Experimental Tier

For today's trial, I used the 3/16" scroll hemmer foot to hem one side of a couple 36" wide strips of muslin to be used on the first tier. Still getting a feel for how to feed the fabric into the foot. Once you get past a certain point of rolling over to the left (and a picture would probably be good here), you can get a roll that gets rolled over and makes a sort of filled hem, that feels sort of like piping. Anyway, I got enough done to a usable point and switched back to the ruffler.

No, I didn't press it.

Especially as the tiers get larger and require multiple strips to make the circumference, I think I'll have to somehow baste the ends together. I got to the end of the first strip and then realized I didn't know how I was going to get the next piece in the slot. It can be tricky loading the first end, since the kilting blade got teeth.

The fabric was ruffled to the ribbon so that when it was turned back over the stitching, the hem is to the underside. I've been thinking about ways to use this for construction. On the actual dress, the ribbon won't be dark green. And while I didn't make a lot of effort to mold this sample to the skirt and form, I still think it will be better with the more moldable petersham than this grosgrain ribbon.

I forgot to put the arm back on at the time, but have now and this seems like a drawing appropriate length for Tier 1. I started with about 5" wide strips, but haven't measured what kind of seam allowance we're talking here since it was just for testing. I might want to add a little length since I expect to puff it up with stuff underneath and then you need the length to fall back down over that longer distance.

Also, I wonder about ruffling in different directions from the front center so that the pleats are mirrored side to side rather than just running around the body one way. I wonder if that is a stupid idea, given my current skill with the ruffler. Well these plans aren't about what I can do now anyway!