Big work day

[chocolatepot]

Set in one sleeve! Hmm, I should take a picture of the other one with the piping basted on to show how I do it for the blog post. (I don't know if that's the way people normally do it or not, but it's working better for me with a sleeve that's not supposed to be gathered/pleated into the armscye - I always end up making the sleeve to fit and making the armscye a little small and needing to cut into it, so.) It's looking real good.

Question, though. So, this is a Waugh pattern and therefore there is no construction information. I've noticed that most fan-fronts have the gathered panels sewn down on the outer edge to the lining, but occasionally they're just kind of open. People who've done fan-fronts, is there a fit reason for these options? I'd rather sew it down because otherwise I will be thinking about and messing with it constantly, but I'm a little worried that it might hang weird or something. I don't know, I tend to overthink this stuff.

(Finished Thick as Thieves. Will have to reread it before I take it back to the library. I prefer court settings to travel stories, but have to admit that the travel-story-format really works here. <3 <3 <3)

Comments

[nuranar]

I think the stitching is to keep the fan front gathers/pleats nicely situated over the bust. On slight figures it might not be an issue, but on most it's beneficial; otherwise they kind of fall off the sides. My bust/waist difference isn't anything unusual but I need the stitching even for a regular full 1860s bodice.

[chocolatepot]

That makes sense. I was looking at it from the opposite side - wondering if, on a more curvy figure, the panel might get pulled too far over, or something like that, while it would lay nicely on a slimmer one. I will just stop worrying about it and stitch it down when the time comes!