Construction

In order to make this carry over to the other project, rather than making the skirt section separate, I've been thinking about good ways to make it of a piece. The old make a bodice, pull a skirt over it and sew right sides together isn't going to get it here though. I've considered making the skirt attachable like the outer layer of the Grace Kelly, which would require matching up the openings on the back carefully to make them look like one piece. I'd have to think of an alternate closure method, since I wouldn't be able to have a common zipper.

But what I'm thinking about trying is the fact that while the bodice is corsetish, it's still underneath the skirt on the bottom. So I'll extend the bodice draft down into an underskirt section that the tiers can be built on. Below the ruffle line, I guess it can be made of something else, but I need to make some decisions about what each part is going to be made of. The top section will be 4 ply crepe, seeing as that's what I bought five yards of cause it was the same as the Grace Kelly. If I had been able to find more of the taffeta from the other dress, I probably wouldn't be making this one, so I can't assume just yet that I'll be able to get more of the same crepe either.

I have some other 4 ply crepe that I bought somewhere on clearance. I should try that out to see how it likes hanging 4 tiers of ruffles off it plus whatever I use to puff the layers. (Looking at pictures, I'm guessing it will be four tiers). Tier 1, probably Tier 2, will likely be attached to the part of the top that has the most underlying structure so the underskirt wouldn't have to support as much weight as what rests on the hips, bones, and all that, or so I think.