Autumn dress

Well, the sun didn't come out. Instead it's been three days of damp grey drizzle, with occasional downpours. After a record 48 days of dry weather (that's actually Seattle; I couldn't find Olympia's report, but it's basically the same) the rainy season is finally upon us.

Even more reason to have a new wool dress to wear!

I promised you a picture, so here it is. Imogene the Dress Dummy would like you to know that she was having a bad day and felt the hallway lighting was unflattering. She says this is a terrible picture of her. Maybe so, she does look a little lumpy (sorry, Imogene!) but I've never figured out how to get that dress dummy to have a figure similar to mine so the fit isn't really the best, especially in the bust area.  You get the idea, anyway.  I haven't hemmed the bottom yet, but I mean to leave quite a bit of length. Usually I like to have my hem just brush my toes, but long hems are very period and it might be nice to have a little bit extra to keep out any drafts when I sit. The bit of green on her left is one of the pin-on sleeves I'm making to go with the dress. There will be embroidery to pretty them up and add a bit of fancy, as well as a matching hood.

The hood is giving me fits. I chose a piece of gold silk to line it, and it looks very nice except that it slides all over my head and won't stay up! The silk is too slippery! So I'm going to have to unpick my seams and replace the lining with linen that has the sense to stay put. Ugh, what a bother.

More as it comes!