aaaand now I'm stuck.

[robinsnest]

So I was cruising along quite well with this francaise gown, but now I've hit a wall. I think  I know what the solution is..but it involves cutting things..and that's scary because if I cut wrong I can't put BACK.

Here's the deal. I did the right side skirt panel, no problemo, and decided instead of doing the left side I'd move on and futz with the right front. I thought it would make me feel like I had made progress. And it sort of did, but I'm pretty sure my front pieces are just plain too wide. I know you fold them back a couple of times for the robings, but I just used a half panel of my fabric which is probably 28 or 29 inches wide. They seem enormous, and in my mind I suppose they were typically made with a width of silk that was what 20 or 22 inches wide? and I think I need to cut about 10 inches off so that would kinda add up...right?

A few pictures to illustrate what I mean. You can see that I had to fold the fabric like 8 times to end up with normal sized robings, so I think the problem is my width and if I cut it down it'll work perfectly...but if I cut wrong I'm screwed!!



and a back view, just to show that I did in fact make SOME progress today.



and just in case you were wondering, I am in fact draping this in the middle of my apt as it's a very small apt and this is the only place it fits! good thing Rob is a patient man.

Comments

[curiouschilde.livejournal.com]

I wish i could help you out hon.. I have no idea.. and i've had 2 margaritas.. Sooo.. patterning and me.. It would be an adventure right now. The seams look good.. but i think the robings are too big still. But then, i've never made one of these either. Good luck honey!

[blackcat452.livejournal.com]

I would cut it back, play with it to see how wide you want it, then cut so you have enough room to fold. Your right about the fabric being narrower then, we expect the same proportions when we start out with a completely different width. Good luck.

[koshka-the-cat.livejournal.com]

I had to cut down my robings in the middle of draping. It was terrifying, but it worked!

[sewloud.livejournal.com]

Did you cut a long strip off the whole front length or did you just cut a triangle off the top front edge?

[koshka-the-cat.livejournal.com]

The whole length. Actually, I tore it, not cut it. Very nervewracking, but it worked!

[victoriasews.livejournal.com]

Is there any way to pleat from the side, working forward, and then if you have excess left at the front, just cut it off? That way, you get exactly the look you want, and don't have to worry about coming up an inch or two short at the front. Of course, I haven't yet made a francais, so I could be WAY off here. :) The back looks fabulous though. And YAY! to patient men!