The Big Sewing Saturday or The Many Levels of Dante's Inferno We Didn't Know Existed - Robin

We had plans, big big plans. The material exchange was the only thing that went off without a hitch. Lisa and my beau were trying to convince me to use duct tape to secure the hoops, but I was having none of that until.... my frustration level grew to such a pitch that I caved and used translucent duct tape to secure them. But the damage was done.  Frustration is evil, because, once there, it imbues itself into everything you do.In making the cage crin, I found that, although all my measurements were exact according to the pattern, nothing was right, but as Lisa kept telling me all day "It's only underwear",  I finally just left it NOT PERFECT. I really hate that and am bumping up against my need to "have-to-be-perfect" vs. the need to "get-it-done" in order to get to the actual outfit. I threaded the encased hoop wire through the slots incorrectly three times before I got it right and then, Voilà! I had a cage crinoline. It was a beautiful sight.

Lisa had her own form of hell that day:  miles and miles of gathering for multiple layers of ruffles, a particular level of Dante's Inferno never mentioned in the book.  She survived.

We also managed to hem her brown skirt and petticoat and fit the muslin for her Polonaise.  Progress! I put on my first corset from Steampunk and Lisa measured me and I whined and whimpered. The numbers made me cringe and vow to get back on my road bike post- haste.

We shared our trim and material choices with each other.  Lisa got to see my Vic trim and fabrics, I got to see her crochet lace and trim choices for the Polonaise and I finally got to see what the heck she was talking about for her Ren outfit.  It all worked.

Lisa's skirt hemmed.

Miles of gathering ruffles

Hoop-de-doo

Lisa's polonaise trim choices

Robin goes to the dark side of duct tape

Why does "boning the hoop" makes us laugh?

 Then we finally got to uncork the wine bottle!