Almost finished projects

The most unfinished project is actually me! My day on the scale yesterday was ok, as I lost 2.4 pounds, but that only brings me to a total this time of 7.6 pounds, which is less than an average of 2 pounds per week at Weight Watchers. Still, with as much as we ate last weekend when Meg and Jon were with me, I'm shocked that I lost at all! A big huge thank you goes to Loraine who suggested that I continue the pleated satin ribbon on the bottom of this dress. It really sets off the trim on the sleeves and though you can't see it in the picture, also draws in the blue bottons on the bodice. My skirts are usually 4 panels of 44-45 inches width, I made this skirt 4 panels too, forgetting that the fabric was 62 inches wide! Yikes. This dress has one really heavy skirt, and that was a huge amount of ribbon to pleat, pin, and sew. Still, it seems to be worth the work, it really looks nice.

Here is the paletot I've been driving myself nuts working on for the past 2 weeks. It has an layer of wool batting (made from some of my own fleeces) quilted into the lining. Quilting that batting in took forever, and with having a fully lined anything you are actually making a whole 2nd garment! Still I will be the one at the Remembrance Day parade in November that is toasty and warm under my cozy coat. I found the fabric online at my favorite wholesale source, the lining at Joann's with a 40% coupon, and the velvet ribbon I got at about half price at another fabric outlet. Good thing too since it took about 20 yards of ribbon and about 5 yards of fabric and lining to make the coat. Mark is out getting buttons for me right now for the coat so I should be able to finish it tonight.
I had enough ribbon to add these decorative "keyholes" to the trim stripes. I really like the way they look on the sleeves. I've been thinking about adding one to the center back as well, coming off the line of trim that goes across, but so far I haven't decided. I will probably leave well enough alone and save the extra velvet ribbon for a dress or something else. Next up in Civil War era sewing, I'd like to make a taffeta (silk probably) ball gown for the November event. I'm not sure if I'm going to do that or make another dress as I've been selling my old ones and I actually have room in my closet now for another. :) Stay tuned.