Surprise Sewing Bee - heading for the wire - kinda

Wednesday, after dinner, 7:30 to 10:00, some time to work on the project.

 I had to make a decision.

Putting side seam pockets into an a line skirt made from a boucle fabric that turned out to be fray-crazy, heavy, stretchy and droopy, I was feeling like one of those project runway contestants who tackle things they never actually accomplished before - and we viewers all think - are they nuts?

 Well, okay, the point of joining the project, I tell myself, is to pursue your design vision within the confines of the assignment- and use fabric and patterns you bought at some time.  You must have believed they have potential.  Make it work!

Side Seam Pocket inspiration, from Top Shop, though mine is a narrower more traditional A Line.

At this point, my lining and skirt are mostly together, the pocket fronts are stayed and placed and potentially non-droopy,  provided the waistband stands, like iron, at the waist so  the ease I put in for the pockets, over the hips (read "over the rear end"), lands exactly where it should, so the pockets aren't pulled open.   I mean, my skirt is NOT going to hang from my hipbones like this one from Theory that is one of my inspirations:

The waistband absolutely has to fit, and the big irreversible decision, given the unforgiving nature of the fabric, is seaming the top of the pockets the few inches up to the waist.  Thereafter, the fit cannot easily be adjusted.  Not only that but, because the fabric is bulky, it's hard to  size by trying it on before you trim the bulky seam allowances at the pocket tops - but with this fabric, you cannot mess around after trimming seam allowances or it will fall to shreds.   I think I used up a whole spool of thread just stay stitching every possible thing already. 

Here is a piece of staying/binding with a trimming that demonstrates how immediately the loosely woven fabric turns to filaments.

Earlier in the day, before going to the office, around 6:30 a.m. or so, I was drinking coffee and reading Vogue Sewing about waistbands (again.)  I never use waistbands. I also never read Vogue Sewing at 6:30 a.m.  but new experiences is the point of the contest.  You can see I haven't finished the Sunday NY Times crossword yet either.  It's been that kind of week.

I then searched online about staying waistbands and ended up at Sewaholic where she discussed a very solid form of waist stay for a vintage dress.   The technique involves adding a strong stay ribbon with two rows of stitching, through all seam allowances, which will remain, to bolster the waist.  I liked this idea  because the fill for the waistband would make it stronger and also somewhat plusher, which seems to fit the style of fabric, and using a strong wide stay would allow me to ease the hip area into the stay, and give me the ability to redo additional fitting in case the pockets pull, without having to rip stitches out of the fragile fabric of the waistband.  Any adjustments could be made with the stay. Hooray!  Well, theoretically, hooray.  Will this work?

Had to position the lining and seam it to the top of the skirt, then trim and stay stitch once again, which I can also use for easing. 

Might as well use bright orange for cheeriness, since it's about 9:45 p.m.  And what the heck else am I going to use this 1" tape for?  I don't even know why I have it. Here is the stay, eased on at the back.  My pic of this is a hundred times messier than sewaholic's.  I haven't trimmed the threads  yet but you can also see the fray craziness.

Well how about that?  It actually holds up AND the pocket is hanging straight in the seam just as it is supposed to.  Whew.

Tonight, finishing the whole thing.  Ever hopeful.