Crafty To-Do List

On 11-21 I posted a to-do list of everything remaining for my dress and wedding crafts.  This list is proving useful and so I'm going to re-post it on this page and update it as I complete things.

Buttons

• Test the process – on Sunday I cut the pattern from one of my button kits, traced and cut circles from charmeuse and organza and tried to make a button.  I couldn’t do it until I stitched a circle of gathering stitches through the two layers of fabric.  The resulting test button was pretty but not perfect and so now I’m considering whether to have a professional make the buttons.
• Cut fabric (or send fabric to professional)
• Assemble buttons (or wait for button arrival from professional)
• Await arrival of buttons from professional

Petals

• Pattern – on Sunday, I couldn’t find my original pattern so I made another using an image of a drawing of a plumeria flower, printed it, traced it onto tagboard (a menu I don’t need), and cut it out.
• Test fray check – did this on Sunday, the Dritz “Fray Check” is the clear winner.  Less goopy than the Alene’s version and dries invisible
• Trace petals
• Cut petals

Wrap

• Sew shoulder seams
• Sew side seams
• Insert sleeves
• Wash wrap
• Make button holes
• Attach buttons

Foundation

• Sew boning channels (the ones not on seams)
• Baste garment sections
• Think about top edge of dress – where to sew the organza selvedge.  Along the entire edge or just the front? I did side-seam to side-seam, easing in 1/2 per side front piece.  I staytitched the entire top edge and then sewed gathering stitched from side-seam to side seam.  I eased and then pinned organza selvedge, then sewed it on along the seamline.  Finally, I picked out the basting silk.
• Temporary closure? - No, clamp and pin
• Fit
• Rebaste any adjustments - 1/2" from each side front piece at bust, 1/4" everywhere else on front edge of side front pieces
• Adjust muslin pieces for length - leave back pieces the same.  Lengthen front, side front pieces by 1/2" all along the bottom edge.  For the side back pieces, lengthen the side seam by 1/2" and leave the back seam the same. Baste a new line to indicate.
• Sew foundation seams
• Press seams
• Sew boning channels at seams
• Trim, overcast and catch stitch seam allowances
• Add boning and close boning channels
• Add closure
• Make the waist stay
• Attach the waist stay
• Trace and cut lining pieces
• Mark lining pieces
• Button holes for waist stay in lining - waist is at 5.25 inches from top edge.  Put bottom of buttonhole 5.5 inches from top edge.
• Embroider lining piece
• Baste lining seams
• Sew lining seams 
• Trim, overcast and catch stitch lining seam allowances

Dress

• Baste seams
• Fit
• Adjust and re-baste seams
• Sew seams
• Press seams (there are 7, I've finished 7)
• Trim, overcast and catch stitch seam allowances (there are 14, I've finished 14)

Overdress

• Thread trace
• Make adjustments from dress fitting if any
• Baste seams - 1/8 inch from seam lines with wrong sides together.  All straight seams plus up to bust curve on front seams
• Sew seams
• Clean out basting thread
• Trim seam allowances to just under 1/8" and press
• Flip dress so that right sides are together and rebaste seams on seamlines
• Sew seams and clean out basting thread.
• Complete false French seams on bust princess seams
• Determine what type of seams to use where - I am using French seams on the straight bits and false French seams on the curvy bits.

Lining

• Thread trace seamlines
• Baste seams
• Fit
• Re-baste seamlines and/or seams
• Sew seams Lining
• Seam ruffles
• Trim, overcast and catch stitch seam allowances (14 of 14 finished)
• Attach ruffles to lining
• Get stiff netting and add netting with tulle if tulle is not stiff enough - I have decided to use 3 layers of tulle for each layer

Assembly

• Attach sections at stabilized top edge
• Final fitting
• Make any adjustments from fitting
• Join dress and overdress at closure
• Join foundation lining to foundation
• Attach buttons and loops with appropriate underlap
• Slip stitch lining to loop side of dress
  
• Mark for hemming
• Hem
• Attach petals using pearls
• Finish bottom edge of foundation 
• Hanging Loops

Bustling

• Determine location for bustle point - I thought the bustle would be a single point French bustle.  But, when I tried it on the dress form, the sides of the dress were still on the floor.  So I added a bustle point to each side back seam, for a 3-point French bustle.  Pretty!
• Add gap in dress and reinforce seam - this wasn't necessary...I pulled the bias strap through the seam between a stitch and secured it loosely to the ribbon inside.
• Attach ribbon to upper point inside dress
• Attach ribbon to lower point inside overdress - I made an organza bias strap for this.  Very narrow and discreet!

Pack dress for shipping

• Dress
• Shoes
• Bustier
• Other under-items
• Wrap
• Haircomb
• Pearls
• Earrings
• Shoe Covers

The Non-Dress List:

Last minute shopping

• white tissue paper - Mom and Dad are bringing it
• clear plastic bags for shipping
• boxes for shipping 
• cork board for escort table + stand
• button buttoner
• powder/concealer/mascara/brow gel/eyelashes

Other to-do

• flower girl basket
• prepare ring pillow
• projector
• trip to storage unit, costco
• upload engagement photos for slide show 
• Emcee scripts 
• get rings cleaned

Shoe Covers

• Get some suede or leather and some elastic
• make covers to protect the suede on my dance shoes from the gravel/sidewalk, etc

Haircomb

• Cut Russian veiling
• Make flounce from light pink organza
• Add lace from mom's wedding dress
• Attach to comb

 Invitations

• Prepare invitation list and reception invitation list
• Gather all the addresses
• Make sure I have stamps
• Make sure I have address labes
• Print address labels
• Assemble invitations
• Check finished invitation invitees off invitation list
• Mail
• Send final invites
• Find location
• Send reception invitations
• Manage RSVPs

Photos

• Select engagement photos for guest book - IA
• Photo list for photographer
• Childhood photos - IA 
• Scan childhood photos, get fiance's from his family - can do 1/22-1/23
• Find college, grad school photos, etc.

Decor - Luminaria

• Glue weights to luminaria paper - IA
• pull battery tabs from tealights - IA
• cut lengths of thread from waxed and heat-set thread - IA
• tie tulle wraps around luminaria - IA
• test eyelet tool on paper - IA
• purchase mini hole punch for eyelet 
• punch holes - CO and PR
• Cut the rest of the papers for the outsides of the luminaria - CO
• pack for shipping- IA

Decor - Centerpieces

• Cut paper - DC can do 1/22-1/23
• Cut ribbons - CO, 19" and 38" for each of 7 or 8 centerpieces
• Glue or staple one end of each - can do 1/22-1/23
• CO, cut to stitch as many 12" strands to each centerpiece long ribbon as possible. 

Decor - Table Numbers, Escort Cards, and Place Cards

• Print labels for place cards
• Print seating chart
• Decide on table numbers - IA
• Print table numbers 
• Cut and fold table numbers - CO
  

Other Paper Products

• Programs and ceremony
• Menus
• To-Do in PR
• Schedules

Flowers

• Bridesmaids silk flowers: 3 - can do 1/22-1/23

Earrings

• Make 6 pairs of pearl earrings - IA
• Pair of clip earrings

Ceremony decor

• Rent an arch?  no Use tulle pompoms? YES
• Sew pink pompoms
• Chair decorations? the bows I have?
• Aisle runner? If yes, prepare for shipping

Crafts Shipping

• From Iowa: fans, hotel bags, luminaria papers with weights and tulle-wrapped tealights
• From DC: white and pink pompoms, centerpieces, centerpiece weights, fishing line, scissors, stapler, glue, ruler, rotary cutter, seating map, programs, menus, to-do lists, schedules, table numbers, ceremony text and other worksheets, paper hearts, additional luminaria papers