Bodice of Outer Dress Started

 Yesterday was cool and cloudy with a high of 9C. This morning it is cloudy, windy, and 3C. We are to have another cloudy day and 5C. They say we could get flurries this morning and showers this afternoon. 

Lifestyle

I was off to physio early. The therapist did an assessment and said I didn't need needling which is great. She had me do a couple of moves for flexibility and there is an improvement on the right side. Then came the physio part which was a lot of traction moves. I could feel every one of them but they didn't put me off the bed in pain. Once done, I did the exercises in the gym and then had the current and heat. I left in much better shape than when I arrived. 

At home, I had my second cup of coffee and put heat on my hip. I then got to work. I tidied up the kitchen, swept the entrance way, and took several more items out to the garage for the garage sale. It was great to do things with very little pain. I didn't do anything in the garage as it was cold out there. I had the heat on in the house as it kept cooling off rapidly on me. 

Sewing

I had 30 minutes before lunch to sew and I made another 3.3 meters of piping. It goes fast when the fabric is cut out. This is left over fabric from a bag I made for daughter. I love the funky dots on it. 

After lunch, I got busy and started on the doll's outer dress. I cut the bodice pieces in the satin and sewed them up. Five pieces for that which does not include the center front pieces. The outer bodice is still flat. Next up I repeated the process for the lining. Five more pieces. The lining has the arm holes turned under and basted and the side seams sewn and pressed open. Then came the lining for the sleeves. Each sleeve has 3 pieces each. When I finished for the afternoon I had cut and sewn 16 pieces of fabric in 3 hours. There is at least 9 more pieces to sew before the bodice is completed. 

The outer dress is coming together faster than the kirtle. I am sure it won't be easy sailing when it is time to put the bodice together. My biggest concern is getting the bottom edge of the bodice looking smooth before I attach the skirt to it. 

I have started to watch a series of 4 videos on the Gilded Age. The presenter is going to make an outfit that her 2x great grandmother may have worn. I made a similar outfit for the dolls when I was testing patterns. 

Without the lace, this was probably worn by a lady who was a factory worker. It made me wonder if my grandmother wore an outfit like this when she was in her late teens/early 20's. She married my grandfather in 1900. 

I know my grandfather was a fisherman in 1901 (census) and that they had a small farm. They were poor according to my dad and his sister. I know she had 8 children before she passed away in 1917. I always wondered what type of clothing she wore and if she was fashion conscious. 

My maternal grandmother was a seamstress and sewed clothes that were fashionable for the time. I remember her sewing matching dresses and coats for herself, my mom, and my aunt in the mid 1950's. They were beautiful outfits. I wondered now if she made them to wear when she saw her sister for the first time in many many years 

Knitting

I knit on the hat and am ready to start decreasing. I hope to finish it tonight. No picture of it as it looks the same as the other hats I have been knitting. 

Thoughts

    Daughter wants me to put this outfit into the fall fair. I have looked at last year's book and there is only 1 category for it plus one open category. Since covid, the entries have been pared back which is sad. I will look at the categories and do a few things for the fair that will be gifts for people. I am not making items for the sake of filling up categories at the fair. 

    I am recovering quite quickly from the severe flare up I over a week ago. I still can't do as much as I want to do. I need to make sure I don't over do it. I still need to build strength and get the joints seated and the muscles strong and relaxed. I am making progress but I think I can do more than I really can or should. 

Today

I was going to go to New Minas this morning but with the weather the way it is, I am staying home. I will do yoga, some housework, and sew on the doll's dress. Tonight I will finish the hat and start knitting socks. 

Until the next time..........................................................