Slip Half Full

If you can make heads or tails of the meaning of this post's title then I salute you!

But never mind you, friends. This is all about a little lady named Ruby... (Grab a drink, this is going to take a while):

I understitched the bodice to the skirt to give it a bit more structure, and to help to stabilize the lace.

See how much longer my bodice is than the original version? That's what happens when you add a bunch of inches to accommodate a full bust.

(All the best slips have mood lighting.)

I actually think the dress form looks a little sexy here. Is that possible??

Can you say gratuitous self indulgence??

The Good:

• It's a wearable muslin, which is more than I can say about any other lingerie garment I've made before.
• It's really pretty.
• It's not hideously made - but I used cheap materials and you should never do that if you want something to turn out well. Note: If I'd used expensive materials and this thing fucked up, I'd want to kill myself, so it was a calculated trade off.
• The thread could not have been a better-matched shade if I tried (it was in my stash?!). It means some of the dubious bodice seam sewing looks just fine when it really should not.
• My franken-version of an FBA didn't work out half bad!
  

The Bad:

• It really needs a bit more length in the bodice to actually seam at the narrowest part of my underbust. I have already cut the next version of the pattern, adding 0.5" to the bodice pieces. I hope that will work. It doesn't look that way on the dress form because the boobs on the form are slightly smaller than mine (and the ass is slightly larger, while we're clarifying).
• I used cheap material and I'm sure it will impair the longevity of this wearable muslin. People, cheap lace is not strong. Keep this in mind. If I were able to make this slip without modification, I would only use the best lace. Hell, next time I make it I'm using the best lace.

Additional Info:

• The short version is too short, IMO - and you know I'm not tall. I'm going to need to recut the skirt for the long version. (Note to self: Don't forget to recut the skirt for the longer size.
• The bra straps work really well, as long as the lace to which you affix them has substance.
• Handkerchief hems on bias skirts, using fabric that doesn't like to press are rather labour-intensive. Nonetheless, I like the finished effect.
• I've adjusted the body so tremendously that I can't figure out exactly where the centre front notches should go anymore. I have tried to reason it out but my brain is tired.
• I used a bra-making method to sew the bodice seams, which I think is slightly different from the many good seam-finishing methods that Sherry suggests. Because I didn't want any bulk at all, and because I know from past experience that closely top stitched seams on lace don't fray, I pressed open the seams (after checking fit 8 zillion times), topstitched about 1/8" from the seam and then used applique scissors to cut the seam allowance very close to the top stitched seam on the wrong side of the garment. I didn't overlock those seams.
  
• It wouldn't have been a bad idea to underline the weak lace with power net (which I have) but I didn't know what I was doing and I didn't want to deviate too much from the plan.
  
• I only increased the circumference of the skirt by about an inch on the front (divided over the 2 side seams). I did this to accommodate the reasonably small amount of extra width of the bodice (the result of the FBA). In a perfect world there would be no increase of underbust measurement but it's pretty tricky to make something this fitted with vastly divergent needs at underbust vs full bust. Remember, I've got almost a 5" difference in those measurements as a result of large breasts and a narrow frame. It's a challenging alteration.
• I actually unstitched the seam of the skirt to the bodice after serging the seam, to get back about 1/4 of an inch of length. This is one of the reasons that I understitched. I felt it really needed some reinforcement.
  

Man, I'm tired.

Please write me a comment and tell me that you love this - or say anything else you'd like. Let's talk!