Progress on Le Polonaise AKA The Creature

Trimming the bodice – the left side was done with the roll hem foot and it really “ate” the fabric – the right with a different method. I will need to remove the left side and re-do it.

Slowly but surely (she keeps saying), I’ve been trimming Le Polonaise, now semi-affectionately dubbed The Creature.

The Creature requires much time, much fiddling, much hand work. I’ve finally worked out a good way to hem the organza on the machine, but it’s still hours of tearing, trimming, folding, stitching, pleating, pinning, tacking, and pressing.

Thankfully it’s also rewarding!

Knife pleats on the skirt. These are tighter than I ended up doing overall.

I’m really pleased with how Le Polonaise is turning out. It’s been a journey, one that would have gone much more quickly had I more time to devote. It’s really my own fault that my trip to Colonial Williamsburg is now two weeks away and I only have one new gown only partially complete.

But what a gown it will be!

As you can see, compared to the last post, both sleeves are on, and I’ve added an extension with more organza to one so far. The petticoat has been pleated and trimmed, but I have yet to do the waistband and ties. Then it was on to the trim – many strips of organza hemmed on both sides, then knife pleated and loosely stitched to the bodice and skirt.

Polonaise effect – Left is down; middle is drawn up with interior tapes; right is drawn up with exterior tapes, and is the method I will be using.

Once the trim went on, it’s been quite fiddly to get the poofs right. There are two ways to pull up the skirts – interior tapes looped through a ribbon tie or button on the inside, pulling the skirt up from within; or exterior cords which loop from the interior waist down and up on the *outside* of the skirts, hooking to buttons on the outer waist, usually at the side back seams. These two methods produce very different effects.

I usually prefer the interior tapes, to create the “butterfly” effect, but to achieve that 1770s Polonaise poofery I admire on fashion plates of the era, I have to use the exterior tapes. I better go find some pretty cord. 🙂

Skirts drawn up with exterior tapes – this creates the distinct three sections the style was named for, plus that quite large poof extending out the back. The interior tapes create a totally different silhouette.

Now back to work!!