  Since then, I gave up on the whole "domestic goddess" BS and moved on to career woman and tough DC chick.  But somewhere deep inside of me, this unknown "talent" must have lain dormant.  Suddenly it is now showing up out of nowhere, to freak me right the hell out.

This is a wedding dress that I saw in a thrift store a couple weeks ago.  This is exactly what I wanted on MY dress when I got married, but I couldn't find a seamstress who knew what the hell she was doing, and my first dress got RUINED because of it, so I had to go buy a 2nd dress 4 days before the wedding. So when I saw this one, I felt rather sad.  But, I thought maybe I could make something like this for myself, on a dress that my mom got for me, for my birthday.

This is the dress...and the crocheted shoulder wrap that my mom made for me too.  It doesn't really look all that great here, in this photo, but it's strapless and looks VERY nice on me....except for the fact that the zipper doesn't quite zip up....(typical scenario, all my life, the bodacious bazoomba boobs make things hard to fit me).  So, I investigated the dress a bit, and figured out that it had once been altered already, and I really want to wear it to camp for the Victorian Tea Party.  (I'll tell you more about that later--it's a HOOT)!  Then my thought was, "why not try to duplicate the corset back style on the back of this dress?"

I spent some time at JoAnn Fabrics today, talked with some customers and people who worked there who know how to sew MUCH better than I ever will, and got the basic info on how to do it. ...then, I bought some grommets---something I never used before in my life---and tah dahhhh, in one evening, I sat down, muddled it out in my head, and went to it.  First I got some thicker belt material, wrapped the same pink fabric around it, used "stitch witchery" to glue it all down and made it look like it had always been that way.  Then I used scissors and cut 6 holes in both of the belt strip pieces to fit the grommets into, used a hammer to put the grommets in and secure them, and now I'm sewing the two strips onto the dress, OVER the zipper, and using the black ribbon that came with the dress as the corset lacing.

No, I am not at the point of knowing how to split seams open and insert boning or anything like that yet, but I thought this seemed pretty simple, and just did it the best way I could, without any pattern, or internet instructions, or anything.

Here's a picture of it.....not quite finished yet, but I am sewing the strips to the dress by hand, (I don't want to wreck my machine because of the thickness of the fabric strip).  So I'm impressed with myself, and Pete seems impressed too.  I hope it works, and I hope it looks decent when I'm finished.

Darn it, the picture is sideways. I don't know why the heck that happens when I use my iPhone to take pictures.  Anyway, you can see the pins I have on the outside of each fabric strip where the grommets are...(they only sell gold and silver grommets, not black...I don't know why).  Anyway, so far it's looking pretty good.  I will have to finish hand sewing both strips on very securely with doubled-thread, and then try it on and hope for the best.

Anyway, I'm off to bed, but I just felt like bragging.  :) hehehehe

(SIGH....I know, reading all about a woman SEWING on a DRESS must be a huge thrill for a guy like you. Yeah, I'm just one exciting broad, what can I tell ya)?!

Love you lots...and lots....and lots....xoxoxo  Goodnight my sweet naughty man.

Love, Rebecca