Fashion & Flair Friday ~ Monarch Butterfly Dress, Making the Underskirt

At first, I was really excited about this fabric, but once I had it draped on the bodice, I just didn't care for the way it went with {or rather, didn't go with} the skirt, so I scrapped that idea, ripped it off, and just left the bodice black.  If I had had time, I was going to drape it in a black chiffon like in the draping tutorial I posted, but I ran out of time {or so I thought, but I actually could have done it since I ended up not finishing for the party because I didn't like the way the skirt was hanging, but I already stitched the bodice to the lining and no way I am taking it apart again, so I will just have settle on plain black sans draping.  Oh well, at least the feather trim will perk it up a little so it won't look so boring!}

For the underskirt, I used tulle, but in the end, the paint added so much weight that the tulle just didn't poof it out enough for my liking, so I am going to add some netting to mine to poof it out more.

So here's what I did:

Cut List:

Broadcloth:  8" x width of fabric

Tulle or Netting:  8 - 8" x WOF

                                4 - 15.5" x WOF

Gather the 8 - 8" x WOF tulle/netting strips together until they are the same width as your broadcloth.  I used a gathering foot, and when I would come to the end of on strip (about 1/2" left), I would just lift my presser foot and overlap the beginning of the next strip, but even if you don't have a gathering foot, you can do the same as you are sewing your gathering stitch across the top edge

Pin the tulle to the broadcloth and stitch using a 1/2" seam allowance.

Finish the raw edge, then press the seam up toward the broadcloth.

Now gather the 15.5" strips, just like you did for the 8" strips, and pin them to the top edge of the broadcloth and stitch.

Now all that's left is to drape the wings on the skirt...which I have found to be a little tricky to get them to look right, but my Grandma is going to come over and help me drape them, since I don't have a dress form and will have to pin the skirt onto myself, then, drape the wings onto the skirt. I will post how I drape them as soon as we get them done.  Then, we will just have to sew the skirt to the bodice and add the zipper and feathers!  Yay!